Ohio — As the world deals with the coronavirus pandemic, much attention has turned to the national and local leaders making decisions about what we should do. In national and international reports, the spotlight has been finding Ohio Governor Mike DeWine.
The latest is a profile in the BBC (British Broadcasting Company), which credits DeWine for his early action. The BBC’s headline, “Coronavirus: The US governor who saw it coming early,” was one of the three most read stories on the BBC website Wednesday. The story points out that Ohio was the first state to close schools, and that Ohio banned spectators from sports days before games and seasons were canceled. And the BBC notes that Governor DeWine “…is quick to defer to Dr. (Amy) Acton for specific questions on the virus and its spread, reminding Ohioans that the state’s decisions are driven by science.” Dr. Acton is cited in several of the articles about Ohio’s action, and there is now a facebook fan club with more than 50,000 members.
The global coverage of Ohio’s response started with the first closings, and has included profiles mostly offering praise. Both the Washington Post and the Washington Examiner wrote stories specifically about the governor. USA Today, The New York Times, Wall Street Journal, Dallas Morning News, Boston Globe and CNN have all profiled Governor DeWine’s actions. Political publications including The National Review, Politico and Roll Call have profiled Governor DeWine, and he’s been interviewed on several national television outlets, including Fox News and MSNBC.
While the BBC is the latest international media outlet to profile Governor DeWine, he has also been mentioned in French publications like Le Monde and Le Parisien ; in newspapers in Australia, Canada and other countries.
Many of the national and international publications contrasted DeWine’s early actions with those from President Trump, though the governor has said, “I think we are aligned,” when asked about the president, and the president on twitter has publicly supported Governor DeWine’s efforts to get FDA approval for an Ohio company that is now sterilizing N95 masks.
In early coverage, there was some criticism of the dramatic action the governor took to close schools and some public events. As the pandemic has continued, the general tone of profiles on Governor DeWine has offered praise for quick action.
Governor DeWine has been holding daily news briefings, typically joined by Dr. Acton, Lt. Gov. John Husted and other state leaders. The news conferences are carried live on WHIO Channel 7, on 1290 and 95.7 WHIO radio, and on whio.com. Click here to read the latest information Wednesday.