Politico rates the best and worst gubernatorial responses.

[Ms. Toad]

Best

1. Ohio - DeWine (R)
2. Calfornia - Newsom (D)
3. Washington - Inslee (D)
4. Maryland - Hogan (R)
5. Michigan - Whitmer (D)
6. Puerto Rico - Vaszuez (New Progressive)

Worst

1. Florida - DeSantis (R)
2. Mississippi - Reeves (R)
3. Oklahoma - Stitt (R)
4. Hawaii - Ige (D)
5. Alabama - Ivey (R)
6. West Virginia - Justice (R)

https://www.politico.com/amp/news/magazine/2020/04/01/coronavirus-state-governors-best-worst-covid-19-159945

I hope those of you trashing states based on whether they are red or blue will take note (both of the two red states in the top 6 - and the blue state in the bottom 6). Lives are at stake here - we need to leave politics out of it and focus on working together to do the right thing.

[murielm99]

1. I disagree.

Cuomo and Pritzker should be on that list.

[sandensea]

2. And Kentucky's Andy Beshear

Almost looks like the op-ed writer was trying to add those two Republicans to the list - you know, "for balance."

[Ms. Toad]

9. Then you have obviously not been paying attention to what Ohio has been doing.

Last edited Mon Apr 6, 2020, 04:11 AM - Edit history (1)

DeWine has been in the lead on virtually every step in handling this pandemic. He hired an Obama organizer as his director of the health department - striking both because he hired a vocal Democrat - and because he hired a doctor for the position (something the past two administrations did not) expressly becuase he wanted his health policy based on science.

He has deferred to her at every step as to how to guide the state through this pandemic.

(I have no specific knowledge as to what the other Republican is doing - I'll have to let residents of that state agree or disagree).

And just why do you think a left-leaning entity, in an editorial, would be stretching to include Republicans?

Here's another article about what DeWine is doing on this issue: https://www.bbc.com/news/world-us-canada-52113186

ETA: I just did a quick check on KY - and it seems to have been acting in lockstep with the step DeWine has been taking. So I'll agree that Beshear should probably be on the list (not knowing anything specific about what the other 5 are doing beyond what the piece says) - but not that DeWine was added for "balance." He's there becuase he has ben doing the right thing.

[renate]

15. I haven't read a single word of complaint about DeWine

Just the opposite. It sounds like he’s been doing a phenomenal job.

As you did, it’s essential to give credit where credit is due. This shouldn’t be a question of politics but of competence.

[Steelrolled]

4. Cuomo has done an excellent job

But it took him a while to get started, and I never understood what was going on between him and de Blasio.

[Ms. Toad]

12. Agreed -

But on the 5 major things I checked, he was behind DeWine in terms of days since the first case in the state - and on the number of cases in the state.

But DeWine was way out in the lead. We had a grand total of 3 cases when Universities were told to expect to be closed. We were well on our way to having switched to online education when the formal order came. Pretty much every action DeWine has taken he has signaled for 2-3 days before he issues the order. So the dates of his orders lag the actual implementation in most instances.

[renate]

16. Chiming in again on your praise for DeWine

Good for you, for truth and for all kinds of reasons.

Your clear-headedness shows up the difference between us and them. They want to blame Obama after three years of Trump; we just care about results.

[SheltieLover]

17. Absolutely!

And Arkansas gov should be on bad list!

[S.E. TN Liberal]

3. Politico leans Reich-wing

Keep that in mind when you read them.
A source I enjoy is

https://electoral-vote.com

They stick with the facts as best they can and the facts lean Liberal.

[Ms. Toad]

10. The sources I checcked list it as leaning left. n/t

[Coventina]

5. FYI Readers of this thread: This is an opinion piece not based on any measurable metrics.

It's an interesting read, and I'm glad you posted it.

I do have to say I did ultimately find it a little unsatisfying.

[Indykatie]

6. Any Best Of List That Doesn't Include NY's Cuomo and Beshear of KY is Bullsh*t.

In their zeal to be "balanced" they've given 2 spots to Republican Governors on the Best list that should go to Beshear and Cuomo.

[Ms. Toad]

11. Have you even bothered to compare Cuomo's action to DeWine's

Cuomo has been behind DeWine on a number of decisions - absolutely on some, and in comparison to when cases appeared in the state.

NY 1st case - March 1
NY Declaration of state of emergency - March 7 (Six days later, when it already had 76 cases)
Higher education closed - I don't see any order pertaining to this, aside from the general stay-at-home order
Secondary education closed - March 15 (3 days after Ohio, 14 days aftter its first case when NY had 1004 cases)
Restaurants closed - March 15 (14 days after its first case, when NY had 1004 cases)
Stay-at-home order - March 20 (19 days after its first case, when NY had 3699 cases)


OH 1st case - March 9
OH Declaration of state of emergency - March 9 (the same day had its first confirmed case)
Higher education closed - March 13 (4 days after its first case, when Ohio had 440 cases)
Secondary education closed - March 12 (3 days after its first case, when Ohio had 342 cases)
Restaurants closed - March 15 (6 days after its first case, when Ohio had 822 cases)
Stay-at-home order - March 22 (13 days after its first case, when Ohio had 1818 cases)

I've hit the major items and, as you can see, there is not a single item that Cuomo beat Ohio on in comparison to the presence of COVID 19 in the state. In every instance, when Cuomo took action it was longer after the first case, and after more individuals were infected than when DeWine took the same action.

The only two New York ordered earlier on a strict chronological basisDeclaration of a state of emergenct - Ohio had no cases at all on the day NY declared its state of emergency; Ohio's stay-at home order was two days after NY.

I'm not saying Cuomo is doing a bad job - he's doing a good job, and has much denser population areas to deal with. But it is ridiculus to say that Cuomo should replace DeWine on the list when you compare when each took the same action compared to the state of the pandemic in their respectve states - unless your sole criteria is politics.

[S.E. TN Liberal]

21. Arguably, DeWine learned and took actions based on what Cuomo, (and others), had already done.

[Ms. Toad]

22. DeWine has been planning since January, with his Obama-organizer-head of health dept

And since he led NY on several things, and led the nation on closing public schools, I think it far more likely that he is learning from the head of his health department.

Further - if he learned, good for him. There are still governors from both parties who haven't learned.

[Steelrolled]

23. The biggest issue in NY I saw

was the apparent bickering between Cuomo and De Blasio. I think that actually slowed things down, maybe due to egos, and as a result hurt New York. I imagine we will hear more about that, once things get better. Maybe someone from NYC can explain the background on that.

[Ms. Toad]

24. I've heard that as well.

I don't have enough personal knowledge to know the cause. I'm just observing the actions and dates relative to the state of the pandemic in each state.

[Funtatlaguy]

7. Kentucky - Best, Georgia - Worst.

[Ms. Toad]

13. I hadn't been paying a lot of attention to KY -

But from a quick glance it certainly looks like it ought to be on the list. It took action on approximately the same speed as Ohio has been - at least relative to the number of cases in the state (times were a bit longer for some, but COVID 19 was not growing as quickly).

That doesn't surprise me, since I know the governors of at least KY, MI, and OH have been in very close communication with each other - and have been taking similar steps.

[W_HAMILTON]

8. I'd say Newsom has been the best.

[Wanderlust988]

14. KY Gov Beshear has to be close to the top

He was one of the most proactive governors in the country and he has super high approval ratings. Kentucky's rate is low compared to border states. There's no way he can't be in the top 5.

[Ms. Toad]

20. I took a quick look last night

They seem to be moving in lockstep with Ohio - so not knowing what the other top 5 are doing, I agree.

[Maeve]

18. I never thought I would praise DeWine

But I will say that he has stepped up to the plate and followed Dr Acton's advice all along.

Still wouldn't ever vote for him, but have to give him due credit for his actions in this situation.

[Ms. Toad]

19. You and more both.

And i still can't imagine voting for him. But i hope the article is right about the possibility of him influencing a post trump Republican party. Once upon a time democrats and republicans could work with each other and work out deals instead of just outfitting each other, then litigating the new law to death. (And wiping out all traces of what the other party did when they were in office.). It would be nice if he could help influence that.