John Kasich defends DNC speaking slot: 'This country is moderate'

Not everyone affiliated with the Democratic Party is thrilled that John Kasich, the Republican former governor of Ohio, was invited to speak at the Democratic National Convention this week, especially when someone like Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-N.Y.) only has 60 seconds to say her piece. But Kasich, who said he was approached by the party, made the case for why he should be up on the stage in an interview with BuzzFeed News.

The former GOP presidential candidate and frequent critic of President Trump said that while members of both parties, including the progressive Ocasio-Cortez, "have new ideas" and receive "outsized publicity that tends to define their party," he ultimately believes "this country is moderate," which means people will want to hear from someone who is willing to ignore partisan barriers.

Other Democrats are backing him up, including Sen. Sherrod Brown (D-Ohio), who called him "a Republican with some spine" and urged other GOP members to follow his lead. Nancy Patton Mills, the Democratic chair in Pennsylvania, said it's "important" for people in her state to hear from Kasich after 2016 when "Hillary Clinton did not perform well in red counties" in the Pittsburgh area where Kasich grew up. Read more at BuzzFeed News.

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