After a hesitant start, John Kasich came on strong to deliver a solid, forceful speech. He was at his most effective in touting his accomplishments as Ohio governor. These may seem beside the immediate point in the national race. But Kasich’s actions that helped put Ohio back on track are key to the battle for Ohio’s electoral votes. Potentially, they help Obama because Ohio’s unemployment rate is well below the national average. So by explaining how this success results from conservative policies instituted by a Republican governor, Kasich’s speech advanced the ball in Ohio.
UPDATE: Scott Walker took up the same theme, applying it to that other big Midwestern battleground state, Wisconsin. His speech was superb, I thought.
JOHN adds: I agree on both counts. Kasich pepped things up when they had gotten pretty soporific, and Walker is simply a hero. He is solid as a rock and always comes across the same, very clear, very strong. The red state governor theme is powerful.
Notice: All comments are subject to moderation. Our comments are intended to be a forum for civil discourse bearing on the subject under discussion. Commenters who stray beyond the bounds of civility or employ what we deem gratuitous vulgarity in a comment — including, but not limited to, “s***,” “f***,” “a*******,” or one of their many variants — will be banned without further notice in the sole discretion of the site moderator.