Kasich cancelled a breakfast with the Pennsylvania delegation Wednesday due to “a scheduling conflict,” but no other explanation was given for the absence.
The snub came after back-and-forth jeers Tuesday night between the two delegations seated next to one another on the floor at Quicken Loans Arena. Each time Kasich notched another set of delegates during Trump’s nomination roll call, the Ohio delegation cheered.
The jubilation was met by shouts from some Pennsylvania delegates.
“We don’t cheer for losers” yelled one man.
And when Ohio devoted all its 66 delegates for Kasich, the Keystone State neighbors chanted, “Where is he? Where is he?”
Indeed, Kasich wasn’t in The Q.
“There are lots of different governors and senators that aren’t here,” said Ohio State Rep. Niraj Antani, R-Miamisburg, a delegate on the floor. “Here’s the fact: The Trump campaign is calling for unity, but obviously these other delegates that are making these gestures are not helping our party in becoming more unified.”
Nor was Kasich at breakfast the next morning.
“I think he’s a poor loser not showing up here,” said Dave Majernik, a Pennsylvania delegate, during the breakfast.
Alternate delegate Laura Schisler added, “I just don’t understand how anyone can behave that way.”
WPXI-TV Pittsburgh’s Katherine Amenta contributed reporting.
17 arrested in protest near arena
Cleveland Police arrested 17 people following a fight and U.S. flag burning at the corner of East 4th St. and Prospect Ave. near Quicken Loans Arena Wednesday afternoon.
As dueling demonstrators started to fight, officers quickly mobilized and formed a human wall in an attempt to keep the protesters apart.
Some 300 protesters wall marched through Public Square to other parts of downtown chanting about needing love, not the "storm" that exists today in society. One man told News Center 7's James Brown the wall between people would only make the "storm" worse. The group carried a 30-foot long banner to display their displeasure of the wall. The group was joined by another large group.
Police saw the large groups moving and quickly followed to monitor the situation, but everyone stayed calm.
As the group swarmed 4th Street. Amelia Robinson of Dayton.com captured video of the massive crowd. You can watch that video on our Ohio Politics Facebook page.
Kasich loves New Hampshire
While located in “Little Italy” and lacking snow, it was a homecoming of sorts for Ohio Gov. John Kasich Wednesday.
Kasich was warmly greeted as he spoke to New Hampshire’s 19 delegates — and Rhode Island’s, too — at a restaurant prior to their departure for the evening session of the Republican National Convention.
After 106 town halls and visiting all 10 counties multiple times, Kasich finished second in the state’s primary (winning four delegates) amid a crowded Republican field, nurturing the early stages of his ultimately failed campaign.
“It was the greatest place, it was so much fun,” Kasich told the delegates.
Bruce Berke, a lobbyist and Kasich-pledged New Hampshire delegate, handed out bumper stickers reading: "DON'T BLAME ME! I voted for Kasich."
Kasich could renew his New Hampshire experiences in 2020 as a potential presidential candidate.
Speechwriter accepts blame for Melania Trump speech controversy
Meredith McIver, who claims to be an in-house staff writer for the Trump campaign, has taken responsibility for the striking similarities between Melania Trump's speech at the 2016 Republican National Convention and Michelle Obama's 2008 Democratic National Convention speech.
"In working with Melania Trump on her recent First Lady speech, we discussed many people who inspired her and messages she wanted to share with the American people," McIver wrote in a statement. "Over the phone, she read me some passages from Mrs. Obama's speech as examples. I wrote them down and later included some of the phrasing in the draft that ultimately became the final speech. I did not check Mrs. Obama's speeches. This was my mistake, and I feel terrible for the chaos I have caused Melania and the Trumps, as well as to Mrs. Obama."
Columbus Dispatch reporter Randy Ludlow contributed to this report
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