Pat McDonald
I get my fill of the first thanks to my job as the sports editor here at the Journal Tribune – and through way too many hours of listening to sports talk radio and watching ESPN.
The second is something that I sometimes wish I could stop caring about.
The 2016 presidential campaign has been tough to watch. From Donald Trump and Marco Rubio going back-and-forth – on national television – about The Donald’s “manhood,” to Ted Cruz and Trump going after each other’s wives, it has simply been childish and embarrassing.
Unfortunately, I have always felt that paying attention to politics and elections is the duty of every voting-age adult.
With all of that said, there is one person running for president right now that I can not only see myself voting for, but I would feel good about supporting him.
That person is Ohio Gov. John Kasich.
Now, for people close to me, that may come as a surprise because of my voting history.
I will admit that in the three presidential elections I have been eligible to vote in, I have never voted for a Republican. I voted for John Kerry and for Barack Obama twice – and I don’t regret any of those votes.
So why am I now considering voting for a Republican?
It’s simple: John Kasich is a moderate Republican who seems to put partisan politics aside in order to get things done.
In the late 1990s, Kasich led the charge in the House of Representatives when the federal budget was balanced, and he has helped lead Ohio in the right direction.
The Ohio governor has also shown the ability to adapt even when something doesn’t go his way. He was not a fan of the Affordable Care Act – also known as Obamacare – but he was willing to do what was right for the people of Ohio and expanded Medicaid, which, according to Forbes, turned out to be the right call. Now, some people may ask, why aren’t you supporting either of the Democratic candidates? Well, the answer is simple in one case and more difficult in another.
When it comes to Bernie Sanders, I don’t believe his ideas are something that can realistically be accomplished without taking drastic measures.
I feel that, like Kasich, Sanders is very genuine and is not just trying to get votes by blowing smoke – but for some reason, I cannot see myself casting a vote for him.
When it comes to Clinton, the answer is simple: I don’t trust her.
Whether it’s the Benghazi scandal, which I feel Fox News and others have slightly overblown, or the fact that she seems to change positions when it benefits her politically, there is just something there that I can’t get behind.
So, as of right now, I’m hoping the Republican voters give me a chance to vote for John Kasich in November.
Kasich does not have a chance to catch Trump in primary delegates, but I don’t think Trump or Cruz will get enough delegates to clinch the nomination before the convention in July.
I believe that at a “contested” convention, John Kasich may get a much-deserved second look from Republican delegates – and more importantly the party’s powerbrokers – and he may get the nomination.
If that does not happen, and either Donald Trump or Ted Cruz get the Republican nomination, I will be forced to support Hillary Clinton, who will most likely beat Bernie Sanders.
I will not vote for Donald Trump, who I feel is unqualified and frankly dangerous to the country.
Mr. Trump has been given a pass by the national media, which has been eating up higher ratings thanks to the circus that comes along with his campaign. Trump simply refuses – or does not have the ability – to answer important and serious questions other than by saying he will “make America great again,” or “I’ll make a good deal.” Those answers are simply not good enough to get me to support the former reality TV star.
The one thing that Trump has going for him is he doesn’t have a filter and people love that he “tells it like it is.”
I know it may make people feel good when he talks about building a wall and making Mexico pay for it, but let’s face it, it’s not going to happen.
It may be a crowd pleaser when he talks about banning Muslims from entering America, but not only will that not happen, it’s not constitutional and is against everything this country stands for.
The one thing that Trump has done is make Ted Cruz more palatable to Republicans.
Before Trump came along, the Texas senator was the “crazy” one. Now, he is acceptable to guys like Jeb Bush, Mitt Romney and Lindsey Graham, who before could not stand Cruz.
Even though Trump may make Cruz seem more acceptable, I will not vote for him.
I will not vote for someone who was the mastermind of a government shutdown which cost the country $24 billion, according to Standard and Poor’s.
He may be “less crazy” than Trump, but he is still a Tea Party favorite, who wants to turn back the clock on healthcare, marriage equality and also wants to “patrol Muslim neighborhoods.”
So, it seems like my last hope – barring Joe Biden or Michael Bloomberg somehow getting into the fray – is a contested convention where John Kasich comes out as the Republican nominee.
If not, I will grit my teeth and vote for Hillary Clinton.
— Pat McDonald is the sports editor of the Journal Tribune. An avid follower of media and politics, he has worked in the newspaper industry for 15 years.
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