Kasich clarifies his comment about Latinos

Politico

By Ben Schreckinger

September 20, 2015

Kasich clarifies his comment about Latinos 

Ohio Gov. John Kasich is clarifing his recent comment about Latinos, saying they "occupy jobs from top to bottom."

The Republican presidential hopeful's clarification comes after he stirred controversy on Thursday with a comment that critics said reduced Latino immigrants to a stereotype of hotel maids.

“I look at our friends in the Latino community as people that ought to be voting Republican. … They are great, caring, hardworking folks. And a lot of them do jobs that, that they’re willing to do," Kasich said at a golf club in California the day after the second Republican presidential debate. “That’s why in the hotel you leave a little tip, you know?”

In an interview airing Sunday on NBC's "Meet the Press," Kasich told host Chuck Todd that he understood why some were offended by the comment, but said he respects Hispanics.

"I've always said that Hispanics are such a critical part of the fabric of the United States. They occupy jobs from top to bottom. They're so critical to our country. They're God fearing and they're hard working," he said. "And that means that they hold very important positions. I've got a friend right now who's a doctor. He's a doctor in oncology, you know. I mean, that shows you how crazy it can get in this business."

"To be clear," Kasich said, "I believe that, from top to bottom, Hispanics play a critical role in America, not only today, but going forward."

Following another Thursday incident in which a questioner at a Donald Trump townhall asserted that President Barack Obama is a Muslim and not an American, Kasich said that he believes the president is a Christian and that Americans should respect the presidency.

"If he wasn't a believer, that would be his business. But he is, I believe he is," Kasich said.

"We need to respect our basic institutions, whether it's the presidency, whether it's our teachers, whether it's our ministers, or rabbis. We need to have great respect or the country begins to come undone," he said."I may not agree with the president, but I respect the office, and I respect the fact that he is the president of the United States. And hopefully, I'm going to be."

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