John Kasich in New Hampshire: Trump not a unifier, plays ‘blame game’

Ohio Gov. John Kasich (R) called out President Trump on Thursday for playing ‘the blame game’ during a speech in New Hampshire at the Loeb School’s First Amendment Gala in Manchester.

“What I have resented and disliked about the president is instead of being a unifier and someone who can dig deep into people’s problems and say ‘yes those are problems, but together we can fix them,’ he has played a blame game,” said Kasich, who is seen as a possible presidential candidate in 2020.

“He has allowed people to consider themselves victims… It’s not personal, I just completely disagree with it,” Kasich said.

Kasich said that although he “held out the hope for a couple years” that Trump would assume the unifying role, “I’m now convinced he can’t.”

{mosads}Kasich said it’s not just Trump’s fault.

“Remember it’s not just the president letting us down, it’s politicians across the board who have not shown the leadership qualities of putting somebody else before them and their political career,” he said.

Kasich downplayed the possibility of a primary challenge against Trump while speaking at Saint Anselm College in a separate New Hampshire event on Thursday, but said that “for the first time, there is a legitimate chance for a third-party candidate.”

New Hampshire holds the first in the nation primary during each presidential election cycle. Kasich came in second place to Trump in New Hampshire in 2016.