Veteran Reporter Gene Kinn Reflects on a Career of Covering Presidents

Whether interviewing future and sitting presidents of the United States, riding 200 miles per hour at the Daytona International Speedway with an Indianapolis 500-winning driver or speaking with the man who inspired “The Fugitive,” veteran reporter Gene Kinn never shied away from an assignment.

With over 32 years of working for WFOB radio in Fostoria and writing for regional newspapers under his belt, Kinn has experiences most journalists dream about. Perhaps his proudest moments were meeting nine U.S. presidents — four of whom he formally interviewed — and former Mexican President Vicente Fox.

“I’ve been extremely fortunate,” Kinn says. “To me, it was something new and exciting every day.”

The interviews — with John F. Kennedy (who was a senator at the time), Lyndon B. Johnson, Richard Nixon and Gerald Ford — were part of his reporting work. The other meetings with Jimmy Carter, Ronald Reagan, George H.W. Bush, Bill Clinton and George W. Bush — stemmed from his involvement in city government and politics.

“I did what you’re not supposed to do, which is mix news and politics,” Kinn says. “I never had a real problem with it, and I don’t know whether others did or not. I never got any real serious feedback from it. I enjoyed it.”

Did you ever feel nervous or intimidated at all to interview a U.S. president?
I never felt intimidated by talking with them. I figure they’re a human being like I am, and they just made it a little further than I did. There was a serious tornado on Palm Sunday in 1965. … Ford was giving a speech in Findlay. I had a chance to talk to him one on one. I interviewed him for probably 15 minutes while he was waiting [to go on].

Did you have a favorite presidential interview?
Probably Ford because I spent the most time with [him]. He was really so down to earth, it was like talking to an old friend. I had no problem conversing with him. I was with Nixon on a flight from Cleveland to Chicago [in 1969]. Going back and sitting next to him and interviewing him on the plane, he was very outgoing. I didn’t find any of them who were aloof.

What advice can you share for someone pursuing a goal where they need to be bold?
Follow your inner feelings. … I wanted to meet all these famous people, and [thought] maybe some of their image would reflect on me. I think we all are kind of awestruck by presidents and senators and that type of thing. Once you finally interviewed two or three of them and found out, frankly, how easy it was and they went out of their way to accommodate me, I just carried that attitude forward from then on.

For more Ohio inspiration, sign up for our Ohio Magazine newsletters.

Ohio Magazine is available in a beautifully designed print issue that is published 7 times a year, along with Spring-Summer and Fall-Winter editions of LongWeekends magazine. Subscribe to Ohio Magazine and stay connected to beauty, adventure and fun across our state.