At his daily press briefing on Thursday, Ohio Governor Mike DeWine offered praise for the Cleveland Clinic, which hosted the first presidential debate between President Donald J. Trump and Democratic nominee Joe Biden on Tuesday.
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But when it came to the debate itself, DeWine's praise stopped there.
Stating that the highly contentious debate between Trump and Biden "wasn't our country's finest hour," DeWine took issue with the constant interruptions and name-calling that took place throughout the debate. DeWine said that he's hopeful that future debates will spend more time focusing on each candidate's vision for the country and that debates like the one that took place on Tuesday are simply "not helpful."
While DeWine appeared to stand by his support of President Trump, citing his record of appointing judges and Supreme Court justices, he also offered praise for Biden, who he knows from his time as a U.S. Senator. DeWine went on to contend extremist hate groups on both sides of the political spectrum, including white supremacist groups, who Trump declined to disavow when given the opportunity to do so during Tuesday's debate.
DeWine went on to express his belief in Ohio's ability to have a safe election, as well as the country's ability to have a peaceful transfer of power should Biden win. Both subjects have become highly debated talking points in the months leading up to the Nov. 3 general election.
You can watch the entirety of DeWine's press briefing in the video below.