CNN "State of the Union with Jake Tapper" - Transcript: Interview with Governors Larry Hogan and Gretchen Whitmer

Interview

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[09:22:28]

BASH: Welcome back to STATE OF THE UNION.

2020 has in many ways been the year of the governor, with many of their news conferences becoming national events and much of the COVID response left in their hands, with a president sitting on his.

Now they are making key decisions about the vaccine, including who will be vaccinated first.

Joining us now is the Democratic governor of Michigan, Gretchen Whitmer, and Republican Governor of Maryland Larry Hogan.

Thank you both for joining me this morning.

To you both, governors played a major role, as I just said, in the response. I don't need to tell either of you this. So, particularly given the lack of the comprehensive federal plan,

this was really -- the ball was really in your court. So, looking back at the last year, do you have any regrets about how you handled it or decisions that you made? Would you do anything differently, if you could?

And, Gretchen Whitmer, I'll start with you.

GOV. GRETCHEN WHITMER (D-MI): Sure.

So, I think, if anyone is being honest as a leader in this moment, if we could go back in a time machine, with all of the knowledge we have accumulated, would we make some different decisions? Absolutely.

The fact of the matter is, COVID-19 has been a novel virus, for which we have learned an incredible amount in the last 10, 12 months in this country. We have been nimble. And the governors across this country, Republican and Democratic, have been leading the way to keep people safe.

In the early days, we didn't know that a mask was the simple, most important tool that we would have throughout this -- throughout this experience. We also know that nursing homes are uniquely vulnerable. We followed CDC guidelines along -- at the beginning, but, of course, that's changed, and so heavily on the front lines.

So, certainly, if we could go back now with everything we know, we would probably all make some different decisions. But following the science, I think, has served the state of Michigan well, and I'm grateful for the incredible experts we have.

BASH: Governor Hogan?

GOV. LARRY HOGAN (R-MD): Well, first of all, let me just say I'm really proud of all of my colleague governors all across America on both sides of the aisle, because you're right, Dana.

We did step up. And we were on the front lines throughout this pandemic for the past nine months. And, unlike Washington, where we see so much divisiveness and dysfunction, the governors didn't always agree, but we sure did try to come together and help one another throughout this crisis.

And I was very proud of the job that Governor Whitmer did and many of my other colleagues all across the country. The National Governors Association, we had 50-some calls with all the governors and with the president or vice president, the Coronavirus Task Force, and other calls just between and among governors.

[09:25:15]

And we were all trying to figure this thing out as we went. And we have all made very difficult decisions. And we continue to make very difficult decisions.

And I would agree with Governor Whitmer. I'm sure, if you go back through the nine months and the hundreds of decisions we had to make quickly, that you might find some things you could improve. But, overall, I think I think we have done a good job.

I'm pleased with where we are right now in our state, where our positivity rate is better than 45 other states, and people seem to be happy with the actions that we have taken.

BASH: Yes.

And you do, as you said, both said, you have -- your jobs are not done at all. And the big thing you're dealing with right now and will be in the coming year is the vaccine rollout.

And, Governor Whitmer, you publicly called out the Trump administration last week over lower-than-expected vaccine supplies. I want our viewers to listen to what you said.

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WHITMER: I still cannot get a straight answer out of the Trump administration about why Michigan, like many other states, is receiving a fraction of the vaccines that we were slated to receive.

Where are our doses? What is holding them up? When can we expect them?

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BASH: Now, since then, General Gus Perna, the chief operating officer of Operation Warp Speed, publicly apologized. Moncef Slaoui said they're working on smoothing out the delivery issues.

So, Governor Whitmer, are you satisfied with that?

WHITMER: Well, it's moving in the right direction.

And, frankly, it was nice to see some accountability and some acknowledgement that there are -- that there are some issues, and they are coming from the Trump administration.

So, my goal is not to assuage blame. My goal is to simply get these vaccines, so that people can be safe. And that's what's driven every decision that we have made.

And, like Governor Hogan said, I mean, the nation's governors have been largely working very closely. I know Michigan's not alone in being shortchanged on the vaccines and not having an understanding or explanation of why.

And I also know that we are -- we are all trying to build up an incredible undertaking here to get the people of our states vaccinated, so that we can eradicate this horrible virus. And we're making great progress. But we need the federal government to do their part and to get out of our way, so that we can get this done.

BASH: And, Governor Hogan, when president-elect Biden takes over on January 20, should the federal government play a larger role in the vaccine distribution? Or is that not something you want to see as a governor, especially a Republican governor?

HOGAN: Well, look, let me just go back to what Governor Whitmer just said.

I -- look, I have been -- never hesitated to criticize the administration when I thought they were getting something wrong or not getting things done. And there was a little bit of slip-up in communication. And we're maybe not getting these out quite as fast as we had hoped a week or two ago.

But it is a hopeful, positive sign here at the end of the year that we -- Operation Warp Speed was a big success. And the fact that we're getting these vaccines out is a really positive thing. And we're all going to work through the details. I'm sure there's going to be other hiccups as we go along. But it's a -- it's a great positive thing, and it's going to get us back on track.

I'm hopeful that the Biden administration is going to continue on that and continue to work with us. It's going to be a cooperation that -- with people at government at all levels. And it's going to be the federal, state and local governments, along with our hospital systems and our private sector partners, getting people vaccinated.

Right now, we're focused on our front-line health care workers and our residents and staff at nursing homes and long-term care facilities. But, as we start to go through this larger and larger vaccination of the population, as the production ramps up, it's going to take all of us doing everything we can.

And this is going to be the most major undertaking of the entire virus so far.

BASH: And, Governor Hogan, just staying with you, something very much related to this vaccine effort, something that will help fund it is this $900 billion bill that's sitting in Mar-a-Lago, and the president is threatening to torpedo.

It's a big coronavirus relief package. And what he is saying is, Congress should amend it and dramatically increase direct payments due to Americans. Do you agree with the president? Should those payments be increased, or should he just sign it now?

HOGAN: Well, so first of all, I think that, if the president thought that that was the case, he should have weighed in eight months ago. We have been fighting for this since March or April -- or at least eight days ago, and not after they finally reached agreement.

[09:30:00]

But, sure, I mean, we have been pushing for a larger relief bill, both Governor Whitmer and I both. The NGA, all the governors were pushing for help for state and local governments, which we're still not getting in this package. We'd like to see more help get out to the struggling small businesses and the folks that are unemployed and need this money desperately. But this took a long time, eight months of dysfunction and

divisiveness in Congress. There's plenty of blame to go around. But now we have reached an agreement at least on something. It's not enough, but it's a step in the right direction.

And we need to get it done. The paycheck protection plan ran out in July. Tomorrow, unemployment benefits run out.

So, sign the bill, get it done. And then, if the president wants to push for more, let's get that done too. Let's work together in a bipartisan way. It'd be a great way for him to end the administration.

BASH: Governor Whitmer, you're nodding, not surprisingly.

(LAUGHTER)

WHITMER: I mean, Larry Hogan said it well. He's the -- was the head of the NGA. He's the one that convened all of our early meetings. He has been on the forefront on behalf of all the nation's governors.

And while he's not our chair at the moment, he speaks, I think, in a way that resonates with all of us. He's absolutely right.

Sign the bill. Get some relief to people. We have hundreds of thousands of people in my state who are at risk of losing their benefits today because of the Trump White House not signing this bill. The president needs to sign it.

And if he really believes that we should get up to $2,000, which I have firmly believed for a long time, he should get back to Washington, D.C., and get that piece done as well. '

BASH: OK.

To you both, and I will start with you, Governor Whitmer, let's end on a positive note, looking ahead to 2021. What are you most optimistic or hopeful about?

WHITMER: Every month of 2021 is going to get better than the last. We will have a new administration sworn in at the end of January.

They will be guided by science. They're going to work with states to make sure that our vaccine dissemination goes as smoothly as possible. Vaccines will become more and more plentiful. The weather will start to heat up. And I really believe 2021 is going to be a great year for Americans everywhere.

BASH: Governor Hogan?

HOGAN: Well, 2020 was such an incredibly difficult year for everyone. And I think we'd all -- all just thank God that 2020 is coming to a close.

I am hopeful that 2021 is going to be a better year. I think the distribution of vaccines, getting our populations vaccinated, keeping them safe, and trying to put an end to this virus once and for all, and returning our economy, getting our small businesses back on track, putting people to work -- I mean, we have still got some dark days to go through, unfortunately.

And it's not going to turn around overnight, but '21 is going to be a better year for all of us. We're going to come out of this stronger and better than ever before. We have just got a little more work to go to get us there.

BASH: Governor Larry Hogan, Republican of Maryland, Governor Gretchen Whitmer, Democrat of Michigan, it is nice to see you on together, working together in so many ways. It is, I'm sure, something that people are very heartened to see.

And thank you so much for everything in 2020. We will be back with you in 2021, for sure.

WHITMER: Thank you.

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