Myers: COVID-19 has exposed inadequacies in state

Wednesday, September 30, 2020
Speaking to a virtual meeting of local Democrats, gubernatorial candidate Woody Myers discusses the problems he sees as having been exposed during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Banner Graphic/JARED JERNAGAN

A lot of things have happened since Woody Myers visited a group of supporters in Putnam County last November.

Myers has gone from one of three Democrat candidates to his party’s nominee for governor.

He’s chosen former Hammond police officer and State Rep. Linda Lawson as his running mate.

And, by the way, the COVID-19 pandemic has completely changed the way political campaigns and life in general are conducted.

“I would’ve been back (to Putnam County) sooner if it hadn’t been for this thing called COVID-19,” Myers told a meeting of Putnam County Democrats via Zoom Tuesday evening. “We were well on our way to getting out to all 92 counties and then — Wham! It shut us down. And it wasn’t just about getting out, we had to shut down several big fundraisers.”

Then again, the Myers-Lawson campaign has adjusted on the fly.

“In the old days, it was 80 percent in person and 20 percent other. Now it’s 80 percent virtual and 20 percent other,” Myers said. “It’s been quite a challenge to adjust but we are doing so.”

Now it’s three to five Zoom meetings a day and perhaps even attending an evening meeting in an Indianapolis Colts sweater, as Myers did Tuesday, rather than a coat and tie.

But Myers sees COVID-19 having a bigger impact on things more fundamental than campaigning. Asked if he thought the coronavirus was the most important issue to Hoosiers as the Tuesday, Nov. 3 election approaches, Myers said it’s not the virus itself, but weaknesses the pandemic has exposed.

These include inadequacies he sees in the health care system, in the affordability of health care, in the K-12 education system and telecommunication infrastructure to support distance learning and working.

Underscoring this final point, as Myers spoke on infrastructure limitations, he lost his own internet connection and had to rejoin the meeting a short while later.

In education and health in particular, Myers sees the two issues most fundamental to the state.

“Education and health are tied for the most important topics in the state,” Myers said. “The economy is third. I tell people, if you don’t have your health, you don’t have anything else.”

In terms of health, the longtime medical doctor says he still doesn’t like what he sees in the ongoing COVID-19 crisis.

“We are still seeing somewhere in the neighborhood of 750 to 1,000 new cases a day in our state,” Myers said. “And we haven’t begun the fall surge yet.”

For confirmation a fall surge coming, Myers looks to someone on the other side of the political spectrum in the former Indiana governor and current vice president.

“If Mike Pence is warning folks, you know it’s coming,” Myers said, “because they (the Trump administration) don’t want to emphasize anything that is considered bad news.”

Yet Myers looks around the state and sees COVID-19 restrictions being lifted by Gov. Eric Holcomb.

“I’m worried when we have a governor who’s moving the state to Stage 5 when we’re still having 1,000 new cases a day and nearly a seven percent positivity rate,” Myers said.

He also said he doesn’t like having school superintendents keep schools open out of fear of what might happen to state or federal funding.

If elected, Myers said he plans to give schools accurate, easy-to-follow guidance.

“I still think we need to press the pause button until we see a sustained drop in cases, a decrease in positivity rate or we have a vaccine,” Myers said.

The path to the governor’s mansion remains an uphill battle, to be sure, in a state that last elected a Democrat to the office 20 years ago.

Myers sees reason for hope, though, in a recent poll showing Holcomb’s once 20-some point lead had slipped to six points.

A Change Research poll conducted from Sept. 3-7 showed Holcomb with 36 percent support, followed by Myers at 30 percent and Libertarian Donald Rainwater at 24.

“One of the interesting thing in that poll is it showed 57 percent of Hoosiers think we’re heading on the wrong track,” Myers said. “But I think that’s misleading because the Libertarian candidate is getting a lot of votes. And those votes are coming out of Eric Holcomb, not Woody Myers.”

Time will tell if the trend suggested by the polls continues and what sort of impact a potential three-way race could have on Election Day.

For now, Myers only knows to keep working toward his goal.

“Linda Lawson and I are getting out there, putting our masks on, communicating our messages and listening to voters,” Myers said, “because we feel there is a good path to victory in Indiana.”

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  • Has he taken a position on all the hatred exhibited by the left?

    -- Posted by beg on Thu, Oct 1, 2020, at 11:59 PM
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    Beg - have you taken a position on all the hatred exhibited on the right? I mistakenly thought you actually wanted real discussion but you seem to be a troll at best. Same baiting comments on every article. To think being on the "right" makes everyone pure and being on the "left" makes everyone evil is ignorance at best.

    -- Posted by RSOTS on Fri, Oct 2, 2020, at 7:32 AM
  • I just asked a question that applies to this situation. I didn’t blame him. He is rather unknown to me.

    I have my answer regarding the republican candidate. He is in the public and has been the last 4 years and been asked this question.

    I didn’t accuse

    I do bring the issue up often. The better question is why?

    There are many who being up the hate from the right. It isn’t necessary. Who brings up my question.

    There is a position often presented or inferred that hate comes only from the right. I asked questions yesterday that those on the left never really responded to.

    Your comment regarding ignorance is often applied to those on the right, including in these threads and authors in these threads in very personal ways.

    This question is often asked of candidates, especially on the right.

    I assume he has been asked the question and was curious of his answer.

    Sorry if it comes across trolling. I readily admit it is an issue for me that I am sensitive to.

    If you look at the tenor of the stories in the news, people on the right are demonized just for leaning that way.

    The far right has issues with hate. So does the far left. Both are in the same behavior path- hate and try to shut up the enemy. Different reasons but same goal.

    I know most aren’t.

    Even yesterday, some who lean to the left would say both parties have same issue and then go into are the revile of the “right”. Why didn’t they go into the evils of the left?

    Hopefully this answers your question.

    Let me be clear- I condemn hate on the right. That is clear and concise.

    There is hate on the right. That is clear and concise.

    If those on the left took same approach and called the hate out on the left with the passion and frequency they do of hate from the right, then I wouldn’t need to “troll” the issue.

    I do appreciate your perspective and see where it comes from. Hopefully you now have better understanding of why.

    -- Posted by beg on Fri, Oct 2, 2020, at 8:01 AM
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    Beg - Fair Enough and good explanation.

    I do think you are looking through biased goggles if you believe that the hate question is brought up more to the right, or that it is presented or inferred that hate only comes from the right. As a left leaning individual, pretty much all I ever hear from friends, family or random anonymous posters that are right leaning is how the left is hate, hate, hate. I believe that each side thinks they are unfairly targeted or asked that question but in reality that question is asked of both side and should continue to be as it exists on both sides.

    And yes as a liberal I absolutely condemn the hate that comes from other liberals, democrats or left leaning minds.

    I believe that the majority of the right and the left don't condone violence or hate. But there are radicals and extremists on both sides.

    -- Posted by RSOTS on Fri, Oct 2, 2020, at 9:03 AM
  • RSTOS,

    I didn't address all your comments. Sorry about that.

    Hatred on the right- hopefully covered. Your response a little disheartening as you moved the conversation away from my questions and brought the focus back to the questioner and the ills of the right. Effective deflection as we are now going down a different path. It is, though, a fair question so I have answered it.

    baited questions- how would you define that. Because the real answer is uncomfortable? Would have to respond negative about the left which would be very hard and uncomfortable and may leave the impression you are turning on the team? If you denied or downplayed, then you are concerned that it would support a position I have. Note I never condemned an individual or anyone in the thread. I asked fair and legit questions that the left really isn't faced with. I understand the uncomfortable aspect of it. I face it often. Every question I asked provides opportunity for conversation. I can only conclude you consider it baiting is because of concern for the discomfort of an open and honest conversation on the topics.

    If a business had 50 years of issues, still had the same issues, and kept doing the same thing, what would be your observation. Would you wonder why? My question on cities and political leadership is common sense. Have you seen it asked elsewhere? Have the media outlets that lean to the left asked this question. Of course not. Why? It is an honest question.

    Lastly, the hate thing is real. If you read any social media this morning, the hatred and glee for the current President and COVID is horrifying. I understand not liking a person or not wanting someone in power who has different positions than I do but to wish ill will and death. That is awful. To be proactive before the deflection path is taken- I don't want any ill will to fall on political opponents, even those I can't stand. It was wrong for people to make fun of or hope bad would happen to Mrs Clinton when she had health concerns. Former VP Biden should be offered solace and respect in regards to his son who passed and find it appalling that people on the right don't. I don't support or desire for ill will to happen to those I consider opponents and speak clearly when I see "friends" of mine doing so. The closest I have seen today is "feel bad but his fault and he deserves it". May be his fault, no doubt. But note compassion can't stand alone.

    Sadly, I don't see it from the left. What am I to conclude?

    -- Posted by beg on Fri, Oct 2, 2020, at 9:23 AM
  • Ahh, just saw your response after I posted my last comments. Thanks for your clarity and your perspectives.

    -- Posted by beg on Fri, Oct 2, 2020, at 9:24 AM
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    Holcomb: I will give you bad policies brought to you by my handlers in the Republican Party. (Coronavirus response)

    Myers: I will give you even worse policies brought to you by myself with some input from the Democrat Party. (Coronavirus response)

    Rainwater: I will give you the freedom to make the best decisions for you and your business in the spirit of the Libertarian Party. (Coronavirus response)

    -- Posted by dreadpirateroberts on Fri, Oct 2, 2020, at 9:49 AM
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