CNN "The Situation Room" - Interview with Mike DeWine

Interview

BREAK IN TRANSCRIPT

We're joined now by the Republican governor of Ohio, Mike DeWine.

Governor, thank you so much for joining us. You have certainly been a leader in this effort to try to contain this pandemic.

What message, first of all, did the president send today with his refusal in Michigan to wear a mask in public, while visiting that Ford plant?

GOV. MIKE DEWINE (R-OH): Well, he did wear a mask, you reported, so I think that is a signal itself. He said he wore a mask.

[18:10:01]

BLITZER: He wore it, Governor. He only wore a mask behind the scenes backstage.

He didn't want to wear a mask when there were any cameras, because he said he didn't want to give the news media the pleasure of seeing him wear a mask.

He refused to wear a mask when he was in public, walking around with all the Ford executives, even though all of the executives were wearing masks.

DEWINE: Well, I don't know, Wolf.

I'm focused on Ohio. And we're encouraging people, of course, to wear a mask when they're out in public, if they're going out somewhere. And that gives that added layer of protection.

And I get asked. I have been asked. People say, well, Mike, you didn't -- we didn't have -- you weren't saying wear a mask two months ago. I said, well, we weren't opening back up two months ago. And so it gives that added layer. We just encourage people to do that.

A lot of things we're focusing on. We're focusing, obviously, on getting our testing up. Our testing is not where we want it. But it's a lot more than it was a couple weeks ago. So we're optimistic we are going to continue in that direction.

BLITZER: Yes, you got a lot going on, as we know.

Ohio, like Michigan, is the home to various auto plants. If the president were to visit your state, want to tour a plant, would you ask him to wear a mask?

DEWINE: Well, I don't discuss my personal conversations with the president.

The president's going to do what the president wants to do. And that is what it is. So...

BLITZER: Yes.

But, clearly, if you went into a sensitive area, where there are a lot of workers, many of whom are risking their lives just to get the job done, you would be wearing a mask. You wouldn't have any hesitation in being photographed, seen in public wearing a mask, would you?

DEWINE: No, but I'm not the president.

So, I -- if we go out somewhere -- and we don't go out very much. But if we go out, I put a mask on. We walk over to our daughter and son- in-law and their four kids, which is right down the road from here. And when we get close to the house, we put a mask on just because we don't -- we want to keep that distance.

BLITZER: Of course.

DEWINE: And we keep the distance too.

And, actually, it was my wife's birthday yesterday, and we went over there. But we kept the distance and kept the mask on, except when we're eating the cake. And -- but these are just things that we're trying to tell Ohioans, that we're opening back up, so the risk goes up.

We know the risk is up. And we got to keep the distance. And at the same time, we add an additional layer in regard to the mask, which is helping. It doesn't help -- as you know -- you guys have talked a lot about this. It doesn't help you so much. It helps the other person. And you try to do that.

(CROSSTALK)

BLITZER: It's a courtesy to other people, in case you have been exposed and you're asymptomatic. It's just a courtesy.

You're not going to pass it on to someone else. It's -- and, certainly, it's the right thing to do, and especially for the president, I think, to show the American public there's nothing wrong with wearing a mask. In fact, it's a very, very generous and important aspect of all of this, unfortunate, but really important.

Let's talk about some of the other issues that you're following right now. And I'm really curious about something the president keeps harping on in Michigan, because he visited there, specifically. He's slamming vote-by-mail practices.

I know, in your state of Ohio, residents can vote by mail. I think in 30 or more states, people can vote by mail. Have you seen any evidence to support the president's claim that mail-in voting leads to what he calls tremendous fraud?

DEWINE: Well, Wolf, we have done this in Ohio for a long time.

I don't know how many years, but it's been a long time. We have 20 -- basically, 28 days you can vote before the election by mail, but you also can go into the Board of Elections and vote. And then, of course, you can vote on Election Day.

So we have very open voting in Ohio. And so we have a lot of experience with it.

Frank LaRose, who's our secretary of state, runs a good operation. So we don't anticipate any concern this fall. I know some people are saying, well, you're going to vote in person. Look, we do both. And we think that that's going to cover it very well.

BLITZER: Because especially at a time of a pandemic, people are nervous to go wait in line and go into a public place, especially elderly voters.

They want to be able to vote by mail, and it's happening all over the country. In some states, that's the way they do it. So, what I don't understand is why the president is so adamant in saying this leads to fraud.

DEWINE: Well, I don't really know.

I mean, I don't know what the president is looking at. And my frame of reference, frankly, is very narrow. It is just the state of Ohio. And we have just done this for a long time. And it has worked out, we think, pretty well.

[18:15:10]

BLITZER: Yes. And that's what I hear from governors all over the country. They don't really see any evidence -- yes, there's a minor little here and there, but they don't see any evidence of major fraud.

And the president is clearly threatening Michigan right now. If they allow mail-in voting, he's going to cut back federal funding to Michigan, which obviously is very, very concerning.

As usual, Governor DeWine, thanks for everything you're doing for the people of Ohio.

DEWINE: Thanks, Wolf.

BLITZER: Thanks so much for joining us. We will, of course, continue these conversations down the road. Thanks so much for joining us.

DEWINE: Thank you.

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