Daily Show

Kasich: Trump lucky that Jon Stewart isn't running 'Daily Show' anymore

By Nick Gass

Donald Trump should feel very lucky that Jon Stewart is no longer hosting "The Daily Show," John Kasich declared Thursday morning, as the Ohio governor ratcheted up his attacks on the Republican frontrunner, calling into question statements Trump has made not only over the course of the campaign but also the past 24 hours.

“The past 24 hours revealed in the clearest way yet that Donald Trump is not prepared to be President. On top of all his previous inflammatory statements, yesterday he proposed punishing women who receive abortions, attacked the Geneva Conventions and said he’d nominate Supreme Court justices based on who will look into Hillary Clinton’s email scandal," Kasich said in a statement, referring to a series of remarks Trump made in interviews and in campaign appearances as he made his way through Wisconsin ahead of the state's April 5 primary.

Kasich followed up his statement with appearances on ABC's "Good Morning America" and on MSNBC's "Morning Joe."

"I mean, it’s like a panoply of mistakes and outrageous statements. You know what it is with Donald? It's just a stream of consciousness," he said on ABC, adding, "we're dealing in such a serious time with the problem of global security, terrorism and here at home very poor economic growth, many feeling as though they've got no future. You can't operate like this. You are going to be president of the United States. People around the world must be having a field day, and you know what Donald ought to be happy about is that Jon Stewart’s not running 'The Daily Show.'"

Trump later walked back his assertion that women who have abortions should face punishment, issuing a statement that his "position has not changed."

"If Congress were to pass legislation making abortion illegal and the federal courts upheld this legislation, or any state were permitted to ban abortion under state and federal law, the doctor or any other person performing this illegal act upon a woman would be held legally responsible, not the woman," Trump said in the statement Wednesday.

Kasich then declared Trump "not ready" to be commander in chief.

"He talks loosely about the use of nuclear weapons and of dismantling NATO," the governor of Ohio stated. "America is facing major challenges at home and abroad and cannot afford to elect a President who does not respect the seriousness of the office."

During a town hall discussion with MSNBC's Chris Matthews on Wednesday, Trump said, "Look, nuclear should be off the table, but would there a time when it could be used? Possibly." As far as whether he would use nuclear weapons in Europe, as Matthews pressed him further, Trump added, ""I am not—I am not taking cards off the table."

"Since the beginning of the campaign, I have focused on uniting our country and finding solutions to the threats we are facing. I believe you can be a defender of life while respecting women, you can defend our country without alienating our allies and basic human rights and you win against Hillary Clinton without using outlandish rhetoric," Kasich concluded. "As President, I will approach every day with the seriousness of purpose our country deserves.”

The statement is only the latest in a series of critical comments Kasich has made about Trump, as the Ohio governor looks to position himself favorably for a contested convention, which at this point is his only chance of becoming the Republican nominee, as it is mathematically impossible for him to accrue the 1,237 delegates necessary to earn the nomination.