John Kasich takes a swipe at Trump's budget, says it's actually just a reflection of Mick Mulvaney's values
Kasich, who chaired the House Budget Committee in the 1990s, joked when responding to a comment from cohost Norah O'Donnell on "CBS This Morning" Wednesday.
"These budgets reflect the values of a president every year, and of course as you mentioned ... " O'Donnell said before Kasich chimed in, laughing, "or the budget director."
Trump's budget has come under fire from both sides of the aisle for its deep spending cuts to nearly all federal programs and agencies, aside from an increase in funding for defense, homeland security, veterans affairs, and child care credits. Mulvaney, who served in the House prior to becoming Trump's budget director, was known as one of Congress' biggest fiscal hawks, seeking to decrease virtually all federal spending.
"You cannot move quickly to pull the rug out from under people who need help," Kasich said. "But, at the same time, we have to make sure that we get to the root of their problems."
The 2016 Republican presidential candidate said Congress falls short on helping people get off of government assistance and acquire skills needed to become gainfully employed.
Kasich has embarked on tour to promote his new book, "Two Paths: America Divided or United," which has led to some curiosity as to whether he will make another attempt at the presidency in 2020, an idea Kasich has not ruled out.
Watch his comments to CBS:
More from Allan Smith:
- 'There's no reason whatsoever' for it: The Trump administration's latest battle with ethics officials is 'extraordinary'
- White House: Trump 'united the entire Muslim world in a way that it really hasn't been in many years' on his big trip
- Bush ethics lawyer on report Trump asked intel officials to defend him on Russia: 'This is the mistake that Nixon made'
- This incredibly detailed map contains a treasure trove of neat details about the 2016 presidential vote
- A new Pence fundraising arm raised eyebrows, but Republicans insist it's not a sign of presidential ambitions