John Kasich calls Trump's refusal to concede 'absurd'
Former Ohio Gov. John Kasich (R) may have endorsed President-elect Joe Biden in the 2020 election, but he is still a member of the GOP, and finds the fact that so many of his fellow conservatives are not calling President Trump out for refusing to concede the election "extremely disappointing for someone who has been a Republican all of my life."
In an interview with NPR on Sunday, Kasich said it's clear Republicans haven't come out to roundly condemn Trump over his false claims of voter fraud because they are "either in complete lockstep" with the president or "they're afraid of him." Their fears involve being primaried or "severely criticized," Kasich added. "It's a pretty remarkable situation."
Kasich, who appeared at this summer's virtual Democratic National Convention, told NPR it's "absurd" that Trump won't concede, as Biden has "clearly won this election, and it is just sort of amazing to me that Republicans just keep sitting on their hands." Trump is being enabled, Kasich said, and he is concerned that this is slowing down the transition and will make it harder to fight the coronavirus pandemic.
Subscribe to The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.
Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
"It appears as though the vaccines are right on the horizon," Kasich said. "And it's an incredible logistical challenge to be able to distribute that to so many Americans that are going to be in a position to willingly accept the fact that they'd like the vaccine. You should have total cooperation." Read more at NPR.
Sign up for Today's Best Articles in your inbox
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
Catherine Garcia has worked as a senior writer at The Week since 2014. Her writing and reporting have appeared in Entertainment Weekly, The New York Times, Wirecutter, NBC News and "The Book of Jezebel," among others. She's a graduate of the University of Redlands and the Columbia University Graduate School of Journalism.
-
80 dead in Colombia amid uptick in guerrilla fighting
Speed Read This was the country's deadliest wave of violence since the peace accords set by President Gustavo Petro in 2016
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
Gaza ceasefire, hostage deal on track to start by Monday
Speed Read A deal between Israel and Hamas to release hostages and begin a ceasefire was officially signed by representatives in Doha
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
Ukraine captures first North Korean soldiers
Speed Read Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy posted videos of the men captured in Russia's Kursk region
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
Lebanon selects president after 2-year impasse
Speed Read The country's parliament elected Gen. Joseph Aoun as its next leader
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
US accuses Sudan rebels of genocide, sanctions chief
Speed Read Sudan has been engaged in a bloody civil war that erupted in 2023
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
Ukraine goes on offense in Russia's Kursk region
Speed Read A top adviser to President Zelenskyy said "the Russians are getting what they deserve"
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
Ukraine cuts off Russian gas pipeline to Europe
Speed Read Ukraine has halted the transport of Russian gas to Europe after a key deal with Moscow expired
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
Was Jimmy Carter America's best ex-president?
Today's Big Question Carter's presidency was marred by the Iran hostage crisis, but his work in the decades after leaving office won him global acclaim
By Sorcha Bradley, The Week UK Published