Mike Dwine, who rules the state with an iron grip, and Governor Mike DeWine, Welcome again to the Bill Cunningham Show. Governor, first of all, let's deal with state Issue number one with your permission. The Billy Billy. Good to be back. I don't think I have an iron grip, but it's always good to be back. And looking for a win for the Bengals this weekend, that would be good. But Issue one is one that I thought would go the other way despite the polling. In the constitution,
we now enshrine abortion rights from a moment of conception through delivery. And first of all, what are your thoughts on that. Secondly, do you support more efforts to put more amendments on the ballot or should we live with this for a while? Well, Bill, first of all, you know on your show, I expressed my opinion about Issue one. Look, we accept the results. The voters decided to pass Issue one and put that into the constitution. So I think that, you know, we accept the result of
the voters. That's what we do in this in this country. I think, uh, you know, some of the things are going to be fought out frankly in court. I already saw that some of the Democrat members of the General Assembly want to want to roll back uh you know, the laws and the laws that have been passed in the past. Uh you know, rental consent required for an abortion. There's some members in General Assembly want to
get rid of that. I think that would obviously be a mistake. There are others who uh you know, I suppose would want to get rid of the ban we have on partial birth abortion. So I think that a lot of this bill is going to be played out now in the courts as people try to uh you know, do away with those other protections, and we'll
have to see how the court's rule. I think that I did a press conference on this this morning, issue won an issue to and you know what I said to the news media kind of repeat here, and that is that I think we just see I think we you know, people in a democracy, in a country like ours, no issue is ever totally done. We just continue to look at things. So I think people are going to have to see, how, you know, living with abortion at any point,
whether that is something that people you know, accept or not. I think one of the things that the pro side did, you know, they spent about thirty five million dollars. A lot of this money came from out of state. The governor of Illinois, for example, put in half a million dollars. We had other out of state money come in, so they outspent
our side the No side about three and a half to one. But the way they framed the issue, I think is the way it was accepted by most voters, and that is, did you like the stats quo or did you like what they were presenting? And you know, while they denied that this was really abortion on demand, abortion any place in the pregnancy, that is really what it is. And so it was that versus the status quo.
And what I think it was clear to me over the last year or so since Roe v. Wade was overturing, is that the majority of Ohioan's, the vast majority of Olands, believe there should be an exception for rape and incests. And so I think, you know, we had Peter people who voted yes because they thought there should be an exception for rape and incests. So they had choices, they picked one. But the truth is that most ohio and frankly are somewhere in the middle, and they didn't have that
they didn't have that option. Whether you know, governor whether you like it or not. I haven't seen your oath of office recently, but I'm sure somewhere in there says you were support and defend the constitution of the State of Ohio. And whether you like it or not, the State of Ohio Constitution says a portion on a man basically forever as far as the eye can see. And so will you work to overturn that through another constitutional amendment or do
you support it the way it is? Look, Bill, you're you're absolutely right. Uh. I you know, I will follow the will of the people of the state, and we all we hope follow the law. Uh. Is there a time in the in some point in the future, uh, that people look at this and decide, Hey, that's not really exactly what we want. Maybe we can get something in the middle. Yeah. I think there's something that that may come up at some point. But I
think people have to have a chance to see how this works setting. Uh, Selling, I don't think that, you know, I don't think there's going to be a ballot issue back on until people have had a chance at least to you know, see how this works. That's kind of the way that our system should I hate it, don't like it. Uh, every fiber of my being says the human life begins at the moment to consay option through natural death. We can't convince our fellow citizens that that's the way it
ought to be. And whether I like it or not, it's a bitter pill that I think. Unlike me, I'm a talk show host. All I do is talk. You actually have to do something. And when Governor DeWine sends the message let it ride for a while, I think that's a powerful voice. Is that what you're saying. Well, I don't know if i'd put it in that in that term bill, but I do think, you know, we follow the law, and I think that people have to have a chance to see how how how this works. I don't think this
reflects exactly where people are in the state. I think most people are somewhere in between that they don't think that you should have an abortion on demand at any point. But I think the majority clearly now do believe that, uh, you know, abortion should be available at least for a certain period a certain period of time during during the pregnancy. I think it's it's again part of this we've always known is trying to win the hearts and minds of people
as well as the law. And you know, I just want to give a public shout out to the pregnancy centers around the state. There's well over one hundred of them. They're manned primarily by volunteers, and their goal is to reach out to women who are in a pregnancy and have been for whatever reason, have a difficult time and try to give them the help and support that they need. So everybody who's out there doing that and who can listen to us, you and me on the radio, I just want to I
want to thank them. You know they're doing They're doing the lawyer's work, and I'm very grateful for what they do every day. Better pill for you to swallow. But it is what it is, Issue too. Whether I voted yes on Issue too because I thought, Okay, this is a start in the right direction. Will the governor of Ohio work to implement the people's
wishes on issue too or where you work to circumvent or change it. I think the people's will clearly bill on this is that we have legal marijuana in the state of Ohio for adults, and so I accept that part of the way issue too, And of course the difference is, as you know, being the great lawyer that you are, as well as a great American issue. One was a constitutional amendment issue too, is a law, and the
legislature certainly has the opportunity to fine tune that. One of the things that I talked about today was, you know, how do we carry out the will of the people in getting marijuana legally out for adults, but at the
same time protect our kids. And so you know, I'm in favor of the legislature doing everything they can in statute to make sure that while the will of the peoples carry out and we have legal marijuana, that's done in a responsible and respectful way, and that we protect our kids by respects protecting our kids, I mean, let's do what we can do to reduce the number of kids who end up in the emergency room because they ate a gummy bear
or a cookie that had marijuana. Let's do what we can to reduce the number of deaths on the highway because we have marijuana impaired drivers. Let's do what we can do to keep marijuana away from children who teenagers, whose minds are still developing whose brains are still developing, because we know that the regular use of marijuana for that sixteen year old or eighteen year old is a very
grave danger to their IQ and can have permanent effect. I think we also, Bill have to work to make sure that people who don't want to be walking downtown Cincinnati or downtown Dayton or or Cedarville or wherever. Uh, you don't don't have to smell marijuana. What's happening already though, Governor Well, I understand that let's let's talk about the rights of uh of other Ohioans. So you know, people want to smoke it in their in their house,
that's fine. If they want to go into a shop that that's where that's what people do. Uh, you know, that's that's fine. Let's let's defend their right. But also let's don't infringe on other people's rights. So the implementation of it, I think bill is important, but we we uh you know, while I vote to know on both of those both issue one issue too, you know, in regard issue to I think we have to get implemented and do it correctly and do it in a safe way. Well,
one thing I find objectionable. I find many things objectionable, And so when you have Senator Huffman or a Speaker of the House Stevens come on media and start talking about, well, you know, uh, issue one, we got to get it back on the ballot or issue to we've got to we can actually repeal the law if we want to, which I guess technically is allowed. It would be disgusting to have the people go through what we just went through for months and months and months and months and then come to
a resolution at the ballot box. Then they have politicians seek ways to overcome what the people said they wanted. So, just philosophically, can you smell what I'm cooking? Yeah, I can smell what you're cooking. Look,
I think that we have to respect what the people did. We also have to say this is always subject to continuing public debate and for the people of the state to look at what they've done, just like we look at laws bill that are passed by the legislature and people have to decide, you know, they have to bay them as long as they're laws, but then they have to also decide, well do I like that law? And if they don't like it, there's a process, there's a process to change it.
So if people don't like what the voters did, point in the future, uh, you know, they have the opportunity to to change that. But I think the most important thing on Issue one particularly, uh is for people, whether they voted yes or voted no, to follow this see how it works. Uh see if the people who said that there would be no late term abortions, uh see if that's actually true. See if partial birth abortion uh is does not come back. You know, these are all things.
There are promises made during the campaign, and I think, uh, you know, people voted, We accept that, but uh it's always a question of, uh, you know, did were the proponents telling the truth? Did it turn out? Did the end of the story turn out like the prologue or how they said the you know, the dust jacket said, then you have to wait for a year or two for that to happen, Right, you have to wait some time. I don't know how long, but
you certainly have to wait bill to see it. And there's absolutely no doubt about that. Now. Lastly, I would not disagree. I've done some inn on the coast in which they said what happened to Ohio? That Ohio has become California and New York when it comes to marijuana and abortion. And I said, look, about a year and a half ago, we had a governor run who was as identified with the pro life movement as any governor in Ohio history, that won the race by twenty percentage points, and by
the way, still owes me at cherry pie. But nonetheless that we elected five Republicans to high office. Republicans dominate the US Supreme Court, at the highest Supreme Court, the Assembly House, in the Senate, and so well, I said, it's not exactly right, but Mike, you're the governor, the most popular one of all time by the numbers, during a time we're partial birth, abortion in marijuana in a sense have both been legalized. How does that make you feel? Well, it's not good and it's not
something that I signed up for. But look, I'm the governor and you know, we voted and we had a vault, and at least for the time being, that's what the result is. In fact. So no, it's not what I thought I was going to do, and you know, it was not a happy election for me, but hey, you know what my obligation is is, you know, let's take marijuana. My obligation is okay, the people said, yes, we want it. My obligation, Bill is to make sure we do it the right way, and we do
it in a way that protects innocent children. Do it in a way that you know, the advertising is not out there there's aim directly at our young people. So you know, these are things that I'm in this place at this time in history. And while I may not like the big result, I have I think an obligation to try to make this thing work so that Ohioan's it works as smoothly as possible, and it works in a way that
does not damage children. Governor. Lastly, it goes into effect December the seventh, by the dictates of what we voted for December seventh, it's in effect. How do you do all this with marijuana in the next twenty four days. Well, we're gonna see what the legislatures can do. We have you know, as you know, Bill, I can propose things, and I have proposed to the legislature. I'm going to meet with the Senate President
in the Speaker on Monday. We've already talked by phone. I think the goal should be to get this done because I think it's not particularly helpful to start down a pathway and the law going to effect and then the law change. You know, ideally, we would get these things done prior to it going into effect, and then it would be smooth. It would be a
smooth transition and we would move. That'd be great, you know. That's look, you can That's what our ideal is, and I think we should strive to do that, because it's not particularly helpful to people, you know, for them to see the law go into effect and it'd be one thing and then uh, you know, we see changes uh in the future. So if we can do this and wrap this up in a short period of time, we'll at least try. Will you lead and tell them, look,
this was voted on, it's a done deal. The people want marijuana. I have a text here from a listener that says, Governor, could we tolerate a little bit of slavery? Hell no, do not tell people to tolerate a little bit of partial birth abortion. That well, you know that's where I am, that's where you are. Look, you're not tolerate. No, no, no, but look here, here, here, here, let's let's cut cut to the quick. Uh, partial birth abortion.
The other side, the proponents of one said we won't see that in Ohio, miked Wine. They said, Mike to Wine, you're wrong, We're not going to see that. We had other people who said, Mike to Wine, we're not going to see parental consent go away just because this has passed. That I hear today that they're Democrats and the legislature who want to pass a bill that take that takes away parental rights. Now that's isn't
that a little disingenuous? Yes? Yes, these are the same people that were were three days ago we're telling us, oh no, no, it won't happen that. No, no to why you're crazy. Now now I'm watching members of the General Assembly Democrat party who three days before we're telling us, oh no, no, it's okay, we won't general rights will be respected. Now they're introducing bills to take away pray all rights. What hypocrisy
couldn't agree more? And I I'm just this is a bitter pill for right to lifers to swallow and it is not going down very well at all. Well, look, we we have a you know, if if if you're a believer, you believe that we have an obligation to do what we think is right. And it doesn't mean we always win, and it doesn't mean we all succeed. We have an obligation to do what we what we think
is is right. And you know we'll continue to do that again. You know, bless those who are out there and you know, pregnancy centers and people who are quietly doing volunteer work to help moms and to help babies. Yep, Governor, thank you, and thanks for setting the record straight. And I think the will of the people need to implement it. And it seemed like the will of the people said partial birth abortion doesn't happen. And
secondly, parenta rights are not effected. Let's see what happens that pat part of me thrown inside. But on marijuana, I think the people have spoken. Hopefully you convinced fellow Republicans to enact their will. Yeah, well, let's let's let's let's end en us sports note. Thank Joliboto for almost two decades of forty great fun. My dad loved watching him, my late mother in law love watching him. I love watching him best my kids do. And uh, what a what a great guy. And we're very very sorry.
To see him leave. But he gave us, you know, almost two decades, and uh, we'll see him. My plan on being there when he's inducted into the Hall of Fame seventeen years, he'll be, he'll be in Cooperstown. He'll be he'll be in Cooperstown as soon as as he is eligible. And uh that's a great thing. And yep, let's go Bengals this weekend, all right, Mike Governor, thank you very much for coming this afternoon. Billy, good to be with you always. God,
thank you. Let's continue with more. Bill Cunningham News Radio seven hundreds WLW enter to win the ultimate escape