Episode 13: Griffin Johnson, Fourth of July Holiday Special Surprise Episode Drop,

Summary

Episode 13: Griffin Johnson, Fourth of July Holiday Special Surprise Episode Drop

Release Date: July 2, 2025
Host: Andy Beshear

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Introduction

In Episode 13 of The Andy Beshear Podcast, host Andy Beshear welcomes Griffin Johnson, a prominent YouTuber, social media influencer, entrepreneur, and investor, joined by Will Bashir. This special Fourth of July episode delves into Griffin's journey in the digital landscape, his foray into horse racing, and the broader implications of current political and social issues. The episode blends insightful conversations with light-hearted segments, providing a comprehensive look into the lives of its diverse guests.

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Spotlight on Griffin Johnson

Building a Social Media Empire

Griffin Johnson shares his evolution from a college student in Paris, Illinois, to a social media powerhouse with millions of followers across platforms. He attributes his success to authenticity and consistent content creation. Addressing the essence of being an influencer, Griffin explains:

"An influencer can be anything from someone like me that does horse racing now, but, you know, day to day with their girlfriend, whether it's what they're eating, where they're traveling, what they're wearing, you know, there's that sort of influencer... anyone that makes content consistently online and provides value to an audience..."
— Griffin Johnson [02:21]

Authenticity in the Digital Age

Andy Beshear emphasizes the growing desire for genuine content amidst the rise of scripted and reality television. Griffin concurs, highlighting the unparalleled freedom of social media:

"With traditional entertainment... social media, anyone with a phone can just press record at any point and upload it for free... It really does allow for authenticity... you don't have to answer..."
— Griffin Johnson [04:53]

Transition to Entrepreneurship and Horse Racing

Griffin discusses his strategic pivot from being solely an influencer to venturing into businesses like venture capital and horse racing. He explains his motivation to create longevity beyond personal branding:

"With social media, you're your own marketer... so I kind of use that as leverage to get into startup companies... Poppy, which is like a better for you soda, is one example... you can leverage yourself and create a really substantial business..."
— Griffin Johnson [14:56]

Entering the Kentucky Derby

A highlight of the episode is Griffin’s recounting of his experience owning a horse in the Kentucky Derby. He describes the surreal moment of walking onto the muddy track amidst 150,000 spectators:

"It was like the first time in my life... I actually felt like I had accomplished something special that people could respect and I guess kind of look up to... That moment... was probably the best of my life."
— Griffin Johnson [11:23]

Advice for Aspiring Influencers

Griffin offers invaluable advice to those looking to follow in his footsteps, emphasizing the importance of gradual growth and consistent effort:

"Start part-time. You can go to work and work eight hours, come home and film a video or two in 20, 30 minutes... Please do not jump in after one viral video, because it's a lot harder than that."
— Griffin Johnson [06:45]

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Current Issues: Healthcare and Politics

Impact of the "Big Beautiful Bill" on Kentucky's Healthcare

The conversation shifts to the pressing issue of Kentucky's healthcare sector facing potential decimation due to the newly proposed bill. The hosts express grave concerns over the loss of coverage for 200,000 Kentuckians, displacement of 20,000 healthcare workers, and the closure of 35 rural hospitals. John McConnell highlights the cascading effects on local economies:

"People who go shop in restaurants, other local companies... it’s going to go from the top to the bottom."
— John McConnell [24:35]

Andy Beshear criticizes the partisan divide affecting decision-making, lamenting that some politicians prioritize party allegiance over constituent welfare:

"I would like to think that you could be a Democrat or Republican and if someone tells you, hey, this bill is going to fire 20,000 health care workers in your state, you'd say, I'm out."
— Andy Beshear [26:52]

University Leadership and Political Interference

The episode touches on the recent resignation of the University of Virginia's president amidst federal investigations into DEI practices. Andy Beshear expresses concern over the increasing politicization of academic leadership roles, fearing it could hinder the primary mission of education:

"While academia needs some changes here and there, we can depoliticize it so it can get back to the job of educating our children."
— Andy Beshear [31:34]

Supreme Court Ruling on Executive Orders

A discussion ensues about the Supreme Court's ruling that restricts lower courts from issuing nationwide injunctions against executive orders. This decision potentially alters how states respond to federal policies, emphasizing direct actions over judicial interventions:

"The Constitution allows one thing in one state and other things in another state, even though it's one United States Constitution."
— Andy Beshear [33:58]

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Fourth of July Special Segments

Patriotic Reflections

Andy Beshear and his co-hosts engage in a heartfelt discussion about the true essence of patriotism. They emphasize unity, collective progress, and the importance of addressing national challenges together. Andy shares his childhood memories of reciting the Pledge of Allegiance, underscoring the need for an inclusive and indivisible nation:

"True patriotism is about trying to lift up every single American without leaving anybody out."
— Andy Beshear [36:03]

The Johns' Patriotic Costumes

In a light-hearted moment, John Rabinowitz and John McConnell showcase their patriotic outfits, encouraging listeners to view the episode on YouTube for a visual treat. The "Johns" add humor and festive spirit to the conversation, embodying the episode's Fourth of July theme.

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Gen Z Lingo with Will Bashir

Understanding "Goaded"

Will Bashir introduces the Gen Z term "goaded," explaining its usage and versatility. The segment is both educational and entertaining as the hosts experiment with incorporating the new slang into their conversation.

"This word has infinite uses. You just need to get out there and say it as much as you can if you like something."
— Will Bashir [40:42]

Will's Beta Club Journey

Will shares his involvement with Beta Club, a youth leadership organization focused on community service and leadership development. He recounts his experiences running for state vice president and his participation in national conventions, highlighting the nonpartisan nature of the organization:

"Beta Club is a youth leadership organization... It is not a political organization whatsoever... it's just us against the obstacles in our way to making the world a better place."
— Will Bashir [43:01]

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Conclusion

Episode 13 of The Andy Beshear Podcast offers a multifaceted exploration of modern influencer culture, the intersection of social media and traditional industries like horse racing, and pressing political issues affecting Kentucky and the broader United States. Through engaging dialogues, personal anecdotes, and interactive segments, Andy Beshear and his guests provide listeners with both informative and relatable content. The Fourth of July special episode not only celebrates patriotism and unity but also underscores the importance of authenticity and community service in today's divided world.

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Notable Quotes:

• Griffin Johnson [06:45]: "Please do not jump in after one viral video, because it's a lot harder than that."
• Griffin Johnson [11:23]: "That moment was probably the best of my life."
• Will Bashir [40:42]: "There is no overuse of goated. It has infinite uses."
• Andy Beshear [36:03]: "True patriotism is about trying to lift up every single American without leaving anybody out."

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For those interested in a deeper dive into Griffin Johnson's journey or to catch the humorous patriotic outfits of the Johns, be sure to subscribe to The Andy Beshear Podcast on all major platforms or visit the YouTube channel @AndyBeshearPodcast.

Transcript

[Andy Beshear]

Foreign. Welcome to episode 13 of the Andy Beshear Podcast. Today we've got a great show for you. We've got Griffin Johnson, a YouTuber and a social media influencer that has millions upon millions of fans. While I think I know what he does for a living, he's going to explain it to someone like my dad, who I hope will tune in and watch this episode. You can download the Andy Beshear Podcast on all major platforms, but also subscribe to our YouTube channel @andy Beshear Podcast. And trust me, this episode you want to see on YouTube because we're showing off our patriotism. And you should see the outfits in the Johns segment. We also have Will Bashir. He's going to teach us some additional Gen Z lingo and he's actually going to talk about his beta club experience, something that's important to him and how he sees the world and how he wants us to be better people. So on this episode, excited to talk to Griffin Johnson, also a proud dad, listening to his son. Let's get to it. This is the Andy Beshear Podcast, Andy. And we've got a treat for you. Joining us today is a social media influencer, entrepreneur and investor, Griffin Johnson. Griffin has built an empire across numerous social media platforms. On one of those platforms, he has twice the number of followers that my state has people. So he's put a lot of work into it. Griffin, welcome to the podcast.

[Griffin Johnson]

Yeah, thanks for having me. Sorry, you know, I gotta be a little TV on the side there, but really glad to be here and thanks for having me. And hopefully we can bring some good light to two different generations about what we're doing here.

[Andy Beshear]

Well, really excited to have you on because there's such a big role that influencers currently play in our culture and in our country. And while I think I know a little bit about it, I'm thinking about my parents and some others out there who might not fully understand what an influencer is and does so. So educate us a little bit.

[Griffin Johnson]

Yeah, it's a really good question. People ask me that actually a lot, especially in the horse racing world. And, you know, there's a lot of different answers. Right. An influencer can be anything from someone like me that does horse racing now, but, you know, day to day with their girlfriend, whether it's what they're eating, where they're traveling, what they're wearing, you know, there's that sort of influencer, and then you have your niche, which is someone that's specifically about one thing, whether it's Food, whether it's clothes, whether it's horses, you know, there's different levels and different stages, I guess, of being an influencer. But I would just honestly say it's anyone that makes content consistently online and provides value to an audience across the board, whether it's 10,000 people, 10 million people, it doesn't really matter.

[Andy Beshear]

I don't think we know you're closer to 10 million people, which is incredible. How did you get into this? Did you sit down and make a plan or did you kind of stumble into the first several videos?

[Griffin Johnson]

Yeah, so I had a friend in college actually. So I grew up in a super small town in the Midwest called Paris, Illinois. 8,000 people, right. So you don't get to see a whole lot, especially on, I guess, what the new trends are or what the new platforms are or anything like that. So luckily I had a good friend and he said, hey, you can post online and make money. And at the time I was flat broke. I was working in a steel factory in the summer and whatever money I could generate, you know, during school is what I had. So he told me all I have to do is post myself. And at the time I was in nursing school, so I would just post my day. Whether it was struggling on an exam, whether it was going. I guess my first video that really took off was me talking about wiping butts during my clinicals. That's really where it started. And just the thought of being able to make some extra income.

[Andy Beshear]

I think that there is a desire for authenticity out there in the world in a way. We had scripted television entertainment and then we had so called reality entertainment which didn't turn out to be unscripted. And whether it's in politics or in life and in choices, it seems like people are really looking for real experiences and that's one of the things you provide.

[Griffin Johnson]

Yeah, that's probably the biggest value of social media. And I, I say it a lot because with traditional entertainment, which I still think is valuable and important and it has its purpose, but you know, social media, anyone with an iPhone, right, or any phone actually can just press record at any point and upload it for free. And that's the beauty of it. There's no production, there's no money that has to go into it and there's no, you know, I don't have a boss or anyone to answer to. I mean, I can post and say whatever I want at any time. And there is a beauty to that, I think, right, of having your own freedom and your own, you know, your own right to say wouldn't do whatever you want at any time. So it really does allow for authenticity because you don't have to answer. Like you said, with the reality tv, you get too many hands in the pie and eventually it's right back to being scripted. So that is the beauty.

[John Rabinowitz]

So, Griffin, this is John Rabinowitz here, and it's great to see you again. I enjoyed our conversation pre Derby and congratulations on your success with Sandman. But when did you know that this was something you wanted to do full time? Are you doing. You mentioned nursing earlier. Do you have any other jobs but being an influencer right now?

[Griffin Johnson]

Yeah, it's a good question. I mean, look, I was a kid in college that just got really lucky and TikTok was early. You know, I kind of got on and before it was really adopted by the masses, so it was a lot easier to scale and be a Persona there. So, you know anyone that's looking, I guess, to do it full time, I always say start part time. You know, you can go to work and work eight hours, come home and film a video or two in 20, 30 minutes. So you know anyone before you take the leap of faith and you want to do it full time.

[John Rabinowitz]

Great advice.

[Griffin Johnson]

Yeah. Please do not jump in after one viral video, because it's a lot harder than that.

[Andy Beshear]

This is how he's gone from this to entrepreneur to horse racing. Giving good advice. Now you say 20 or 30 minutes, but I've got an idea of how hard you work at this. Understanding each platform because you're also on Instagram and Facebook and others, what the ideal time is for a video on each one, how to prepare the right type of content. So talk a little bit about, you know, you've got the creativity, which you can see in all of it, but the actual work that goes into it, too.

[Griffin Johnson]

Yeah, you know, there's. I fight this a lot, being an influencer. There's a little bit of a disconnect, I guess, between, you know, what it really takes and getting that, I guess, respect and people to really understand what goes into being not only an influencer, but over a long time. Right. Because as an influencer, you're always fighting time. It's about longevity, it's about pivoting and creating, you know, a very deep career. Right. So that's why I kind of done the venture capital and now I'm doing the horses. And I started off in la. I'm always pivoting and finding new ways. And, you know, with that, each platform does have its own I guess pillars of what works, what time frame as far as like a 15 second video versus a minute video. And most importantly, it's about keeping up with the trends and keeping it fresh. So I would say, you know, something like TikTok, if you're doing it daily, you know, it probably takes me realistically like, you know, an hour a day to go on, figure out what I'm going to do. But that's years of learning, right? I put in, I'm six years into this, I've never missed a day of posting in six years between, you know, each platform. I don't post on every platform every day. But you know, and, and yeah, figuring out Facebook is different than Instagram and Instagram's different than TikTok and TikTok is a lot different than YouTube. So kind of figuring out those buckets, it's different for everyone and you have to figure it out as you go. But in order to actually be a successful influencer, I would say over a span of six years, every platform takes at least an hour a day.

[Andy Beshear]

So we've got these different cast rules we talk about on the podcast to make it real. One's to be authentic and you are absolutely that. Another is to talk about your why. So if you're called an influencer, what's the influence you ultimately want to have in the long term on society?

[Griffin Johnson]

Yeah, for me personally, I just want to give people real experiences into, you know, my bread and butter is finding traditional markets or traditional, you know, sports or whatever it may be from, you know, venture capital to horse racing and giving people behind the scenes and adding some humility to whatever it is in the sport. For me, it's been a lot about behind the scenes of back, you know, backstretch workers and showing the day to day of what it takes to maintain these horses and you know, also giving them the experience of what it's like as, you know, a small time guide. I'm just a kid, part owner of a sandman that went on this crazy journey and that, that kind of gets into once again the authenticity and you know, kind of giving people that real look. And my why is, you know, I think it stems from being from a small town, but it's showing people that, you know, with the power of social media and if you use it as the tool that it is correctly, the opportunities it can give you. And I've always just tried to kind of carry that with me as I'm just a small town kid and I'm figuring it out as I go trying to make it. And I hope that, I guess at the end of the day, people can see some kid that came from nowhere and made it out and did something hopefully really extraordinary one day.

[Andy Beshear]

You're listening to the Andy Beshear Podcast. Our guest is Griffin Johnson. He's been telling us about building out this social media empire and what drives him. His. Why now, Griffin? We all got connected because you had a Derby horse now.

[Griffin Johnson]

That's right. It's amazing.

[Andy Beshear]

Now, many people in the world ever enter a horse into the Kentucky Derby. A part of a West Point thoroughbred ownership group for Sandman. Tell us what that experience was like.

[Griffin Johnson]

I mean, the Derby is the Derby for a reason. I mean, it's the glitz, it's the glamour, and it's, you know, one of the biggest horse races in the world. So to be able to step out and do it at the highest level, it was just surreal. I mean, I grew up pretty close to Louisville. I've obviously heard about it my whole life. I've seen it online. And to really get down, I think the biggest moment where I realized, like, wow, this is. This is really special. You're doing the walkover, right? So all the horses are lined up. You're walking on the track. You're coming over, and you look up.

[Andy Beshear]

And it was muddy.

[John Rabinowitz]

Yes.

[Griffin Johnson]

Oh, it was muddy. It was probably 5 to 6 inches of slop on the. On the sides of the track where we were walking. So, you know, I'm stomping through the mud. I'm, like, trekking through it. I. I brought my girlfriend with me, Macy, and she had. She had no shoes. So we're. We're slopping through, and you just see a wave of150,000 people up in the stand. You see all the lights and the flashlights for as long as you can see. And that was just a super, you know, surreal moment for me. I. I made a video saying it was like the first time in my life, out of all my social media things that I've done, I actually felt like I had accomplished something special that people could respect and I guess kind of look up to. So that moment, for me was probably the best of my life.

[John Rabinowitz]

Now, Griffin, I do need to know this. Is this your first horse?

[Griffin Johnson]

This is my first horse.

[Andy Beshear]

And it went to the Derby.

[John Rabinowitz]

The bar is set so high.

[Andy Beshear]

You've been ruined, by the way.

[John Rabinowitz]

So how many more are you buying next year?

[Griffin Johnson]

Well, you see, I think I'm going to be chasing this for a while. I don't think I'M going to ever give up on getting more horses and trying to do it again.

[John Rabinowitz]

That's great.

[Andy Beshear]

All right. So something not everybody knows about me is all my first jobs were in horses. My brother's a veterinarian, and so I was a farmhand. I have mucked more stalls than I can count. And I've seen one of your videos. You give him a bath and even do the sweat scraper, which I'm impressed. But here's a question. Being an owner, have you ever mucked a stall?

[Griffin Johnson]

So it's funny. Growing up, I've mucked plenty of stalls. There you go. Now, I have not done any stalls. I will say I would gladly do any of these thoroughbred stalls because they are very clean. They are not like the stalls that I remember from growing up.

[Andy Beshear]

What about the grooming, the curry comb, the hard brush, the soft brush?

[Griffin Johnson]

Yeah, you see, you know it all.

[Andy Beshear]

I'm.

[Griffin Johnson]

I'm actually. I'm still in the works. I told Mark, Cassie, who trained Sandman, you know, he is just a horseman. I mean, from day one, he has been amazing to me. And I'm actually going to go to his facility and go through about a week. I think he's in Ocala. I'm going to go up there and see if I can learn a thing or two about actually getting into the nitty gritty.

[Andy Beshear]

You got to learn to pick the hooves, too. And when you learn that and how to put the bit in the horse's mouth, then you got it.

[Griffin Johnson]

Yeah, I got a little work to do there, but we're going to get there. I'm confident by, you know, the next horse that I have, I can really get into the stalls with him.

[Andy Beshear]

So you have taken this. This fame and I guess the compensation that comes along with being an influencer and you've moved into. Into business. Tell us about that transition.

[Griffin Johnson]

Yeah, this is something that I think is getting more popular, and it's going to continue, you know, I think a lot over the next five years. But with this new wave of, you know, TikTok and how electric it's been just in our culture, it allows you to, you know, take an audience, whether it's, you know, for me, it was. I. I never really had a niche. So sometimes whenever you're battling that and you're just doing the trends and kind of like creating a lifestyle, it can be hard to pick what you're going to do. I scaled myself through venture capital, and the reason I did that is I was like, hey, you know, we're Influencing the music culture. We're influencing the cpg, which is all the products you can get at the store, the gas station, you know, anything you can touch for a whole new generation, which is Gen Z. So I was like, man, how could I scale this? How could I be impactful and kind of do things that create longevity for my career that stem outside of me as a personality? So the beautiful thing about socials is you're your own marketer. So I kind of use that as leverage to get into startup companies. I think probably my most popular would be Poppy, which is kind of like a better for you soda. Got in super early and just aided them with some marketing and some social media posts and kind of get them off, lifted up off the ground, you know. So mine's a little bit different. But yeah, you can really leverage yourself and create a really substantial business just off of your own platform and, you know, harnessing an audience of your own.

[Andy Beshear]

What is your favorite video or post you've ever made?

[Griffin Johnson]

Oh, my goodness. You know, this is hard. I think I'm gonna. I think out of my old time, it would probably be my first video because that really changed my life. Uh, my first video was just a. I was holding my friend, the one I was telling you about. He had a little puppy, and I. It was just a trend at the time. You flip the light switch and you're by yourself, you flip it off, and then when you flip it back on, I had a puppy in my arms. Okay, sounds. Sounds pretty silly out of everything that. But that was my first post and definitely if I wouldn't have, you know, taken a leap of faith, I wouldn't even be sitting here. So that would probably be my most impactful in my entire life.

[Andy Beshear]

So if there is one post you could go back in time and not have posted, what would that one be?

[Griffin Johnson]

Well, you see, I started when I was. I just turned 19, so. And I posted my entire life. So I've made a lot of mistakes. I have a lot of posts I wish I could take back, I would.

[Andy Beshear]

Say, but I think they worked out.

[Griffin Johnson]

Yeah. You know, I would say this is a. Just. I don't know if anyone watching will know, but I had a. I had a girlfriend online in 2020 and we had a breakup and I made a song about it. If I could go back and take not and not post this.

[John Rabinowitz]

You did that before, right?

[Andy Beshear]

No one wants to hear me sing, even if I've written a song.

[John Rabinowitz]

What about Most viewed?

[Griffin Johnson]

My most viewed?

[John Rabinowitz]

Yes.

[Griffin Johnson]

Oh, gosh. I would have to look, but I think I had a group that I lived with in LA during COVID which everyone was at home. So maybe the numbers are a little skewed, but it's just the craziest video of all of us dancing like idiots in a room together. That is somehow out of everything I've posted, I think the most viral video ever.

[Andy Beshear]

But I think the world needed that at that time. So as we wrap up. You share so much of your life with folks online, but if you have one secret superpower that people don't know about, what do you think it is?

[Griffin Johnson]

You know, I think what's allowed me, I guess, to find success throughout, you know, the last six years is just being. Keeping myself in a position where I can relate with the masses. And I guess what I mean by that is you could say maybe humble. I don't know. I haven't always been the most humble, but I try to be. But really it's. It's just keeping my finger on the post and making sure that I spend time with the people that I'm trying to speak to. And what I mean by that is, you know, at the. At the horse races, I'll go out into the crowd and just, you know, take pictures. I'll talk to people, ask them, what's your experience? Like, this is your first race, whatever it may be. I always try to make sure I really talk to and take care of all the people showing up. And I've kind of carried that throughout. And I think that's been my, probably my biggest superpower as a creator. It's just as simple as it sounds, just being. Keeping it real.

[Andy Beshear]

So how did your audience, which probably hadn't seen a lot of horse racing, respond to these posts on something that they hadn't been exposed to? Maybe.

[Griffin Johnson]

Yeah, it's been great. You know, whenever you start something new, you never know how it's going to translate. And I hadn't done any horses, so I was a little bit nervous, I guess, to see what their response would be. But it's been fantastic. It really stems down to, once again, just like you were saying, you know, keeping it real with everyone and being authentic. And that's. It's been an easy and seamless transition. It seems like the horse people too, that were fans beforehand were happy to have some more behind the scenes and fresh content as well. So it's been great. It's been the most fun I've ever had in social media, I think so.

[Andy Beshear]

So my last question, if you're posting every single day, if you could take a week off. What would you do?

[Griffin Johnson]

Oh, gosh. A full week with no not worrying about posting whatsoever, right?

[Andy Beshear]

Yes.

[Griffin Johnson]

Oh, gosh, I think I would. This is a bucket list for me. I think I'm going to Australia.

[Andy Beshear]

I've always wanted.

[Griffin Johnson]

I've always wanted to go. I think the. The nature is unbelievable there. I'd probably go out in the ocean on a boat and just snorkel and fish every single day for an entire week.

[Andy Beshear]

Well, if you're. If you're fishing, John will come.

[John Rabinowitz]

I will be there. I was just fishing in Alaska. It's the best.

[Griffin Johnson]

Yeah. Did you. Did you do okay?

[John Rabinowitz]

We did. We crushed the halibut.

[Griffin Johnson]

Oh, I heard about that. See? Never been.

[Andy Beshear]

John signs up for the ones where they catch the fish for you. They guarantee you a certain.

[John Rabinowitz]

You just hit this button and it reels up itself. It's amazing.

[Griffin Johnson]

Yeah. You just get on the boat, they bait the hook for you, and they just send it down and you press the button.

[John Rabinowitz]

You hit the button. Yep, that's it.

[Andy Beshear]

This is the Andy Beshear Podcast. Our guest has been Griffin Johnson. Hey, this has been an amazing conversation. Thanks for joining the podcast.

[John Rabinowitz]

Yes, thank you.

[Griffin Johnson]

Thank you guys for having me. And I hope that I got to teach everyone a little bit of something today.

[Andy Beshear]

Oh, I think you taught them a lot. My kids sometimes teach us Gen Z lingo, but you've actually taught about reaching a Gen Z audience and in such an interesting and thoughtful way. So very grateful you joined us.

[Griffin Johnson]

Thank you, guys.

[Andy Beshear]

You're listening to the Andy Beshear Podcast. Now it's time for our weekly segment where we talk about the issues of the week behind us as well as the issues of the week ahead with my two friends, John Rabinowitz and John McConnell, known as the Johns. Now, last week, we teased that this was going to be our 4th of July episode, and so they were going to bring the costumes and gentlemen. You did not disappoint.

[John Rabinowitz]

Well, listen, somebody didn't get the memo. I don't see our host here.

[Griffin Johnson]

Very true.

[John Rabinowitz]

Taking part at all.

[Andy Beshear]

Well, I got a little bling, but remember, I'm the only one of us that appears on a ballot.

[John Rabinowitz]

Fair point.

[John McConnell]

That's a fair point.

[John Rabinowitz]

Now, listen, John, I hope people really appreciate the effort. I mean, that's strong.

[John McConnell]

I went after it, shorty shorts and all.

[Andy Beshear]

So to anyone listening, this is the time where you have to check out our YouTube channel at Andy Beshear Podcast, because I think both outfits are fire, or at least one of them is. Skippity.

[John Rabinowitz]

Listen, I actually had ordered two other shirts that didn't come in time. So this is a last second Kroger grab.

[John McConnell]

Well, I'm afraid anybody who tunes in on YouTube has to see me dressed like this, maybe instantly regret it. I'm not sure.

[Andy Beshear]

What I can tell is you both love America.

[John Rabinowitz]

Amen.

[Andy Beshear]

Let's start with the week behind and that's currently going on right now as we're here. There are votes going on on different parts of what Donald Trump calls the big beautiful bill, which I think is a big ugly bill. It's now clear that in Kentucky, our healthcare sector, especially rural healthcare, is going to get decimated. The new approximations are that 200,000 Kentuckians will lose their health care coverage, 20,000 health care workers, doctors, nurses, orderlies will lose their job, and 35 rural hospitals are at risk of closing. Concerning.

[John McConnell]

That's just, it's just scary. I mean, when you look at me being from rural Kentucky and what it's taken for our hospital to grow and, and the services it has now, thinking that steps back, it's going to take, you know, another hour to an hour and a half for people to go get their care. And that's saying that they have the ability to find the coverages when they lose it.

[Andy Beshear]

When you're looking at Murray, where you live and you're looking at major employers, where does your rural hospital fall?

[John McConnell]

Oh, by far it's got the largest budget in town. That, that's even larger than our university in town. I mean, that's the way that carries in our community. And to see that struggle, I mean, it's going to affect everyone.

[Andy Beshear]

And if you eliminated a large part of those jobs with the biggest budget in town, talk about the impact on the local economy.

[John McConnell]

Well, I mean, that's going to affect it from the top to the bottom. It's going to be your housing market, it's going to be groceries. I mean, people who go shop in restaurants, other local companies, I mean, all the way down to the people who live in those houses, hire someone to come mow their yards. Now all of a sudden that's even going to change. So it's going to go from the top to the bottom.

[John Rabinowitz]

And I'll tell you, everybody, there's things in this bill I like, I know that doesn't track either one of you, things I don't like. But I will tell you what's fascinating to me now is to watch the process, watching how the president's trying to whip the votes, watching how we've kind of moved from Friday to today. I guess right now as we speak, there's vote armor going on with all these amendments. And it'll be interesting to see, it's interesting to see how they're tailoring some amendments for the votes. Like I think in Alaska and Hawaii, I wish also Kentucky so we could avoid these certain things. But at the end of the day, it still has to go back to the House. And will it pass? I don't know.

[Andy Beshear]

There are already concerns there. Remember, there were House members that said, wait, I didn't know these provisions were in the bill. They admitted that they had not read this, this bill. I guess what upsets me the most because I ran for my current job to be the best governor of Kentucky I could be and not to be the best Democratic governor of Kentucky is folks are supporting their, their party or voting with their party instead of representing their people. I'd like to think that you could be a Democrat or Republican and if someone tells you, hey, this bill is going to fire 20,000 health care workers in your state, you'd say, I'm out.

[John Rabinowitz]

Yeah, well, and look at North Carolina senator, who Republican. He's doing it and he's saying that actually the, the middle is becoming few and far between.

[Andy Beshear]

In the Senate, he said something real interesting. He said bipartisanship is getting more and more rare. I think sometimes we, we misuse that word. I think non partisanship is getting rare. There used to be certain issues, foreign policy and others that weren't approached in a partisan lens. And the concern is once that happens with health care, and in this instance, though also a huge blow to the economy. Health care is one of the largest growing sectors in the economy of virtually every state. And this is going to remove hundreds of billions of dollars of revenue into one of those largest growing sectors. And that's just going to really hurt rural economies, urban economies, it's going to hurt the United States economy.

[John Rabinowitz]

Do you see any way that they hit the July 4th deadline of the president getting this bill through?

[Andy Beshear]

I hope not. But what I've seen is people more concerned about what the president thinks of them than their voters think of them. And people are not going to, as Mitch McConnell said, get over this. If you're one of 20,000 Kentucky health care workers that lose your job, you ain't getting over it. If you are one of 35 rural hospitals that can't keep their doors open, those communities ain't getting over it. If you are one of 200,000 people that no longer have coverage you ain't getting over it. And if you are someone who now has to take a parent or a grandparent into your home and you are missing work and previously that was covered by Medicaid, you're not getting over that either.

[John McConnell]

No. And it just, for me in the health insurance world and seeing people have to talk about those claims they've got, I mean, if that hospital closes or that rural hospital shutters, it affects everyone in the entire community, regardless of the health care they have. Because the doctor's not there.

[Griffin Johnson]

Well.

[Andy Beshear]

And your son covered by Medicaid.

[Griffin Johnson]

Correct.

[Andy Beshear]

So what this bill does is double at least the things you have to do to prove every year you should be on Medicaid. What happens if you don't check the right box and he loses coverage for six months?

[John McConnell]

Yeah. I mean, it's out of pocket at that point until you get it corrected and you can get it reinstated. I just, it, it's going to decimate health care.

[Andy Beshear]

And while your small business is done well with a special needs child, that would be incredibly hard to absorb.

[John McConnell]

Yes, yes. The per hour therapy is, it's expensive. It is.

[John Rabinowitz]

And listen, we had a lot of news, a lot of which came out on Friday. But one piece of news that we heard about had to do with your ALMA material and I wanted to talk to you about it. I didn't know if you knew. I guess the Virginia president, James Ryan, told the board of overseers that he was resigning rather than face the inquiry or investigation of the DoJ over whether or not they had done enough to shut down their DEI practices.

[Andy Beshear]

So I went to law school at the University of Virginia, got lucky on a test and they let me in. And Ryan was a law professor at that time. I think he had torts. He was known as a good professor. And so years later becomes the president of the University of Virginia. I think this is bad news for any university when the federal government is trying to bring so much pressure. And then apparently, as one of the requirements that the federal government was giving to come to some type of resolution said you have to fire your president. We haven't seen or heard of that in any other example, it looks like the people at the DoJ had also gone to Virginia. And so this was maybe a little too personal and individual to them. But the moment the federal government doesn't just step in, while I disagree with what they're, what they're doing doesn't just step in and say you need to do something differently, but for us to come to a resolution, you have to fire your president is. Is concerning.

[John Rabinowitz]

And I guess he just didn't want to risk the hundreds of millions of dollars in funding that they could lose.

[Andy Beshear]

He didn't have a governor supporting him, and so those appointees weren't going to necessarily support him. But he is a practical guy. He's a smart guy, loves that university. And so I think he saw a situation where he wasn't going to have the backing he would need to fight. And then he thought about the ramifications of the university and ultimately put it first.

[John McConnell]

When you think about leadership in universities, I mean, I'm assuming this will have a ripple effect across a lot of universities who, when they are in searches for presidents and all of a sudden this is out there now.

[John Rabinowitz]

Well, I think the University of Kentucky dealt with this earlier this year, didn't they?

[Andy Beshear]

They did. But overall, this is getting tough. It's getting tough to find a president and keep a president, which we've seen. It seems like there's a lot more politics around what's supposed to be the president of a university of higher learning. So my, my hope is that while academia needs some changes here and there, we can depoliticize it so it can get back to the job of educating our children.

[John Rabinowitz]

Also, last Friday, the Supreme Court gave the Trump administration a big win in holding that the lower courts could no longer issue nationwide injunctions to stop his executive orders. That one in particular had to do with birthright citizenship. The court really didn't rule on whether or not the 14th amendment issue was constitutional or unconstitutional. But the. But it did focus on no more is it going to allow these judges to uphold executive orders.

[Andy Beshear]

Well, this is a ruling that goes to nationwide injunctions, which we've seen going back to before President Obama, but certainly became a lot more popular with Republican attorneys general banding together and suing President Obama and his administration. And then Democratic attorney generals, including myself, did that during the first Trump administration. But the idea is, if you go to court and you get a policy or an executive order declared unconstitutional, you know, it can't be unconstitutional in some states, but not in others. But what this ruling ultimately said was we're going to apply it to the parties, the people that are in front of us. And that could create, at least for those sometimes years where it takes for some of these court cases to get through. The Constitution allows one thing in one state and other things in another state, even though it's one United States Constitution.

[John Rabinowitz]

Yeah, I totally agree. I think what this will do now is force more direct, direct actions by AGs and states and likely more class actions moving forward where, you know, one person represents a class of people in order to get something done. So it really is a huge change. And listen, I do think it affects both parties. It doesn't matter which president's in, but it's going to affect both.

[Andy Beshear]

The ironic thing about this is most Republican AGs aren't going to challenge something that President Trump does. So when you think about canceling of grants or freezing of funds, does this mean states with Democratic AGs or a Democratic governor willing to sue are going to go to court, are going to get an injunction and those dollars are going to flow to Democratic led states but not to Republican led states because they won't file the lawsuit? I think that's a real possibility.

[John Rabinowitz]

Yeah. Something I heard, and I don't know whether this is true or not on the way here was that this really didn't start being used by the lower courts until like the mid-60s and that it's not something that's been around forever. And so. And it's been like widely used in the last 10 or 15 years.

[Andy Beshear]

That's older than John McConnell. So I think it's been around forever.

[John McConnell]

It's been around for a few minutes.

[John Rabinowitz]

Well, Speaking of John McConnell in this outfit, John, clearly the Fourth of July means a lot to you.

[John McConnell]

Fourth of July means a lot. I love America. I think about the Fourth of July. I think about my whole family. I think about fireworks and being outside and being down at the lake and it just brings back memories of all those family members around you celebrating and enjoying it. So, yeah, it's a special holiday fan.

[John Rabinowitz]

Or not a fan of the hot dog eating contest.

[John McConnell]

I mean, I like hot dogs. So now would I be in a contest? Probably not. Not my best choice.

[John Rabinowitz]

Listen, I thought about bringing us a ton of hot dogs in here and seeing if you could beat Joey Chestnut, but I was not sure. It's like watching a train wreck and.

[Andy Beshear]

He was pretty sure I wouldn't wear the shirt.

[John Rabinowitz]

But what does it mean to you, Andy?

[Andy Beshear]

Yeah, the Fourth of July is about celebrating what makes our country so special and that's that we're free. It was, it was when we declared or when we continued to declare our freedom from, at that time, England. But we went on from then to form such a great country that while I know we talk about the challenges we face right now, we're just truly blessed to be here. And so I think about on the 4th of July that I'm blessed to be an American. I think about the fact that I'm blessed to have the family around me, and I think about the fact that I'm blessed to have a job, that in this crazy, chaotic world, I get to get up and do something about it and try to defend the America that I love.

[John Rabinowitz]

But clearly not as patriotic as John and I in our outfits.

[Andy Beshear]

I mean, this is the Andy Beshear Podcast. Remember, you can check out our YouTube channel at Andy Beshear Podcast and see both outfits of John and John. And now is the segment on the Andy Beshear Podcast called In My Kentucky Accent. Today I'm thinking about the Fourth of July, and I'm thinking about patriotism. I'm thinking about how as a child, every day, I would say that pledge of Allegiance. And when you say that pledge of allegiance that you pledge to a flag and to a country and never to one individual person, and when you say that pledge, you pledge for a country that is indivisible. So when I think about certain folks that are out there trying to create an us versus a them, trying to turn one American against another, that is not patriotic. The most patriotic thing we can do is to try to work within our system of checks and balances to address the challenges that are out there and to come back together as a country to remember that the most important things, like a good job, the ability to see a doctor, the roads and bridges we drive, whether we feel safe in our communities, and the education that our kids are getting there aren't partisan. They shouldn't be partisan. It's just other people that try to make them partisan. Remember that the United States is about all of us, every single one. And true patriotism is about trying to lift up every single American without leaving anybody out. So on this Fourth of July, let's think about how we can make this a better country, how we can talk with our neighbors, how we can lower the temperature and ultimately all move forward together. Welcome back to the Andy Beshear Podcast. And now the return of a segment I know you've all missed. Gen Z lingo with Will Bashir. Will, welcome back to the podcast.

[Will Bashir]

It's good to be here. I'm excited to teach you all some new lingo today.

[John Rabinowitz]

All right?

[Will Bashir]

All right. So our word today is goaded, goaded. So are you familiar with the phrase goat as greatest of all time?

[John Rabinowitz]

Yes.

[Andy Beshear]

So that argument that's out there about Michael Jordan versus LeBron, and obviously it's.

[Will Bashir]

Michael Jordan, sure, okay, yeah, that's fine. But this is an adjective word, so you Would describe something as goaded. So, John, this outfit today is goaded.

[John McConnell]

The outfit is goaded.

[Andy Beshear]

Don't encourage him, will you?

[Will Bashir]

Why not?

[Griffin Johnson]

He looks amazing.

[Andy Beshear]

Yes.

[John Rabinowitz]

Now, he's gonna wear that out often.

[Will Bashir]

I would love to see you, like, in public.

[John McConnell]

It'll go to the front of the rotation in the closet now.

[Andy Beshear]

So, Will, what's something that you've seen or done and you thought it was so amazing? You said, that's goaded.

[Will Bashir]

Oh, man, that is a tough one.

[Andy Beshear]

Whenever.

[Will Bashir]

I mean, really, whenever I saw John and John walk in, I was like, I mean, this is a perfect representation of the word. I mean, this.

[John Rabinowitz]

We went all in.

[Will Bashir]

Yeah. And especially for America, too, you know? Great reason, great outfit designs, great choices.

[Andy Beshear]

So on the 4th of July, America is goaded.

[Will Bashir]

America is goaded all the time, but especially on the Fourth of July.

[Andy Beshear]

He may be better at this job than I am. I'm coming for you so I'm coming for you. So give me. Give me an example. Where is it? Music. Is the best new song goated. When was the last time one of your friends used it in a sentence?

[Will Bashir]

I can't remember the last time a friend of mine said it, but it can really be used for anything. I mean, this food is goaded. Like, you said that this song is goaded. This athlete is goaded.

[Andy Beshear]

Can you overuse goated?

[Will Bashir]

There is no overuse of goated. It has infinite uses.

[Andy Beshear]

So you just need to get out there and say it as much as you can if you like something.

[John Rabinowitz]

So our athletic ability is goaded. I mean, obviously. But I was thinking, so if you're up to bat, you hit a home run. Did you just goat that pitcher?

[Will Bashir]

That is not how that works.

[Andy Beshear]

But are you goaded?

[Will Bashir]

Yes, I am goaded. But I didn't go to the other.

[John Rabinowitz]

Well, I figured, like, you just goaded.

[Andy Beshear]

The pitcher, so could you. Could you hit the home run, flip the bat, and yell goaded?

[Will Bashir]

Probably not. That would probably be really cringy.

[John Rabinowitz]

Have you tried it?

[Andy Beshear]

Cringy?

[Will Bashir]

I have not. But I also don't hit a lot of home runs.

[Andy Beshear]

Like. Like us using any Gen Z lingo.

[John McConnell]

Cringey.

[Andy Beshear]

Cringy.

[John McConnell]

100%.

[Will Bashir]

Yes, it's Cringey. But if I try to say no.

[John McConnell]

Cap.

[Andy Beshear]

Yeah, fire skippity. Now we're just saying words. Just how many can we say? Will, are you ready?

[Will Bashir]

I'm ready.

[Andy Beshear]

So one thing that you do that I know that you really enjoy through school is Beta Club. Tell me about it.

[Will Bashir]

So my Beta journey started in seventh grade. When I went to my first convention. But I ran for a state vice president here last February. I was able to win that office.

[Andy Beshear]

He won.

[Will Bashir]

Yeah. And then I got the opportunity to run it national for national office this past week in Orlando, and I didn't win, but it was a great experience, and I wouldn't trade it for the world. It was just so special.

[Andy Beshear]

Well, so proud of you for winning in Kentucky. As you know, when I was growing up, I ran for everything and lost everything. So you're already way ahead of your dad. Tell the listeners who don't know what Beta Club is about it.

[Will Bashir]

So Beta Club is a youth leadership organization. Its motto is, let us lead by serving others. And so the whole purpose of it is to get out in the community, make it a better place. And I think students, especially in the high school, really need that extra push to go, like, you know, get service hours, you know, go to a food bank, you know, just do things like that. And Beta Club is a big catalyst, and they help out the community so much all over the country.

[Andy Beshear]

So Beta Club sounds like it does great work. It also sounds nonpartisan.

[Will Bashir]

Yes. It is not a political organization whatsoever. The big thing at Beta Club convention this past week that I noticed was everybody was just there to help just anybody in their community. It doesn't matter, like Democrat, Republican, if they were different in any way. And that is what makes Beta Club so beautiful to me, is because it is not us against them. It is us not against anybody.

[Andy Beshear]

Just us.

[Will Bashir]

It's just us.

[Andy Beshear]

Tell me what you think the world can and should learn from Beta Club.

[Will Bashir]

It doesn't have to be Democrats versus Republicans. It just has to be us against. What are the obstacles in our way to making the world a better place? And that's what government's all about, is to help out the people of the country. And I think that Preach will. We lose sight of that a lot. And that's really what our country's all about at its core.

[Andy Beshear]

So instead of fighting each other, we'd fight, say, hunger.

[Will Bashir]

That's. Yeah, that's a pretty good enemy to fight.

[Andy Beshear]

What do you hope to get out of Beta Club as you move forward?

[Will Bashir]

I just want to help as many people as I possibly can during office. I get. I'm currently the vice president elect of Kentucky, but on July 3rd, I get inducted, I guess you could say. And so just doing as many service projects as I can, helping as many people and just impacting the world, not, as, you know, Will Bashir as your son, which I love to be your son, but representing Beta Club and representing something bigger than myself is a thing that I will forever cherish.

[Andy Beshear]

So my last question is, if you are going to become Kentucky Vice President, do you outrank me?

[Will Bashir]

I guess technically I do, but, you.

[Andy Beshear]

Know, family meetings are going to be interesting.

[Will Bashir]

Yes, definitely interesting.

[Andy Beshear]

Will, thanks for joining us.

[Will Bashir]

Thank you.

[Andy Beshear]

And that's a wrap on another episode of the Andy beshear podcast. Episode 13 was goaded. Please let your friends know about the podcast. We're all getting hit by the news over and over, and if this is a place where they can process everything going on, we would love them to join our audience. Everybody out there, take care. We'll see you next week. Remember, you can download us on all major platforms or subscribe to our YouTube channel @andy Beshear Podcast. Your downloads, your subscriptions are what keep us going and keeps this conversation going. So make sure you're a part of it, and let's do this together.