President Donald Trump has a new strategy to protect the GOP in the midterms, where he is betting it all on attacking Democrats by painting them as communists — and former Gov. John Kasich (R-OH), in conversation with MS NOW's Katy Tur, found it so weak as to be literally laughable.
"I know enough about Lenin and Marx to know that communism has not turned out well," said Tur. However, democratic socialism, the very leftmost wing of the Democratic Party, is something "people associate ... with Denmark. They associate it with the Nordic countries, maybe even France, where you have a pension, you have healthcare, etc.," and not Soviet breadlines or price controls.
"Is the president risking ... misunderstanding what the electorate believes?" Tur asked Kasich.
"Well, I think what they're worried about is it's all about the economy," said Kasich, because "when prices are up, when people don't feel good about their future, when there's a question about affordability, of housing and things like that, none of which is going to be addressed here at this point," it's all Trump can do — "and I don't think this is going to work at all."
Democrats do need to "stand up" to the "extreme" elements in their party, Kasich added, hinting at the recent far-left sweeps of congressional seats in New York. "But at the same time, when it comes to the midterms, I don't think this is a very effective message."
"The other issue for Republicans, Katy, that wehave to pay attention to isRepublican turnout," said Kasich. For example, in the marquee Senate race in Ohio, where Democrat Sherrod Brown is attempting a comeback campaign, "is Trump going to come inat the last three or four days insouthern Ohio, try to get hispeople motivated? Are hispeople going to get motivatedbecause he's running aroundsaying the Democrats arecommunists?"
"I mean, that's way out there," said Kasich, bursting out laughing. "I don'tthink that works. And they gotto find a better message."