The Tri-Star State: An Exclusive Look At Gov. Lee’s Coronavirus Response In Tennessee

Sergio Martínez-BeltránWPLN News (File)

Gov. Bill Lee's office says he has tested negative for the coronavirus but will quarantine until further notice.

Throughout the coronavirus crisis Gov. Bill Lee has been criticized for being slower than other governors in calling for a mandatory, stay-at-home order. Many have said he has not taken the pandemic seriously.

But the governor is taking it very seriously, at least personally, as was noted by WPLN News, which traveled with Lee across the state on Friday, in an exclusive look at the governor’s operation.

The morning after announcing his safer-at-home mandate for Tennesseans, Gov. Bill Lee held a meeting with county leaders at the University of Tennessee-Knoxville.

The building where it took place had the feeling of a military operation. Besides Lee’s security detail, retired Gen. Scott Brower — the chief of staff of the COVID-19 Unified Command — could be seen walking around the building. Other members of the group were doing the same.

In a mid-sized conference room, Lee met behind closed doors with county leaders, both Republicans and Democrats.

“One of the reasons we came here to sit face to face and to look is so that you would see our team and that you would know who they are (and) we know who yours are,” Lee told the group.

They were trying to follow social distancing guidelines, although these types of meetings make that complicated. When standing up, the governor was definitely staying at least 6 feet apart from others.

When they got closer to him, he walked back.

But, Lee believes meeting up with individual communities is essential if the state wants to successfully fight the disease.

“We have our strategy of how these things will work,” Lee said, “but it’s locally implemented. .. We can talk about what the state’s plans are, but it’s going to happen in Knoxville.”

That has been Lee’s approach and strategy so far — to allow local communities to decide what to do, and how to enforce the different orders he has issued.

Knox County Mayor Glenn Jacobs was at the meeting. The Republican has criticized the governor for shutting down non-essential businesses. He said that order goes too far.

That’s something Lee has had to deal with: Regardless of what decision he makes, members of his own party will push back on him.

Like when Knoxville Republican Sen. Richard Briggs wanted the governor to issue a stay-at-home order. He told the Knoxville News Sentinel that “freedom doesn’t do you a lot of good if you’re dead.”

At a press conference with local reporters, Lee was asked about balancing those viewpoints.

“Both of those men I’ve worked with closely and I had a great meeting with Mayor Jacobs today. He and I talk regularly,” Lee said. “What’s most important is that we all work together on this.”

After the press conference ended, Lee got in his SUV. Meanwhile, the Unified Command, his press secretary and WPLN News took two Blackhawks to get to Chattanooga — Lee’s next stop.

Keeping 6 feet apart from each other in a helicopter is not a thing. Those in it where about less than an arm’s distance from one another.

Lee’s press secretary said he was not sure why the governor opted for the car instead of the helicopter.

In Chattanooga, Lee also met with county leaders and state lawmakers on the local UT campus. Nine people took part. Each sat at an individual small table.

Lee talked about the prison population. He said the state was preparing for when it has to face the first case of COVID19 behind bars.

(A day later the state Department of Correction would announce its first case.)

Lee said the state has learned a lot from what happened in a Gallatin nursing home, where more than 100 residents and staff have tested positive.

“We are using that experience to strengthen our efforts at reporting, but I just bring that up because each of you have populations that you are responsible for,” Lee said. “Whether it’s a jail or whatever that is — I know that you are making those efforts, but we need to talk about best practices among ourselves.”

Once the meeting ended, Lee headed to a separate conference room for a one-on-one interview with WPLN News.

Throughout the day, Lee really kept his distance when interacting with people. Even, his staffers.

When he talked to WPLN News from a cross a conference room table, he didn’t make that much eye contact.

“I’m doing my part to stay apart. I take it very seriously,” Lee said, he said with a chuckle. “I don’t want to infect others and I don’t want to be infected, so I’m going to stay as far apart from you as I can.”

Lee said he’s operating like if everyone had the disease.

He said the last few weeks have been filled with long days and tough decisions.

Like closing businesses, something he resisted but ended up doing. The death toll, however, seems to hit Lee the hardest.

“Three weeks ago these people weren’t even sick,” he said, “and now they are gone.”

After the interview, Lee held a second press conference with local media.

He then headed back to Nashville, after a long day on the road. But he chose to drive back. Again he skipped the helicopter.

Lee’s spokesman speculated that he might want to use this travel time to catch up with work, something hard to do if you are inside the loud helicopter.

While traveling throughout the day, Lee had also received a briefing from the Unified Command, held his daily call with his senior staff, done an interview with a Knoxville radio station, talked to the state’s chief operating officer, and had another meeting with the director of the command.

All this as part of his efforts to defeat what his administration has called an unknown enemy.