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00:00:01ANNOUNCER: SUPPORT FOR THE
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00:00:13ON THE WEB AT PORTERWRIGHT.COM.
AND FROM THE OHIO EDUCATION
00:00:24ASSOCIATION, REPRESENTING
120,000 MEMBERS, WHO WORK TO
00:00:26INSPIRE THEIR STUDENTS TO THINK
CREATIVELY AND EXPERIENCE THE
00:00:28JOY OF LEARNING.
ONLINE AT OHEA.ORG.
00:00:30KAREN: REMEMBERING ONE OF OHIO'S
LONGEST SERVING AND MOST
00:00:41DEDICATED PUBLIC OFFICIALS --
FORMER CLEVELAND MAYOR, OHIO
00:00:42GOVERNOR, AND U.S. SENATOR
GEORGE V. VOINOVICH.
00:00:44THIS WEEK IN "THE STATE OF
OHIO."
00:00:46KAREN: IN A CAREER THAT SPANNED
00:00:54MORE THAN 40 YEARS, GEORGE
VOINOVICH WAS ARGUABLY THE MOST
00:00:55SUCCESSFUL POLITICIAN IN OHIO.
OF THE 30 RACES HE RAN, HE ONLY
00:01:00LOST TWO OF THEM.
HE WAS A MEMBER OF THE OHIO
00:01:02HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES, HE WAS
CUYAHOGA COUNTY AUDITOR AND
00:01:06THEN COUNTY COMMISSIONER,
LIEUTENANT GOVERNOR, MAYOR OF
00:01:10CLEVELAND, OHIO GOVERNOR AND
U.S. SENATOR.
00:01:12VOINOVICH WAS BORN IN CLEVELAND,
AND ROSE TO BECOME THE CITY'S
00:01:14MAYOR AFTER LOSING IN THE
REPUBLICAN PRIMARY TO RALPH PERK
00:01:20IN 1971.
HE THEN CAME BACK A FEW YEARS
00:01:28LATER IN 1979 TO BEAT DEMOCRAT
DENNIS KUCINICH DURING THE
00:01:31DEPTHS OF THE CITY'S DEFAULT
CRISIS.
00:01:33AND HE WON AFTER A DEVASTATING
PERSONAL CRISIS OF HIS OWN --
00:01:35THE DEATH OF HIS NINE-YEAR-OLD
DAUGHTER, MOLLY, KILLED WALKING
00:01:36TO SCHOOL A MONTH BEFORE THE
ELECTION.
00:01:42HE LOST BADLY IN A U.S. SENATE
RACE TO INCUMBENT DEMOCRAT
00:01:43HOWARD METZENBAUM IN 1988.
BUT HE CAME BACK FROM THAT
00:01:45DEFEAT FOR A SOMEWHAT SURPRISING
WIN OVER DEMOCRATIC ATTORNEY
00:01:46GENERAL ANTHONY CELEBREEZE JR.
IN 1990.
00:01:54AS GOVERNOR, VOINOVICH FACED BIG
CHALLENGES.
00:01:55FOR INSTANCE, A DEADLY RIOT AND
11 DAY SIEGE AT THE MAXIMUM
00:01:58SECURITY PRISON IN LUCASVILLE IN
1993.
00:01:59AND THE BUDGET CRUNCH IN 1992
BROUGHT A TAX INCREASE AND CUTS
00:02:01TO WELFARE BENEFITS FOR
ABLE-BODIED ADULTS, AND NEARLY
00:02:03BROUGHT VOINOVICH TO TEARS WHEN
REPORTERS ASKED HIM WHAT HE
00:02:06WOULD TELL PROTESTORS WHO WERE
RAILING AGAINST HIM.
00:02:11>> I WOULD SAY TO THEM THAT
WHETHER THEY BELIEVE IT OR NOT,
00:02:15GEORGE VOINOVICH REALLY CARES
FOR HIS FELLOW MAN.
00:02:18THAT'S WHY I'M IN THE BUSINESS.
I'M DOING THE BEST I CAN WITH
00:02:23WHAT WE'VE GOT.
KAREN: VOINOVICH GOT SUED BY THE
00:02:28AMERICAN CIVIL LIBERTIES UNION
OVER THE INSTALLATION OF THE
00:02:30STATE MOTTO "WITH GOD ALL THINGS
ARE POSSIBLE" ON THE WEST PLAZA
00:02:32AT THE STATEHOUSE.
AND THE NORMALLY RESTRAINED
00:02:34VOINOVICH ALSO GOT SOME
ATTENTION FOR A SPAT WITH AIR
00:02:36TRAFFIC CONTROLLERS IN 1995 WHEN
HE WAS TRYING TO LEAVE DON SCOTT
00:02:40AIRPORT IN COLUMBUS AND
PRESIDENT CLINTON WAS IN TOWN.
00:02:46>> I'M GONNA TELL THEM TO SCREW
THEMSELVES, OK?
00:02:48I'LL TAKE THE RESPONSIBILITY.
THEY CAN PUT ME IN JAIL OR
00:02:50WHATEVER THEY WANT TO DO.
BUT, THIS IS [BEEP].
00:02:51LEAVE NOW, IF THEY DON'T LIKE
IT, FINE.
00:02:53THEY CAN SHOOT US DOWN.
KAREN: WHILE IN THE U.S. SENATE,
00:02:56VOINOVICH RAILED AGAINST FEDERAL
SPENDING, IN KEEPING WITH HIS
00:02:58REPUTATION FOR FRUGALITY.
AND THOUGH HE PERSONALLY HAD NO
00:03:02TROUBLE BRINGING IN MONEY AND
WAS CONSIDERED A PROLIFIC
00:03:04FUNDRAISER, HE OFTEN SPOKE OUT
AGAINST THE MONEY INVOLVED IN
00:03:07RUNNING FOR OFFICE.
HE TALKED ABOUT THAT IN AN
00:03:09INTERVIEW WITH ME IN 2010.
>> FROM MY PERSPECTIVE, ABOUT
00:03:1425-25% OF THEIR SENATOR'S TIME
IS SPENT ON CHASING MONEY.
00:03:21KAREN: VOINOVICH TOOK HEAT FOR
BREAKING FROM THE REPUBLICAN
00:03:24PARTY LINE SEVERAL TIMES IN THE
SENATE -- FOR VOTING FOR GUN
00:03:26CONTROL LEGISLATION, FOR
SPEAKING OUT ON DEFENSE
00:03:28SPENDING, AND FOR ADVOCATING FOR
AN INCREASE IN THE GAS TAX.
00:03:32IN A MARCH 2011 INTERVIEW AS
PART OF A STATEHOUSE LEGACY
00:03:41SERIES, PRODUCED BY THE CAPITOL
SQUARE FOUNDATION & THE CAPITOL
00:03:43SQUARE REVIEW & ADVISORY BOARD,
OHIO PUBLIC RADIO AND TV
00:03:45STATEHOUSE NEWS BUREAU REPORTER
BILL COHEN VOINOVICH WAS ASKED
00:03:47ABOUT BEING REFERRED TO AS A
"MAVERICK."
00:03:49>> I DON'T MIND -- IT'S BETTER
THAN SOME NAMES THEY'VE CALLED
00:04:00ME.
[LAUGHTER]
00:04:02>> JOHN MCELROY WAS JIM RHODES'S
CHIEF OF STAFF.
00:04:08HE SAID TO ME, "THE TROUBLE WITH
YOU IS THAT YOU HAVE AN
00:04:21INDEPENDENT SOUL."
KAREN: VOINOVICH WAS DEDICATED
00:04:24TO HIS CATHOLIC FAITH AND
DEVOTED TO HIS FAMILY, AND WHILE
00:04:26HE COULD BE PRICKLY AND
STUBBORN, HE'S ALSO BEING
00:04:27REMEMBERED AS KIND, DECENT AND
COMPASSIONATE.
00:04:29WHEN HE RETIRED IN 2010, HE SAID
HE WANTED TO SPEND MORE TIME
00:04:31WITH HIS FAMILY, ESPECIALLY
JANET, HIS WIFE OF MORE THAN A
00:04:34HALF A CENTURY.
IN THAT LEGACY INTERVIEW, BILL
00:04:35COHEN ASKED VOINOVICH WHETHER HE
WOULD STILL ADVISE PEOPLE TO
00:04:36CONSIDER SEEKING PUBLIC OFFICE.
>> IT'S A WONDERFUL CAREER AND
00:04:44A GREAT WAY TO GIVE WITNESS TO
THE SECOND COMMANDMENT.
00:04:54DO UNTO OTHERS AS YOU WOULD HAVE
THEM DO UNTO YOU.
00:04:57KAREN: NO ONE EVER GOT A HIGHER
PERCENTAGE OF THE VOTE THAN
00:05:01GOVERNOR GEORGE VOINOVICH DID
WHEN HE RAN FOR RE-ELECTION IN
00:05:031994.
HE WON WITH 71%.
00:05:04AND NO ONE EVER GOT MORE VOTES
IN OHIO THAN SENATOR VOINOVICH
00:05:05DID WHEN HE RAN FOR RE-ELECTION
IN 2004.
00:05:07NEARLY 3.5 MILLION OHIOANS CAST
BALLOTS FOR HIM IN THAT RECORD
00:05:08TURNOUT YEAR.
VOINOVICH DIED IN HIS SLEEP IN
00:05:10HIS HOME IN CLEVELAND.
HE WAS A LITTLE OVER A MONTH
00:05:11AWAY FROM HIS 80TH BIRTHDAY.
THERE HAVE BEEN MANY STATEMENTS
00:05:13MADE IN TRIBUTE TO VOINOVICH,
FROM PRESIDENT OBAMA TO GOVERNOR
00:05:15JOHN KASICH TO DONALD TRUMP --
WHO VOINOVICH NEVER ENDORSED FOR
00:05:17PRESIDENT, AND SOME SPECULATED
NEVER WOULD -- TO DEMOCRATIC
00:05:22CLEVELAND MAYOR FRANK JACKSON
AND FORMER MAYOR AND CONGRESSMAN
00:05:24DENNIS KUCINICH TO THE ROCK AND
ROLL HALL OF FAME.
00:05:26BUT SOME OF THE MOST COMPELLING
STATEMENTS COME FROM PEOPLE WHO
00:05:29KNEW VOINOVICH WELL,
PROFESSIONALLY AND PERSONALLY.
00:05:31IN THE FORMER CATEGORY IS TOM
SUDDES.
00:05:33HE WAS A STATEHOUSE REPORTER FOR
THE CLEVELAND PLAIN DEALER
00:05:36DURING VOINOVICH'S TIME AS
GOVERNOR, AND IS NOW A COLUMNIST
00:05:39FOR CLEVELAND.COM AND A
PROFESSOR OF JOURNALISM AT OHIO
00:05:41UNIVERSITY IN ATHENS.
>> WHAT I THINK ABOUT GEORGE
00:05:50VOINOVICH
IS SOMEONE WHO HAD A SMART
00:05:54APPROACH TO BUDGETING.
ONE OF THE BEST COMMUNICATION
00:06:04OPERATIONS OF ANY GOVERNOR IN MY
EXPERIENCE.
00:06:07IF YOU TELL US WHO YOUR FRIENDS
ARE, I WILL TELL YOU WHAT YOU
00:06:15ARE.
THE STATEHOUSE LESSON OFTENTIMES
00:06:19IS TELL ME WHO YOUR STAFF IS AND
I WILL TELL YOU WHAT KIND OF
00:06:25OFFICEHOLDER YOU ARE.
HE HAD A GOOD CABINET AND HE WAS
00:06:29A GOOD MANAGER.
HE'S NOT A PERSON WHO DIDN'T
00:06:33KEEP HIS EYE ON THE BALL.
HE KEPT HIS EYE ON THE BALL AND
00:06:39THAT MADE A DIFFERENCE.
>> THERE IS A FACEBOOK GROUP
00:06:43DEDICATED TO COVERING GEORGE
VOINOVICH.
00:06:45THE MEMORIES ARE POSITIVE.
DO YOU HAVE FOND MEMORIES?
00:06:51>> ONE OF MY FAVORITES IS WHEN
THEY HAD THE RIBBON-CUTTING AT
00:06:58THE DEDICATION OF THE ROCK AND
ROLL HALL OF FAME AND THERE'S A
00:07:02PHOTOGRAPH OF VOINOVICH LOOKING
HAPPY AND SOMEWHAT PUZZLED WITH
00:07:07LITTLE RICHARD.
KAREN: HERE TO SHARE SOME OF
00:07:12THEIR THOUGHTS AND MEMORIES OF
GEORGE VOINOVICH ARE TWO OF HIS
00:07:14CLOSEST AIDES AND THE LEADERS OF
THAT COMMUNICATIONS STAFF THAT
00:07:16TOM SUDDES LAUDED -- MIKE
DAWSON, WHO WAS HIS PRESS
00:07:17SECRETARY WHEN HE WAS GOVERNOR
AND COMMUNICATIONS DIRECTOR WHEN
00:07:19HE WAS A SENATOR, AND CURT
STEINER, WHO WAS THE GOVERNOR'S
00:07:20COMMUNICATIONS DIRECTOR AND
CHIEF OF STAFF.
00:07:24THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE.
I'M SORRY FOR YOUR LOSS.
00:07:25WHAT MADE YOU WANT TO WORK FOR
HIM?
00:07:29>> HE JUST HAD A LOT OF
MAGNETISM AND POWER.
00:07:36I FIRST MET HIM IN 1989.
I WAS RECRUITED TO BE HIS
00:07:44COMMUNICATIONS DIRECTOR FOR HIS
CAMPAIGN FOR GOVERNOR AFTER HIS
00:07:49LOSING CAMPAIGN FOR THE U.S.
SENATE.
00:07:50HE HAS A VERY EASY YET STRONG
EXECUTIVE PREDICTED KIND OF
00:08:01STYLE.
-- PROJECTIVE KIND OF STYLE
00:08:08COULD HE SOUNDS GOOD AND HAD A
LOT OF GOOD IDEAS.
00:08:12HE FIT THE GOVERNOR'S OFFICE
LIKE A GLOVE.
00:08:16>> I FIRST MET GEORGE IN 1987
WHEN HE WAS RUNNING FOR THE
00:08:22SENATE.
MIKE DEWINE DECIDED HE WOULD RUN
00:08:29FOR GOVERNOR AND I WENT TO WORK
FOR HIM FOR SIX MONTHS IN
00:08:30CONGRESS.
CURT AND I HELPED PUT TOGETHER
00:08:37THE VOINOVICH-DEWINE
TICKET.
00:08:46KAREN: THERE WAS A BIT OF
JOCKEYING FOR POSITION, WAS
00:08:51THERE NOT?
MIKE: THE OTHER MAJOR CANDIDATE
00:08:59WAS BOB TAFT.
FOR SOMEONE LIKE MIKE DEWINE WHO
00:09:04WAS ALWAYS KNOWN FOR FRESHNESS
COME IT WASN'T ALWAYS KNOWN THAT
00:09:10HE WOULD BE THESE TWO
CANDIDATES.
00:09:11-- BEAT THESE TWO CANDIDATES.
MIKE DEWINE WAS INTERESTED IN
00:09:18BEING ATTORNEY GENERAL THEN.
WE HAD TO CONVINCE HIM THAT THE
00:09:22BEST THING HE COULD DO FOR THE
REPUBLICAN PARTY WAS TO JOIN
00:09:28GEORGE VOINOVICH'S TICKET.
KAREN: FOR THOSE WHO DID NOT
00:09:40KNOW GEORGE VOINOVICH, THESE
MEMORIES PEOPLE ARE TALKING
00:09:45ABOUT, THEY MIGHT NOT UNDERSTAND
WHY HE WAS SPECIAL TO PEOPLE WHO
00:09:51KNEW HIM WELL.
WHAT MADE HIM SPECIAL?
00:09:53MIKE: HE WAS A UNIQUE HUMAN
BEING.
00:09:57HIS EXPERIENCES, HIS STYLE, THE
WAY HE TREATED PEOPLE FROM THE
00:10:05TOP OF THE LADDER TO THE BOTTOM
OF THE LATTER.
00:10:06HE WAS THE SAME IN PRIVATE AS HE
WAS IN PUBLIC.
00:10:10HE WAS A GREAT MAN.
CURT: AND HE WAS A GOOD MAN.
00:10:16ONE OF THE THINGS THAT I'VE
HEARD THIS WEEK FROM NEIGHBORS
00:10:23AND OTHERS WHO ONLY KNOW GEORGE
FROM WATCHING TV OR READING THE
00:10:27PAPER IS SOMETHING HAS COME
ACROSS TO THEM OVER THE YEARS.
00:10:33WHAT COMES ACROSS AS A GOOD
PERSON.
00:10:39A LOT OF THESE PEOPLE DON'T
AGREE WITH HIM ALL THE TIME.
00:10:43BUT THEY ALWAYS THOUGHT THAT HE
WAS A GOOD PERSON AND DOING
00:10:50THINGS FOR THE RIGHT REASONS.
ANOTHER THING YOU'LL HEAR ABOUT
00:10:54HIM, PEOPLE WILL SAY THEY ALWAYS
LOOKED UP TO HIM.
00:10:57HE WAS NOT A SHORT PERSON, BUT
HE WAS NOT CALLED.
00:11:03PEOPLE WALKED IN AND THOUGHT HE
IS NOT AS TALL AS I THOUGHT.
00:11:12THAT'S BECAUSE THEY LOOKED UP TO
HIM.
00:11:15KAREN: HE'S BEEN REMEMBERED FOR
SUPPORTING CHILDREN, HIS
00:11:23STEWARDSHIP OF THE STATE BUDGET,
FISCAL RESPONSIBILITY COME ALSO
00:11:25ASSOCIATED WITH THINGS LIKE THE
DEADLY PRISON RIOT IN BUDGET
00:11:31CUTS.
HOW MUCH DID THE CRITICISM
00:11:36BOTHER HIM?
MIKE: NOT AT ALL.
00:11:39HE KNEW WHAT HE WAS DOING AND
WHY HE WAS DOING IT.
00:11:43HE LISTENED TO THE EXPERTS COME
ASK A LOT OF QUESTIONS, DEMANDED
00:11:49A LOT OF ANSWERS.
THE COMMANDER OF THE NATIONAL
00:11:51GUARD WAS JIM HUGHES WHO WROTE
VOINOVICH A F OR IT WAS OVER TO
00:11:57READ BUT SOME OF THE CRITICISMS
-- A LETTER TO REBUT SOME OF THE
00:12:07CRITICISMS.
EXPERTS SAID NOT TO GO TO
00:12:16LUCASVILLE.
THEY THOUGHT THAT WOULD
00:12:24DAMAGE THE NEGOTIATIONS WITH THE
PRISONERS.
00:12:25HE TOOK THAT ADVICE.
KAREN: THE CUTS TO WELFARE
00:12:28BENEFITS, THERE HAVE BEEN A
COUPLE STORIES THAT A PRESS
00:12:35CONFERENCE WHERE HE ALMOST BROKE
DOWN TALKING ABOUT CUTTING
00:12:37WELFARE BENEFITS TO ABLE-BODIED
ADULTS.
00:12:41CURT: I THINK THE DECISION
BOTHERED HIM.
00:12:47IT WAS A DECISION HE FELT HE HAD
TO MAKE THE MOVE THINGS FORWARD
00:12:54WITH THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY AT THE
TIME TO GET TO A GREATER GOOD
00:12:56OVERALL IT IS NOT A DECISION HE
WOULD HAVE MADE IF YOU MADE IT
00:13:01UNILATERALLY.
IN HIS CASE, HE DOESN'T THINK
00:13:08ANYBODY IS PERFECT.
ALL SAINTS ARE IN HEAVEN, THERE
00:13:16ARE NO SAINTS ON EARTH.
HE KNOWS HE WOULD MAKE MISTAKES
00:13:23OR MAYBE HAVE TO DO THINGS HE
WOULD RATHER NOT DO.
00:13:25IT ALL WORKED OUT VERY WELL.
THE BEST DEBATE I EVER SAW IN MY
00:13:36TIME AT THE STATEHOUSE WAS THE
DEBATE ON THE FLOOR ON THE CUTS
00:13:45THAT WERE MADE THAT DAY.
IT WAS A SEPARATE VOTE.
00:13:47YOU HAD TO VOTE ON THAT ISSUE.
IT WAS A GREAT DEBATE, FULLY
00:13:54DISCUSSED.
THE DECISION WAS MADE.
00:13:58IN THE LONG RUN, BELIEVE IT OR
NOT, IT HAS WORKED OUT BECAUSE
00:14:04IT WAS NOT REVISITED.
KAREN: DID YOU EVER HAVE TO REIN
00:14:10HIM IN OR PULL HIM BACK FROM
DOING ANYTHING YOU DIDN'T WANT
00:14:13HIM TO DO?
MIKE: I DID NOT.
00:14:16MAYBE THERE WERE A COUPLE OF
TIMES OVER THE EIGHT YEARS I
00:14:24SAID WHAT THE GOVERNOR REALLY
MEANT TO SAY WAS --
00:14:26ONE OF THE GREAT THINGS ABOUT
BEING HIS SPOKESPERSON, YOU KNEW
00:14:30WHAT VOINOVICH STOOD FOR.
YOU DIDN'T HAVE TO WORRY ABOUT
00:14:34HIM SHIFTING STANCES.
HE DIDN'T GET CAUGHT MAKING
00:14:38MISTAKES BECAUSE YOU KNEW WHAT
HE CARED ABOUT AND WANTED TO DO.
00:14:41CURT: AND HE TOLD THE TRUTH, SO
YOU DO NOT HAVE TO WORRY ABOUT
00:14:46THAT.
I THINK THAT WAS MY EXPERIENCE
00:14:55-- I SUPPOSE THE TWO OF US HAVE
MADE -- DONE THOUSANDS OF
00:15:01INTERVIEWS FOR HIM OR RESPONDING
TO SOMETHING SAID ABOUT HIM
00:15:07THOUSANDS AND THOUSANDS AND
NEVER ONCE HAS HE EVER ASKED US
00:15:08TO EXPLAIN WHY WE SAID WHAT WE
SAID.
00:15:12HE JUST MOVES ON.
MIKE: WE HAD A NICKNAME, THE
00:15:20MERCHANT OF TRUTH.
HE WOULD GIVE SOMEONE THE FULL
00:15:23MOT.
HE DID SPEAK TRUTHFULLY ALL THE
00:15:27TIME.
KAREN: DID YOU KEEP REPORTERS
00:15:32AWAY FROM HIM BECAUSE OF THAT?
MIKE: NEVER.
00:15:34CURT: THAT WASN'T GOING TO WORK,
ANYWAY.
00:15:37HE WAS AVAILABLE ENOUGH -- AN
EARLIER GOVERNOR, JIM RHODES,
00:15:53THEY HAD TO WALK IN THE
STATEHOUSE THE SAME WAY EVERY
00:15:55DAY IN ORDER TO GET TO WHERE
THEY WERE GOING.
00:15:56THE PRESS KNEW WHERE THEY WERE
GOING TO BE ALL THE TIME AND
00:16:00THEY COULD CATCH THEM.
AFTER VOINOVICH BECAME GOVERNOR,
00:16:08THE RENOVATION IN THIS BUILDING
AND AROUND CAPITOL SQUARE MADE
00:16:10IT MORE DIFFICULT -- THE PRESS
COULD NOT FIND HIM AS EASILY
00:16:16JUST BECAUSE OF THE WAY THE
STRUCTURE WAS SET UP.
00:16:19THEY HAVE TWO OFFICES.
WHICH OFFICE ARE THEY IN TODAY?
00:16:24HE WAS VERY ACCESSIBLE TO THE
PRESS.
00:16:29MIKE: IT WAS A STROKE OF LUCK --
WE HAD BEEN SCHEDULED TO GO ON A
00:16:43TRADE MISSION, WE WERE LEAVING
ON TUESDAY.
00:16:48WE ONLY HAD ONE EVENT SCHEDULED
ON MONDAY.
00:16:50THEN COME OUR SCHEDULE WAS CLEAR
FOR 19 DAYS.
00:16:54WE DO NOT HAVE TO CANCEL
ANYTHING.
00:16:56WE DID THAT EVENT ON MONDAY AND
THEN HE MADE A STATEMENT ABOUT
00:17:02LUCASVILLE.
THAT WAS THE LAST TIME HE TALKED
00:17:06TO THE PRESS AND PUBLIC UNTIL
AFTER IT WAS OVER.
00:17:08HE DID BRIEF PUBLISHERS AND
EDITORIAL-PAGE EDITORS OFF THE
00:17:13RECORD ON A DAILY BASIS.
KAREN: ONE OTHER THING PEOPLE
00:17:21ARE ASSOCIATING WITH HIM, HE WAS
VERY EMOTIONAL.
00:17:22VERY DEVOTED TO HIS FAMILY.
HE LOST A NINE-YEAR-OLD DAUGHTER
00:17:30RIGHT BEFORE HE WAS ELECTED
MAYOR OF CLEVELAND.
00:17:31HE WAS DEDICATED TO HIS WIFE.
WE HAVE AN AD THAT SHOWS HOW YOU
00:17:39FOLKS BROUGHT THAT IN AND MADE
PEOPLE AWARE OF THAT TALK TO ME
00:17:43ABOUT WHAT FAMILY MEANT TO HIM.
MIKE: SOMEBODY POSTED ON
00:17:49FACEBOOK LAST NIGHT, THEY WERE
OBSERVING HIM AT AN EVENT AND
00:17:56AFTER 15 MINUTES, HE WAS TALKING
TO SEVERAL PEOPLE AND MRS.
00:18:00VOINOVICH CAME WALKING INTO THE
ROOM AND HE JUST STOPPED WHAT HE
00:18:04WAS DOING, GOT THIS BIG SMILE ON
HIS FACE AND WENT RIGHT TOWARDS
00:18:08HER.
THOSE OF US WHO HAVE BEEN AROUND
00:18:11HIM, WE SAW THAT ALL THE TIME.
IT STILL SPOKE VOLUMES ABOUT HOW
00:18:18HE FELT ABOUT HER.
KAREN: THERE ARE OTHER
00:18:24POLITICIANS WHO MIGHT BE
CRITICIZED FOR SHOWING EMOTION
00:18:25LIKE THAT.
SPEAKER BOEHNER BEING OVERLY
00:18:29EMOTIONAL.
THERE WAS IN THAT CRITICISM --
00:18:32CURT: PEOPLE JUDGE OTHERS BY
WHETHER THEY THINK IT IS
00:18:40GENUINE.
IF IT IS GENUINE, IT IS OK.
00:18:41IT WAS GENUINE.
HE IS JUST AN EMOTIONAL PERSON.
00:18:47WE HAVE BOTH SEEN HIM CRY OR
TEAR UP MANY TIMES PRIVATELY AND
00:18:52PUBLICLY.
WE'VE ALSO SEEN HIM EXPRESS HIS
00:18:57EMOTION OTHER WAYS.
KAREN: WHEN HE WAS TRYING TO FLY
00:19:02INTO JOHN SCOTT BACK IN 1994 --
MIKE: 1993.
00:19:11IN OCTOBER.
HE WAS FLYING OUT OF DON SCOTT.
00:19:18THE SECRET SERVICE HAD PUT A
HOLD ON AIR TRAFFIC BECAUSE
00:19:25PRESIDENT CLINTON WAS IN
COLUMBUS.
00:19:26CLINTON HAD LANDED AT PORT
COLUMBUS AND OUR EARLIER.
00:19:31-- AN HOUR EARLIER.
IT WAS ON TAPE --
00:19:38KAREN: AND THEN PLAYED ON THE
RADIO AND TELEVISION.
00:19:42MIKE: A DIRTY LITTLE SECRET --
VOINOVICH'S POPULARITY WENT UP.
00:19:48PEOPLE AGREED WITH HIM ON THE
ISSUE.
00:19:52WE WERE DOING A POLL A FEW WEEKS
LATER AND 85% OF THE PEOPLE
00:19:59CITED WITH VOINOVICH.
KAREN: 43 YEARS OF PUBLIC
00:20:03SERVICE -- HE WAS WILDLY POPULAR
IN TERMS OF THE BOAT.
00:20:08-- IN TERMS OF THE VOTE.
MIKE: HE GOT 3.4 MILLION VOTES
00:20:20IN 2004, AN ALL-TIME RECORD FOR
GOVERNOR.
00:20:23KAREN: HE WAS ALSO POPULAR IN
POLLS.
00:20:27PEOPLE LIKE THEM.
THAT'S PEOPLE LIKED HIM.
00:20:32MIKE: IN 14 OF THE POLLS, HE WAS
ABOVE 60%, REACHING 69% ON A
00:20:42COUPLE OF OCCASIONS.
THE WORST POLL HE HAD WAS RIGHT
00:20:47AFTER LUCASVILLE AND WAS STILL
57-27.
00:20:52HIS NUMBERS THROUGHOUT THE TIME
AS GOVERNOR WERE PRETTY
00:20:56REMARKABLE.
CURT: HE DID NOT LET US DO ANY
00:21:03POLLS DURING HIS FIRST YEAR AS
GOVERNOR.
00:21:09HE HAD TO MAKE A LOT OF
UNPOPULAR CHOICES.
00:21:13A COMBINATION OF REVENUE
ENHANCEMENTS AND A LOT OF CUTS,
00:21:20SOME OF WHICH WERE SIGNIFICANT.
AT THE END OF THE YEAR, A POLL
00:21:26WAS TAKEN BY SOMEBODY AND HE WAS
DOING VERY WELL.
00:21:30NONE OF THE DECISIONS HE MADE
DURING A VERY TOUGH TIME WERE
00:21:36EASY.
THOSE WHO DISAGREE WITH THE
00:21:42DECISIONS HE MADE UNDERSTOOD
THAT OVERALL, HE WAS DOING THE
00:21:47RIGHT THING AND DOING IT FOR THE
RIGHT REASONS.
00:21:49IN EXECUTIVE LEADERSHIP, THAT IS
REALLY IMPORTANT.
00:21:53KAREN: HE HAD CRITICS WITHIN THE
REPUBLICAN PARTY.
00:21:58HE RAISED TAXES, ADVOCATED FOR
RAISING THE GAS TAX, IMPOSED THE
00:22:04NOMINATION OF THE U.N.
AMBASSADOR RICE.
00:22:06-- U.N. AMBASSADOR.
MIKE: REVENUE ENHANCEMENTS.
00:22:15CURT: OR USER FEES.
WHEN GEORGE VOINOVICH WAS
00:22:22GOVERNOR, PEOPLE DID BETTER.
PEOPLE HAVE MORE MONEY -- HAD
00:22:27MORE MONEY BECAUSE THEY HAD A
JOB.
00:22:28YOU HAD MORE MONEY WHEN HE WAS
GOVERNOR BECAUSE THINGS WERE
00:22:33GOING WELL.
KAREN: THE CRITICISM FROM PEOPLE
00:22:38WITHIN HIS OWN PARTY, WAS THAT A
PROBLEM?
00:22:40CURT: I DON'T THINK IT BOTHERED
HIM.
00:22:46TO SOME EXTENT, I THINK HE KIND
OF LIKED IT JUST A BIT.
00:22:50HE IS NOT PARTISAN.
ESPECIALLY GROWING UP IN
00:22:55CLEVELAND, THAT IS NOT A PLACE
THAT IS A REPUBLICAN PLACE, TO
00:23:03BE HONEST WITH YOU.
HE UNDERSTANDS -- HE ANDI
00:23:12AGREE ON SOMETHING THAT WE HAVE
TWO FAVORITE PARTIES.
00:23:18FIRST, THE PUBLIC AND PARTY.
THE NEXT IS THE DEMOCRATIC
00:23:24PARTY.
IT'S THE OTHER PEOPLE THAT WE'RE
00:23:26WORRIED ABOUT.
KAREN: GOOD VOINOVICH BE ELECTED
00:23:33AS A REPUBLICAN NOW?
MIKE: PROBABLY.
00:23:36CURT: HE WOULD HAVE MORE
PRIMARIES.
00:23:39HE HAD NOMINAL PRIMARIES, BUT HE
PROBABLY WOULD HAVE ENDED UP
00:23:46HAVING MORE LEGITIMATE
PRIMARIES.
00:23:48KAREN: HE TALKED ABOUT BEING A
CONSERVATIVE BUT NOT AS
00:23:53CONSERVATIVE AS OTHERS.
HE WAS WILLING TO COMPROMISE.
00:23:55CURT: BEING A PRO-LIFE IS
CONSERVATIVE.
00:24:03BEING SOMEBODY WHO WANTS TO
BALANCE THE BUDGET AND BE
00:24:08FISCALLY RESPONSIBLE IS
CONSERVATIVE.
00:24:09SOME PEOPLE APPROACH THAT
DIFFERENTLY.
00:24:12AT THE END OF THE DAY, IT IS
FISCALLY CONSERVATIVE TO B
00:24:20BALANCE THE BUDGET AND HAVE REAL
REVENUES MATCHUP WITH THE
00:24:21SPENDING.
MIKE: HE WAS A UNIQUE PERSON.
00:24:30HE CAME ACROSS AS GENUINE.
HE WASN'T TRYING TO BE
00:24:35BIPARTISAN JUST TO BE
BIPARTISAN.
00:24:38HE WAS TRYING TO GET THINGS DONE
AND HE THOUGHT THE WAY THAT
00:24:43WORKS IS GETTING THAT DONE BY
WORKING WITH OTHERS.
00:24:48CURT: VOINOVICH STARTED SCHOOL
VOUCHERS IN OHIO.
00:24:53ONE OF THE HIGHEST STRIKING
CONSERVATIVE ISSUES.
00:24:59IT CAME FROM GEORGE VOINOVICH IN
OHIO.
00:25:02THE GREAT CONSERVATIVES WE HAVE
IN THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY -- I SAW
00:25:11IT HAPPEN.
HE PROPOSED IT FOR THE WHOLE
00:25:14STATE.
THEY SAID NO.
00:25:16KAREN: SORRY FOR YOUR LOSS.
THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE.
00:25:22AND THAT'S IT FOR THIS WEEK.
FOR MY COLLEAGUES AT OHIO PUBLIC
00:25:25RADIO AND TELEVISION, THANKS FOR
WATCHING.
00:25:27IF YOU'D LIKE TO ASK QUESTIONS,
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00:25:28WEEK'S SHOW OR EARLIER EPISODES,
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00:25:30STATENEWS.ORG.
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00:25:35FACEBOOK.
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00:25:40TWITTER.
AND PLEASE JOIN US AGAIN NEXT
00:25:43TIME FOR "THE STATE OF OHIO."
WE CLOSE WITH IMAGES SHOWING TWO
00:25:46SILENT TRIBUTES.
HIS OFFICIAL STATEHOUSE PORTRAIT
00:25:48DRAPED IN BLACK, AND THE BRIDGE
NAMED FOR HIM IN CLEVELAND,
00:25:50WHICH WILL BE DARK EVERY NIGHT
UNTIL A WEEK AFTER HIS DEATH.
00:25:56
00:25:58[CAPTIONING PERFORMED BY THE
NATIONAL CAPTIONING INSTITUTE,
00:26:04WHICH IS RESPONSIBLE FOR ITS
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00:26:06VISIT NCICAP.ORG]
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00:26:34120,000 MEMBERS, WHO WORK TO
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00:26:39CREATIVELY AND EXPERIENCE THE
JOY OF LEARNING.
Note : Transcripts are compiled from uncorrected captions