Governor Andy Beshear

Has gotten hit with the opioid crisis more than just about any other, though we have two straight years of decreasing overdose deaths, thank God. Decreasing? Yes. Oh. Yes, and we hope it's a national trend, and I think I'm going to have some really good news next week that I'm really grateful for.

A lot of hard work, a lot of great people working in recovery, a lot of great work by law enforcement. Sadly, all of us having lost a lot of people we care about and trying to make sure that it doesn't happen. Changes in prescribing, which has been really important. But let me tell you, everyone I know that has fought addiction has called it addiction. They don't say it's substance use disorder.

A lot of hard work, a lot of great people working in recovery, a lot of great work by law enforcement. Sadly, all of us having lost a lot of people we care about and trying to make sure that it doesn't happen. Changes in prescribing, which has been really important. But let me tell you, everyone I know that has fought addiction has called it addiction. They don't say it's substance use disorder.

Everybody who's, yeah, everybody's experiencing hunger. None of them call it food insecurity, but I'll give you another one. Right. Justice-involved population. Say that again?

Everybody who's, yeah, everybody's experiencing hunger. None of them call it food insecurity, but I'll give you another one. Right. Justice-involved population. Say that again?

Well, you get pressure by people who mean well to use them. But when we talk in terms, in those sanitized terms, it has no emotion and no feeling. And that's not how people talk to each other. And so it makes you seem distance, distracted, maybe even professorial.

Well, you get pressure by people who mean well to use them. But when we talk in terms, in those sanitized terms, it has no emotion and no feeling. And that's not how people talk to each other. And so it makes you seem distance, distracted, maybe even professorial.

I don't think it is, but I think the point that you're making is you'd never hear that amongst your friends. You'd never hear that amongst coworkers. And so if you hear that from someone in office or running for office, how different does it sound? How detached from the world we live in? And that leads me into the last thing I think people need to do, which is explain your why.

I don't think it is, but I think the point that you're making is you'd never hear that amongst your friends. You'd never hear that amongst coworkers. And so if you hear that from someone in office or running for office, how different does it sound? How detached from the world we live in? And that leads me into the last thing I think people need to do, which is explain your why.

Democrats talk about what they're for in minute detail. Every single bit of what they're for, but never why they're for it. So to give you an example, during my election year, I vetoed the nastiest piece of anti-LGBTQ legislation my state had ever seen. It was picking on kids.

Democrats talk about what they're for in minute detail. Every single bit of what they're for, but never why they're for it. So to give you an example, during my election year, I vetoed the nastiest piece of anti-LGBTQ legislation my state had ever seen. It was picking on kids.

It was an anti-trans piece of legislation directly targeting children that are already picked on way too much. And when I explained my why, I told people that this is my faith that teaches me that all children are children of God. And that if the legislature was going to show hate towards these children, I wanted to show them love.

It was an anti-trans piece of legislation directly targeting children that are already picked on way too much. And when I explained my why, I told people that this is my faith that teaches me that all children are children of God. And that if the legislature was going to show hate towards these children, I wanted to show them love.

I wanted them to see that a governor sees them and cares about them. And I'll never forget the next day I had somebody walk up to me and I thought, oh, no. Stuck out his hand. I shook it. And he said, I'm not sure I agree with what you did, but I know you're doing what you think is right. So when we talk about that, why?

I wanted them to see that a governor sees them and cares about them. And I'll never forget the next day I had somebody walk up to me and I thought, oh, no. Stuck out his hand. I shook it. And he said, I'm not sure I agree with what you did, but I know you're doing what you think is right. So when we talk about that, why?

Sometimes we can get beyond that one hot issue and get more towards, are the people running our state or running for office trying to do what they think is right?

Sometimes we can get beyond that one hot issue and get more towards, are the people running our state or running for office trying to do what they think is right?

There is a super, super majority on the other side. I'm not sure that there's anything really super about it.

There is a super, super majority on the other side. I'm not sure that there's anything really super about it.

They do. But I wanted those kids to know that I care about them. When I vetoed anti-diversity legislation, I wanted everyone to feel welcome. And there's a power in that, John, about a governor saying – I believe in you. I see you for who you are. And I believe that there's an important place in Kentucky for you. And I get to hear that, but I mainly do it just because it's the right thing.