Nebraska Governor Pete Ricketts joins ‘Fox and Friends’ to discuss the Biden administration’s pandemic leadership.
This is an unofficial transcript meant for reference. Accuracy is not guaranteed.
There doesnt it
man, o Ospace, o man, absence fro
coronavirus phone calls with
governors all across the
country.
The intention was never for
the weekly call. The covid call
that is led by our covid
coordinator to be a part for
the president to be leading that
call.
The intention was for our covid
coordinator to be providing an
update directly from the
president.
I can assure you that the
american public governors hear
quite a great deal from the
president on his plans to get
the pandemic under Control
Steve. But despite what she
says, some state leaders,
including our next guest, says
that is really not enough and
calling to hear directly from
the commander in Chief
Nebraska, Governor PETE Ricketts
joins us right now from Omaha,
hey Governor good morning to
you
good morning, thanks for
having me on
Steve great to have you
so I think Vice President Kamala
Harris has been on the phone
call once during the
administration,
Joe Biden never has been
when the call was being made,
the covid call during the Trump
administration. How often was
MIKE Pence or the president on
the line,
so you in the last
administration there were forty
weekly calls about the pandemic.
Mike Pence chaired thirty, nine of those
which means he was on the entire
time. Answering questions from
governors fielding those
questions.
Sometimes these would last a
couple of hours, long and
President Trump joined us for eight
of those phone calls which is in
stark contrast to this
administration. Where the calls
last about forty five minutes and Vice
President Harris has been on
once for about five minutes.
She didnt take any questions
Steve right.
It really shows the
difference in approach of the
White House right now in how
they really dont appreciate the
work the governors are doing
right now in the states where we
are on the frontline
and really shows a lack of
leadership on the part of the
White House
Steve. I know you feel that this
is not the bipartisan approach
to the covid call that the
administration, the incoming
administration, had promised you.
But, ultimately, are you getting
the same kind of information in
this call which I believe is
being kicked off every week by
the President of the National
Governors Association, governor,
Andrew Cuomo,
yeah, Governor Cuomo, kicks it
off and we hear from the White
House staff, and we certainly
appreciate the fact that theyre
continuing to do the phone
calls.
We appreciate the White House
staff that are giving us
updates.
There is a big difference
between giving the updates from
the administration and having
the top people on the phone who
can cut through the red tape and
bureaucracy to hear directly
whats going on in the different
parts of the country.
Steve right.
I do this regularly with
superintendents mayors
counties, health directors, so I
get a feel for whats, going on
across my state
and thats part of how I help
cut through the red tape and
make decisions,
Steve sure,
thats not happening with
this White House
Steve. In fact, I think it was.
Last week you were driving
around Omaha in your car. You
were listening to the radio and
there is a new flash about covid
that they should have told you
about
wasnt there
yeah
the whole decision to pause, J
and J. I heard about on the
radio-
and I guess the White house- I
guess, thats- how they found out
about it too,
because apparently they didnt
know about it.
This shows this administration
is not doing a food job of
commune indicating even
internally with themselves. If
the CDC is making this White
House and not telling the White
House or governors- and we are
all caught by surprise,
it really needs to get fixed
Steve sure, because I know
during the Trump Administration
the President had said, because
every state is different, you
know obviously Nebraska
different than New York. The
state governors would be
essentially in charge of
executing the covid strategy,
but this way the way its going
right now less control. Right
I mean they are just telling
you okay. This is what you are
doing
well, to give an example
that you know these
emergencies are locally
executed, state managed and
locally supported.
One of the things that we have
been talking about is getting
smaller vial doses from the
administration.
They are going to bigger vial
doses,
one example. I think, if the
president, or vice president, hear
directly from governors, what is
needed in New York is not
necessarily needed in Nebraska
and vice versa. They would have a
better feel for how to really
make sure we were customizing.
This response to the entire
country, rather than just maybe
one part of a country or one
size, fit all answer.
Steve lets see after you guys
have raised this concern, lets
see if the vice president and slash or
the President start picking up
the phone call at 1100 every
Tuesday morning,
Governor Ricketts. Thank you
very much for joining us live.
Transcript generated on 2021-04-28.