CNN "Anderson Cooper 360 Degrees" - Transcript: Interview with Governor John Kasich of Ohio

Interview

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BERMAN: Someone who worked in Congress alongside John McCain and followed in a way his campaign footsteps, running for president in 2016 as the kind of conservative maverick John McCain tried to be in 2000 and 2008, Ohio Governor John Kasich. We spoke earlier today.

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BERMAN: Governor Kasich, when you think about Senator McCain, in your own interactions with him, what will you remember most?

GOV. JOHN KASICH (R), OHIO: Wow, I mean, he -- he liked to laugh. He had a great sense of humor. He had incredible passion. He had strong faith in the Lord. And he is just like a regular guy.

I mean, it's all those things put together. You know, he is inspiring to me. In some ways, even though we were -- we were peers, at one point we were both in the House of Representatives together, I kind of felt like he was almost like a coach. I wanted to get attaboys from him, you know? He was kind of a guy you wanted him to give you some praise.

And when you think about his life, I mean, my goodness, what that guy had been through and what he represented was just absolutely amazing. I remember being in his office not too long ago when he was showing me the picture that the Vietnamese had taken when they fished him out of the ocean. He was really proud of that.

I mean, the guy just did it all. He did it all.

BERMAN: So, if you always thought of a coach, you're going love this next question, because way back in 1998, we dug this up. "The New York Times" asked Senator McCain about you for a profile "The Times" was writing on you and your political ambitions.

(LAUGHTER)

BERMAN: Right? OK, get this -- Senator McCain said you were, quote, a fine, fine young man, one of the best we have, but that, quote, he has a hair trigger temper. So, that, of course, coming from a man who himself was known for his quick temper.

So, now, 20 years later what do you make of his cheeky description you have?

KASICH: Aw, that's -- here's the thing about Washington that's really interesting. Sometimes you have to get people's attention. And I'd say that John McCain and I in many respects were young men in a hurry, in a hurry to change the world, in a hurry to get things done.

And when obstacles got in our way that we were certain, certain in our own way were vital to the spirit of our country or what we were trying to get accomplished, you know, we moved fast, and we were very vocal about things. Now, that was '98. I've gotten a little more calm. But I still have the same burning passion just like John did.

And so, it was interesting he said that, you know. Good. Good, John. He and I would have a big chuckle over it if he were here today.

One thing I do want to tell you, I do want you to hear that when I found out he was ill, and I did track him down in Arizona, and I did ask him if he was OK with the Lord, with the big guy. And he said, Johnny, don't have to worry. I got that all taken care of. And that was important to me.

I also called him when he voted no on getting rid of that health care for Americans. And when I talked to him, I said, John, sometimes he was hard to get, I said John, you've always been my hero, and never more than right now. And so, you know, it's great that he goes down with a ten strike as far as I'm concerned on a hole in one. Something -- I just loved the guy.

BERMAN: So let me read you something that gets to what his role is in Washington and in the country. This is something Dan Balz from "The Washington Post" wrote. He said his death is reminder of new time with new challenges for generation that now must follow his footsteps.

Will anyone pick up the legacy he leaves behind? So what about that? Will anyone pick up the legacy that John McCain leaves behind or does his style, his way of doing things die along with it?

KASICH: I don't -- you're never going have another John McCain. He's the real McCoy.

But do I think his life will inspire other people? We certainly hope so. We hope that people will forget about so much about partisanship and party and all that kind of business, because what McCain loved most is he loved his country.

And if you always -- when you're in a position of authority, you love your country above all else, you end up doing better. But I think there is one other thing that could be very helpful and inspiring to people, and that is wherever you live, whatever you do, that you can make a difference in the way the world turns.

And that kind of inspiration we need, because we need people where they live to begin to take matters into their own hands to be constructive with other people, regardless of their philosophies or their political party and that other stuff, and let's make our world better.

[20:15:12] And I think John is an inspiration for that as well. As to the major big shots, let's think about the people who drive our country which are the real folks who he loved when he would go to those baseball games.

BERMAN: Governor, I want to ask you about how the White House has handled its response to this. It took two days, two full days to put out a statement praising Senator McCain's service to the country, not to mention the fact that the president was asked five times about it today if he had anything to say out loud about Senator McCain, and he refused to offer one word of praise on camera.

What does that tell you about the president?

KASICH: Well, look, they've moved the flags back down again. They're now at half-staff. The president, President Trump put out some kind words.

This is not the time. This is the time to think -- look, what's happening with John McCain's death is all over the globe. People are saying we have a breath where we can be together. We don't have to be on the left. We don't have to be on the right.

This is a time for us to be together and to have some peace, and sort of call a truce to all the things that have been happening here, the John McCain opposed.

So I don't want to -- all I can say is they're getting it right now. And thank goodness that they are.

BERMAN: So you're relieved that finally they got to where you think they should be on that?

KASICH: Yes, I think so.

BERMAN: Governor John Kasich of Ohio, thanks so much for being with us. Thank you for sharing your memories.

KASICH: Thank you. God bless.

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