Kasich is famous for having a difficult personality. But as far as Trump is concerned, Kasich is the governor of a swing state Trump cannot afford to lose. Kasich controls political resources in that critical swing state. So it really doesn’t matter that many see Kasich as a sore loser after the GOP primaries. Winners have to manage losers wisely. Or, at a minimum, not attack them publicly.

“The best way to handle that is, you’re the victor — be gracious,” said GOP strategist Karl Rove in a conversation Tuesday. “And when [you’re] asked about it, say, ‘Well, we’re disappointed, because the delegates would love to hear from the host state governor… We’re confident he would be warmly received at the convention. But that’s his decision, and we understand that, and we respect that, and we’ve adjusted the schedule accordingly.’ And move on.”

Rove thought back to the 2000 Republican presidential primary race that ended with a lot of hard feelings among John McCain supporters. The George W. Bush campaign had to try to bring those supporters into the fold. Not attacking McCain was a start.