CLEVELAND, Ohio – Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine told CNN’s State of the Union on Sunday that he does not know if Ohio will be able to chip in toward the extra $ 400 a week in unemployment benefits that President Donald Trump announced Saturday.
“We’re looking at it right now to see if we can do this,” DeWine told CNN’s Dana Bash, about Trump’s order to pay 25% – or $ 100 – extra per week to thousands of unemployed Ohioans.
“I want to thank the president,” DeWine said from his home in Cedarville. ‘The president was in a difficult situation. He had a blunt instrument, which is the executive order. He’s trying to do something. He tries to bring the ball forward. ”
He said Congress should negotiate a deal.
‘We need to look at this as we are at war. Throughout our history when we had a foreign invader, we have drawn Democrats and Republicans together. We have an intruder. That’s this virus. I’m sure they can. ‘
The interview was DeWine’s first since testing positive for the coronavirus with a rapid antigen test required to meet Trump on Thursday. He has since undergone two negative PCR tests, which test for genetic material and is considered reliable.
Here’s what else he had to say.
Bash doubted the accuracy of tests.
DeWine stressed during Sunday morning’s interview that he does not want Ohioans to think tests are unreliable, adding that Ohio is cooperating with six states, although they have not decided which tests to buy.
“I think what people should not take from my experience is that testing is not reliable or does not work,” DeWine said. “What I took was because you were pointing to an antigen test, which should be seen as a screening test.”
“People should not take from my experience that testing is unreliable or does not work,” he said. ‘What I took is an antigen test, which really should be seen as a screening test … The antigen tests are fairly new and the companies that come out with them honestly have the burden of showing, you know, how good they are . Could they be used in some situation, yes they can be, but you have to understand go into that if you can get the wrong positions, as happened in my case, or you can get the false negative. “
Louisiana, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Ohio, North Carolina and Virginia work together.
DeWine said he has agreed with the six drivers to put together their purchasing power for these tests. But, he noted, they are taking it one step at a time.
Bash asked if DeWine was worried about voter fraud, with ballot for mail-in in November.
An expected increase in vote via mail-in due to the coronavirus pandemic combined with a troubled US Postal Service has caused polls to reach election boards in time.
DeWine downplayed concerns, saying he has confidence in Secretary of State Frank LaRose and county boards of elections, conducted by both Democrats and Republicans.
“We have a long, long experience of doing that in Ohio,” he said. ‘I’m comfortable. You should always worry about fraud. You have to wait … It’s gonna work. ”
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