On CNN’s Don Lemon Tonight on Thursday evening, host Don Lemon brought on former Ohio Governor and “Never Trump” Republican John Kasich to discuss the ongoing partisan January 6 committee hearings.
When Kasich was skeptical about the political composition of the members of the committee, things took a surprising turn. He wondered “would it have been better if Pelosi allowed McCarthy to appoint some Republicans.”
Kasich added that “it would have been disruptive but would that have created an atmosphere where people who now say I’m not going to watch that, that’s just a kangaroo court, would it have been better if we truly had a bipartisan committee there even though you would have disruptors because that’s what gave Watergate the power.”
After going on about the history of the Watergate hearings, and how the Republicans on the committee eventually turned against then President Richard Nixon, Lemon got angry and scolded Kasich: “do you want an answer to that? I know it was rhetorical.”
Lemon answered “no. This isn’t 1973.” He whined that Pelosi “offered them an opportunity to put sensible Republicans on the committee, and he refused. Pelosi offered the chance to him to accept any offer he had. She did not want to put crazy people, people who will tell you it’s not raining when it’s raining.”
He then defended the two Democrat appointed turncoat “Republicans” who are on the January 6 committee: Cheney and Kinzinger, come on? Take a look at me! Liz Cheney? Do you get any more conservative than Liz Cheney?”
“Do you get any more conservative than Kinzinger? He was a man who stood up for the country. And is a Republican, a lifelong Republican” Lemon wailed.
Kasich defensively shot back that he was “just concerned that it’s taken away from this sort of definition of bipartisan.” Lemon claimed “if we were in a time — look, I think if Romney was the President” then that would be a different story in Lemon’s weak and feeble mind.
Lemon ended by saying that if there wasn’t an “insurrection at the Capitol or people trying to kill the democracy, I would say yes but we don’t live in those times. It’s great, it would be great. This isn’t 1973 though.”
Chase enabled this segment to be broadcast on CNN. They are linked.
To read the relevant transcript click “expand”:
CNN’s Don Lemon Tonight
6/16/2022
Eastern at 10:49.39JOHN KASICH: Don, one thing that’s been interesting to me and I’ve been hearing this more from people is you can’t never go back of course and be a Monday morning quarterback. It begs the question: Would it have been better for McCarthy to nominate some Republicans? Although it would be disruptive, people would feel that there was a better atmosphere.
Republicans turned against Nixon. The public turned against Nixon. However, many supported him. However, they concluded that no evidence was sufficient. It’s an important question that we must ask. Don also thinks so, in spite of all the —
[crosstalk]
DON LEMON: Would you like an answer? Yes, it was.
KASICH: Yeah.
LEMON: No, my answer is “No.” No. This isn’t 1973.
KASICH: You don’t think?
LEMON: No this isn’t 1973.
KASICH: Yeah I hear you.
LEMON: He refused to join the sensible Republicans in the committee. She gave him the chance to do anything he chose. She didn’t want to make crazy people believe it was raining.
KASICH : I do understand.
LEMON: So what’s the point? It would seem pointless.
KASICH: Don, I—
[crosstalk]
LEMON: Come on, Cheney and Kinzinger! You can see me! Liz Cheney? Liz Cheney is more conservative than anyone?
KASICH: No I understand.
[crosstalk]
LEMON: Kinzinger is a conservative man. He was a man who stood up for his country. He is also a Republican and a lifetime Republican. Most of them voted for him 90 percent of their time. They are not Republicans all of a sudden because they’re not crazy?
KASICH: It’s you and me. Then I realized that Pelosi wouldn’t allow these disruptive people to be on the committee. It is a question of whether we will continue to allow them to stay on, even though they may not always be able to handle the way they debate things. This definition of bipartisanship is being eroded, which I am concerned about. That’s the point I raised—
[crosstalk]
LEMON: I believe if Romney were the President, we would be in that time.
KASICH: You got it.
LEMON: Maybe, OK. However, this is different than the time we had —
KASICH: Or if I were President.
LEMON: An insurrection at the Capitol or people trying to kill the democracy, I would say yes but we don’t live in those times. It’s great, it would be great. This isn’t 1973 though.
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