Path to Victory for Kasich
CHRIS CUOMO, CNN ANCHOR: Ohio Governor John Kasich hasn't won a state yet in the Republican primary, but he says that's OK. He's looking forward to states better suited for him, including, and most importantly, his home state of Ohio. Is that a good enough path to stay in the race? That's a question that a lot of people are asking themselves this morning. So, let's discuss with a top Kasich supporter, Tom Ridge, the former director of Homeland Security for the Bush administration, former Pennsylvania governor. Governor, it's good to have you with us this morning.</s>TOM RIDGE (R), ENDORSING GOV. JOHN KASICH: Chris, it's nice to join you and Alisyn again. Thanks for the invite.</s>CUOMO: Always. Make the case for Kasich staying in the race?</s>RIDGE: Well, you need - you started with 17. We're on the eve of March madness. We're down to the final four. We have one individual with a consistent record, not rhetoric, a consistent record of applying conservative principles of the operation of government. We're moving into the Midwest. We're going to win Ohio. We can unite the party with a candidate best suited to defeat Donald Trump and to defeat Hillary Clinton. Game on.</s>CUOMO: What do you make of these concerns that Kasich staying in really one of either Cruz or Rubio staying in is hurting the party and has led to this hostile takeover by Trump and now this bizarre reaction by a lot of elder statesman coming out trying to attack Trump. What do you make of what's going on in your party?</s>RIDGE: Well, I would like everybody to just exhale a little bit. Donald, the leading candidate right now and obviously I haven't been in support of since way back in November, he still is about a thousand delegates short. And I think everybody ought to settle down. And we've got a series of debates coming up. We've got primaries in very favorable areas for John. You notice some of the exit polls even on Super Tuesday show people are starting to move away from Trump. I think the grass roots is finally beginning to understand that even Donald Trump probably doesn't believe the outrageous statements he's making about walls and getting oil from ISIS without putting boots on and ground et cetera, et cetera. So I think everybody ought to just relax a little bit and let the process play out.</s>CUOMO: But I think that what is happening as we watch the process play out is why they're excited. I mean Trump is doing better and better as the races go on. He's won eight states now that no Republican had ever won in a primary process since 1960. You've got Mitt Romney coming out this morning. He's going to use really hard language to personally attack Donald Trump. Do you think this is a mistake?</s>RIDGE: Well, I think everybody is entitled to their opinion about Donald Trump. I mean I said it a long time ago, I thought he was an embarrassment to my party. I think he's an embarrassment to my country. And I have enormous respect for Mitt Romney and he has his opinion. He's - obviously he deserves to express it publicly, and he will. But I think John's just going to stay focuses on his record. I mean there's a lot of people aspiring to be president right now who offer the promise of a conservative leadership. But we're down to the final four and there's only one candidate who's done more than promised conservative leadership from his days in the House of Representatives, to his extraordinary record of service of principled conservative, consistent leadership in Ohio. He's the only one that can demonstrate a proven record. And I think the grassroots will respond to it in a very favorable way.</s>CUOMO: Why hasn't it happened yet, gov?</s>RIDGE: Good question. I think, frankly, now that you've narrowed the stage - remember, the stage was as wide as a football field and fortunately, you know, there's just a super individual, just an extraordinarily talented and gracious man, Dr. Carson, has moved on. We now have it narrowed to four. There's only one with a record. Now the focus is on just the final four. And you know what always happens in the final four, there's always surprises.</s>CUOMO: Well, that's certainly true. One of the surprises we've seen before the final four, I guess you could say, was in the great eight, the elite eight, was that you had Chris Christie, governor of New Jersey, former presidential candidate, come out and support Trump. A lot of hacks went up in the GOP, calls for him to resign and editorials. What did you make of that move?</s>RIDGE: Well, you know, I think John Kasich, again showing the kind of man he is and the kind of leader he would be, admitted publicly that he had talked to Governor Christie, had hoped to get his support. Governor Christie made another decision. And John just lives with it. I mean I just go back to my days when working with John Kasich, we go back to 80 - getting elected in '82 together. He's got this great ability to reach across the aisle and get things done. I personally was a little disappointed and surprised. I thought given his assault on Marco Rubio that he was obviously leaning towards supporting a governor when he left the race. But as John Kasich pointed out, the gentlemen that he is, everybody makes a choice and we're down to four choices now and John's going to play very, very well in the Midwest.</s>CUOMO: If Trump is the nominee, if he gets the number of delegates, what do you think happens at the convention and will you back him?</s>RIDGE: No, I've already said, Chris, a long - many, many months ago, I just - Donald Trump's not my kind of man. He's not my kind of Republican. As a matter of fact, I'm not even sure he's a Republican. He's certainly not a conservative. And I can't vote for him.</s>CUOMO: Tom Ridge, appreciate you being on NEW DAY, as always.</s>RIDGE: My great pleasure, Chris. Thank you very much.</s>CUOMO: Alisyn.</s>ALISYN CAMEROTA, CNN ANCHOR: Chris, the new CNN original series "Race for the White House" premiers this Sunday. I sat down with the executive producer, Kevin Spacey, to hear all about the series and which candidate in history he most likens to Donald Trump. Find out coming up.