CNN "Erin Burnett Outfront" - Transcript: Interview with Governor John Kasich of Ohio

Interview

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BURNETT: Welcome back. We are following the breaking news this hour. Source telling CNN, President Trump on multiple occasions spoke with the Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein and Matt Whitaker, then Chief of Staff to the Attorney General Jeff Sessions, now of course the Acting Attorney General.

And he talked to him about whether the Justice Department was progressing in investigating Hillary Clinton. He asked the former White House Counsel, Don McGahn, to order the DOJ to investigate her. Asked Don McGahn to do that, McGahn rejected it.

The New York Times also reporting that Trump wanted the justice department to investigate the man he had fired as the FBI director, Jim Comey.

OUTFRONT now, the Republican Governor of Ohio, 2016 presidential candidate, John Kasich.

Governor, I appreciate your time tonight. Obviously, this news breaking just before we came on air.

GOV. JOHN KASICH (R), OHIO: Erin, before we -- yes, before we go any farther. First of all, congratulations on being back and God bless, Owen, your little boy.

BURNETT: Thank you. That is very kind. Nice to year his name on the air. What's your reaction to this development tonight?

KASICH: Well, I mean, look I no longer sort of surprised by anything. In fact, I called my legal counsel and he said, how can a president tell the attorney general who to indict. I mean it just doesn't work that way. So, I got no idea what that was about. You know, it's just another head shaking, head scratching move that we see.

And then of course coupled today with the statement about the murder of Khashoggi is absolutely stunning. And Erin, I know you had guest on talking about it but I just want to tell you that we're in danger of seeing our moral standing. Moral standing in the world eroded.

I happened to meet a tremendous prisoner of conscience, a man by the name of Anatoly Shcharansky, who sat in the Soviet Gular for many years and was defiant about his seeking freedom and not caving to the Soviets. But one thing that kept him alive in that prison and gave him hope was the United States of America, the torch that Lady Liberty holds.

And we read about these prisoners of conscience in places like China, people who have been put in these solitary prisons and they lose their lives and the hope that they have, the hope for humanity, is the United States of America, and we say it's all about some economic transaction.

I tell you, Erin, the world scratches its head and wonders, what is becoming of America? And this is -- this is really, really serious stuff. The hopes and dreams of people who have had the guts and the courage to stand up against tyranny, this is a dark day for them, because they say, does anybody care about me?

BURNETT: And look --

KASICH: And when we don't care, it's terrible.

BURNETT: I want to ask you more about McGahn, but first, because you brought up Khashoggi.

KASICH: Sure.

BURNETT: You know, when the president -- he obviously put the statement out that you referenced and then he spoke about it and to your point, right, he made it very clear that it's about money. He was asked explicitly, why are you siding with the Saudis over your own intelligence? He doesn't dispute that's what he's doing, because that is what he's doing.

Let me play the exchange for you, Governor.

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BURNETT: There are other presidents who may have come to the same -- yes, go ahead.

KASICH: I don't know why he just didn't -- why did -- Erin, why didn't he say, hundreds and hundreds of trillions and trillions and trillions of dollars? Come on. It is a ridiculous overstatement, and I'm upset about this because I know that by us giving up our moral authority, it has a profound impact on the world.

And I'll tell you what a lot of people in the western world are wondering. Is this America for four years or is this going to continue? And it's a serious question.

Listen, I hear from these people around the world all the time, and what they're hoping is that this is a momentary, in some ways, a momentary lapse of reason, to quote Pink Floyd, and you know, at the end of the day, we got to hope that this is not -- this is not good for our country, it's not good for the world, and when we look at the fact that we just ended the 100th anniversary of the end of World War I, we know what's happened since world war ii, how we've kept the world at peace. I mean, people are wondering where the heck has America gone? Very serious. (CROSSTALK)

KASICH: That and this whole business of McGahn.

BURNETT: When are you going to make a decision? Jeff Flake said -- yes, I want to ask you about that. But Jeff Flake said recently someone needs to run, it won't be him, to provide a conservative challenge. When are you going to make your decision?

KASICH: Well, you know, it's not like the "Wizard of Oz" where the wicked witch comes in and puts the sand dial down and says, when this runs out, you're in trouble. I -- all options are on the table, Erin, and you know, these kinds of things really are so troubling.

So, if I think that I can have a major impact, if I think that I can help change the debate, if I think I can help heal part of our country, I mean, that's a big thing to say, and I mean, it in the most humble way. Then I got to seriously think about doing it.

But I will tell you, whether I run or whether I don't, I'm not going to give up on the idea that we need to have unity, less partisanship, and we need to get a healing. So, I don't know exactly, Erin. I'm not avoiding it. I mean, I just don't know. I can tell you that every single option is on the table.

BURNETT: So, when you talk about Don McGahn, the Justice Department now is run by a close Trump ally, Matt Whitaker, who is apparently aware of these requests and conversations in some way from the reporting that we have, it's still being fleshed out. Do you think the president will now continue to try to have a special counsel on Hillary Clinton or, you know, that this really could still happen now that Whitaker is actually the acting attorney general?

KASICH: I think, if I'm reading a CNN report tonight, it seemed as though Whitaker did not go along with this. Don McGahn, to his credit, I don't know these guys, and I'm -- not happen to be a lawyer. That's another reason to be pleased with me.

But all the friends of mine who are lawyers say, you know, that I've talked to about this, they say, you know, it's kind of crazy. And so I think we can say that those who were approached said no. As to what he's going to do forward, I really don't know. But it's inappropriate.

BURNETT: All right. Well, Governor Kasich, I appreciate your time. Thank you so much.

KASICH: Thanks, Erin. Good to be with you.

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