Newly elected Ohio governor, cited during traffic stop; calls officer an idiot during a speech. (video)

**ANI4ANI** · 02-16-11, 05:08 PM

**Car 4** · 02-16-11, 05:12 PM

Well, it is clear that SOMEONE is an idiot....just not sure it's the cop.

Car 4

**cajunguy** · 02-16-11, 05:25 PM

Bet he has cops for his security.

Maybe next time he needs a cop, he should just call a thug instead.

.

**countybear** · 02-16-11, 06:07 PM

Fukketh himmeth.

**lewisipso** · 02-16-11, 06:37 PM

Wow. Really?

**Ace** · 02-16-11, 06:42 PM

what a dickhole...

**213th** · 02-16-11, 07:13 PM

I don't follow his reasoning. The officers instructions were clear, concise and easily understood.

**McCrackhd** · 02-16-11, 08:39 PM

So, you're driving along with your head up your ass, and don't see the emergency vehicle, and the cop's an idiot?? At least he's not the governer of Alabama. What a schmuck!

**Pudge** · 02-16-11, 09:24 PM

This asshole is really making friends. I second what Cb says, and unfortunately I have to work in this state while he's Govenor here. This is also the same guy fully supporting and pushing the State Senate Bill to eliminate Collective Bargaining for all Public Servants.

Dear Govenor,

Those laws are designed to protect our "idiots" in blue. Maybe you should have a chat with Capt. Stiles' widow. Oh, Capt. Stiles, the officer who in your state just lost his life yesterday directing traffic. Know who that is? Or were you not paying attention again, just like the flashing lights along SR 315?

You sir, are a douchebag.

Sincerely,
Just another "idiot" sworn to protect your dumb ass.

**Autumn2009** · 02-16-11, 09:30 PM

I had no idea enforcing laws, that this guy apparently thinks he is above, constitutes being an idiot. Dur.

**Pudge** · 02-16-11, 09:41 PM

I was at this funeral. The strength that Sara displayed that day has obviously flourished. Kudos to you, ma'am. Dep. Winfield will not be forgotten.

Dear Gov. Kasich,
I was so saddened and offended to see the video of your speech where you called a police officer that gave you a traffic citation an idiot. I am saddened because good leadership and opinions start at the top. I guess I held hope that our leaders would have more respect for our law enforcement officers in general. Knowing that for the next 4 years I must reside in a state where our leader calls our protectors idiots in a public forum is disheartening to say the least. In putting this opinion out there for the public you have created an attitude for others to mimic. No statement of your respect for law enforcement can now take back what you have made clear.

I am offended because my husband was a deputy sheriff in Marion County. Being called an idiot in public is unfortunately something our family became used to on a regular basis. There were people in our community that hated my husband because they were raised to hate cops. There were others that hated him because they were on the wrong side of the law and it was his job to enforce those laws. It wasn’t uncommon to hear people’s opinions of “pig” or “jerk” in the grocery store while shopping with our children. My husband just ignored it because he knew that acknowledging those people was a waste of his time. He was a better person and above their hatred. What was more common was to have people he arrested come up and talk to him at the grocery store. Thank him for being kind to them, ask him for advice, or just want to say hello. People that realized he had a job to do and it wasn’t a personal attack on them. This to me said volumes about my husband’s character and respect for others. I was even more proud when people came to me and told me how he saved their lives or offered them a sense of protection when they were scared and alone.
Unfortunately it was one of those people that had a hatred for police officers in general and no respect for the law that shot my husband in the back of the head on a dark, lonely road one night. Leaving me alone to raise our two sons and a widow at the age of 27. The man that killed my husband said in his confession that he was drunk and didn’t like cops. My husband didn’t even arrest him. He could have because he was walking along the road drunk in the middle of the night. Instead my husband, being a nice guy and like he often did, offered him a ride home. In return he got a bullet to the back of the head. Calling a police officer an idiot in a public forum is perpetuating this attitude that got my husband killed. It is encouraging a lack of respect for police officers that are often doing a thankless job and being called names for simply doing their jobs.

If you had issue with how this officer treated you, you and I both know there are much better and effective ways to incorporate a change to this problem. Using a public speech to take a cheap shot at the officer, certainly is not the appropriate place to vent your frustrations. From what I watched of your speech and my experience with law enforcement it seems to me that the officer was simply stating a fact to you. Is it not a fact that if you don’t pay your ticket or appear in court that a warrant will be issued for your arrest, and is it not this officer’s duty to inform you of that fact? Thus I must conclude that you are calling this officer an idiot for nothing other than doing his job of enforcing the law. In this situation, a law I might point out was created to ensure the safety of the very officer you are calling an idiot. A law that dear friends of mine testified to have passed after their son was killed directing traffic at an accident scene because a car failed to yield to emergency vehicles and struck and killed their son and a firefighter. I have much more sympathy for their loss than I do for your inconveince of ticket and perceived attitude from a law enforcement officer. I don’t expect you to understand how passionate police officers are about the laws that are made to protect them because you have never had to stand at your partner’s door at 3AM and tell his wife that he is never coming home again and watch her sink in despair.
I will end with one thought. My children are very proud of a letter that is framed in my office. It is a letter from President George Bush, thanking my family for their sacrifice and telling us that “Our Nation is grateful to those that risk their lives to ensure the safety of our citizens and neighborhoods.” My son even asked to take it to school to share with his second grade class because he is proud of the job his Daddy did for our country. I can just say I am thankful they have that to look back upon and know somebody is thankful that they never got to know their father because obviously the leader of our State is not thankful when he calls his brothers in blue idiots. I am thankful I don’t allow my children to watch the news, so they won’t know what our Governer thinks of the profession their father gave his life for.
Sincerely, Sara Winfield
Surviving Spouse of Deputy Brandy Winfield

From a police widow to Kasich: Don’t call cops idiots | imacornstar

**Captain America** · 02-17-11, 02:12 AM

I think the governor is over qualified to speak on the subject of idiots.

**Ducky** · 02-17-11, 09:15 AM

Sounds like someone got all butthurt because he can't get diplomatic immunity. I would be willing to bet his security detail is less than happy with him. I'd say he needs a whaaaaaambulance but maybe a diaper and a pacifier are more in order.

**Cidp24** · 02-17-11, 09:36 AM

Nowhere in his little whine did he articulate anything that would give evidence that the officer was any other than doing his job. He is under the common misconception that if the person receiving the citation feels they did not deserve it, then the officer is in the wrong.

As a supervisor, I loved it when some violator came in to complain on an officer and their only complaint was that they did not do what the officer cited them for. “Was the officer rude?” “No.” Did the officer curse or threaten you or detain you for an unreasonable amount of time?” “No.” “So your only complaint is that you did not do what the officer said you did?” “Yes. I tried to explain it to him when he stopped me but he wrote me anyway.” “OK, mam/sir, then you should take this up in court. The officer will not argue his case with you on the side of the road. There is a time and place for that and that is court on the day and time at the bottom of the ticket.”

This guy is the idiot, not the officer.

**Jks9199** · 02-17-11, 10:06 AM

Actually -- I think his misconception is simpler.

He thinks that the cops are public servants. We do serve the Public. We aren't servants of the individuals; in fact, it's often our job to tell the individual that they're in the wrong. We don't "sell" someone on a ticket; we issue a summons. They have the choice of complying or they face the consequences.

**mack** · 02-17-11, 01:26 PM

I also did not see anywhere in his story that the officer was disrespectful or treated him unfairly, or maybe because he is the governor he felt he was above the law and the officer was an idiot because he didn't give him special treatment.

**Captain America** · 02-18-11, 04:45 AM

Ohio Gov. John Kasich Apologizes to Police Officer He Called 'Idiot'

**Pudge** · 02-18-11, 09:50 AM

The governor initially tried to apologize to Barrett over the phone, but the officer requested that Kasich meet with him in person, Gilbert told the Columbus Dispatch.

Well played, sir. Well played.

Still too little, too late.