Tellingly, Kasich himself has not ruled out another bid for president, although his book tour has presented ample opportunity to do so. On the contrary, his media blitz has on occasion showcased Kasich surveying the contours of another campaign.

In a discussion with President Obama’s former adviser David Axelrod at the University of Chicago, Kasich considered the question of running for the Oval Office as third-party candidate — an almost impossible climb, he suggested, except “for someone who is very wealthy … if they have the skill to know how to communicate.”

“If they’re very wealthy,” Axelrod parried. “How’s your book selling?”

“Not well enough,” Kasich said to laughter from the audience. The 1992 Independent candidate Ross Perot, Kasich went on, “was getting up there, but he didn’t know what he was doing.” But someone like former New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg, Kasich mused, could really have a shot.