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- [00:08]
A
Good Thursday, everybody, and welcome to the Andy beshear podcast, episode 20. That's right, we have made 20 episodes. And as I've teased in some of the previous episodes, we've got big news coming. Feel free to add your comment if you think you know what it is or take your best guess, but I am really excited about what's coming up. Remember, you can download us on all major platforms, but we need you to subscribe to our YouTube channel @andy Beshear Podcast. There's going to be some video on this episode that you can only catch on our YouTube channel. Today we've got a great episode. Harry Sisson, an influencer creator that has over a million followers on one platform and hundreds of thousands others, is going to talk about being in his 20s, but being an important political commentator of his time. Then we're going to have our conversation with the Johns where we're going to really talk about this meeting with Russia in Alaska, what it means while knowing there's a meeting with Zelensky going on. As we are filming the podcast, we're going to talk about some other things, including both of them dropping off their oldest daughters at college. After that, you're going to hear my Kentucky accent, where I'm going to talk about making sure that we're listening to our young adults because the challenges they face are greater than maybe any generation has faced before. So the solutions to them are probably going to come from them, and we ought to be listening with that. Let's get it started. Episode 20 of the Andy Beshear Podcast starts right now. You're listening to the Andy Beshear Podcast. Our guest this week is a great one. Harry Sisson has built a huge following being a creator, and he's doing it in a way that most aren't. He's talking directly about politics, he's talking about his views. He's even giving some good advice to the Democratic Party, which we're going to talk about today. Harry, welcome to the podcast.
- [02:12]
B
Governor, thank you for having me on. This is so cool.
- [02:14]
A
You have become one of the lead voices, especially online, across these platforms, to generations of Americans about politics. Tell us what led you to this moment and platform.
- [02:29]
B
Yeah, I mean, this started when I was around 17 years old. I was working in local politics at the time. I was a junior in high school. I was working with my state senator, my local councilwoman, who is fantastic, was doing great work on a local level, specifically surrounding human rights. And unfortunately, at around that time, Covid really hit the United States. And so all these internships that I was doing shut down almost immediately. There was no more internships. And that was kind of an across the board thing. And so, you know, my junior year of high school, the 2020 election was right around the corner. Felt like I wasn't doing enough. I was kind of like any other teenager at the time in my basement, sort of scrolling on social media. I saw other young people talking about politics online and no word of a lie. My simple thought was, I feel like I could do this, too. I feel like this might be the way, in this crazy time that we're in, to really get involved and hopefully spread factual information in a time when misinformation was really on the rise, especially with Donald Trump ramping up his rhetoric around the 2020 election. And so one day I made an account. I turned on my phone, I started making, like, one video every day. And then suddenly the videos just kept getting bigger and bigger in terms of views, and I just kept doing. Wasn't really a planned thing. I just kind of got thrust into it by these little videos I was making. And now I'm here, you know, five years later and 2 million followers on TikTok and of course, on different platforms. But it all really stemmed from I really care about people. I really want to make this country better. And my care and concern for people doesn't stop at political views. It's for everybody. I want the tent in the Democratic Party to be huge. I want everybody to benefit. I don't want the wealthy or just one group of people to it really, just hopefully with the work I'm doing, can influence politicians to make the right choices and pass policy that help people.
- [04:26]
A
So one of the things we always try to do on this podcast is to get to people's why. My whys, my faith. It's trying to build a better world for my kids. But I admit, psychologically, it's also in this crazy, chaotic world, I love my job because I get to get up and try to do something about it, even if it's just chipping away a little bit each day. That sounds a little bit like your why, why it started and why you continue.
- [04:51]
B
Yeah, I mean, I think a lot of my early life experiences really shaped who I became and my political views. I really got interested in politics when I lived in Ireland, and I was just kind of reading about the 2016 election. At the time, every single day was learning more about the candidates. I didn't know who Hillary Clinton was or who Donald Trump was. And as I began to study this. More I just was reading these incredibly depressing statistics surrounding the United States, whether it be folks living paycheck to paycheck, maternal mortality, hunger, uninsured folks or under insured folks. And that really just sparked a call to action in me. And it makes you realize that, you know, everybody around you in your community, no matter where you are, they're going through something and they could use some help from somebody. And I feel like in many of these instances, a lot of these issues can be assisted, not fully solved, but assisted by the federal government or state governments or local governments who can pass policy that really just strike at the heart of these issues. And I think that's my why and why I've continued and what keeps me going every day, even though we see all these attacks from people on the right, from the Trump administration, going after the media and things of that nature.
- [06:04]
A
Well, while doing this, you've also cracked the code in many ways because your listenership, your subscribers come from all different generations, including folks in their teens, 20s and 30s, that I think both parties sometimes struggle to reach. What do you think it is about how you interact, what you create that's so appealing and draws people into political conversations that might otherwise avoid them?
- [06:33]
B
Yeah, I mean, I think this is a really deep question as to how audience building occurs. And I think for me, my mission and my goal going into this and continues to be my mission every day is just be as authentic as I can be, be as honest as I can be. Don't just say something because it's in line with my party. Say it because I believe it. And I hope, at least I'd like to believe that, that authenticity is something that has stretched through the screen and brought people into following me and supporting me and watching my videos every day.
- [07:04]
A
What do you think on the political side the Democratic Party needs to do to be able to reach back out, especially to young white men?
- [07:14]
B
Yeah, I mean, that's the question of the day.
- [07:17]
A
That's why I'm asking.
- [07:19]
B
Yeah, that's exactly. That's what everybody's kind of wondering. And I always tell people when they ask this question, there's no one easy answer. I don't think it's just a one stop solution where we create a podcast or we invest X amount of money into learning young men. I think it goes much deeper. We first have to understand the issue and then we can talk about a solution. So the issue I think is things I just mentioned with lack of employment, lack of access to housing, but also the way that many in society, talk about young men. You know, we have to start framing issues that involve women also from a male perspective, I think, to convince young men. So a lot of young men I've talked to on the right feel that when Democrats get out there and talk about reproductive rights, we're only focused on women. And I say to them, like, number one, this issue is multifaceted. So we first and foremost care about women and their reproductive rights, but also understand that this issue affects you. I'm sure that at a young age, 18, 20, however old you are, you don't want to become a father. You want to be able to go to college and experience economic opportunity. That's the same thing for women. So I think addressing these issues from two different perspectives and having a conversation with men and also having a conversation with women and hopefully making them understand both sides can really move along this conversation and hopefully bring about the change we want to see and get young men back in the fold. But it's also approaching social media, having podcasts like this, having these honest conversations online, and not ceding ground to the Republicans who have gained a significant advantage on social media in the podcast space since, I'd say around 2018, 2020. So we have to invest in creators, have politicians work with creators, which is so great to see you doing, and then hopefully we can advance that message sometimes.
- [09:04]
A
I also think it's inviting everyone in to tell their story and how they're impacted, which I think you're speaking to. In my reelection, we were addressing the fact that in Kentucky we have the most draconian abortion law in the country to where there aren't exceptions for rape, incest, or non viable pregnancies. And we had a couple that I guarantee did not vote for me in 2019, come on and tell their story. And each of them talked about how excited they were about this, but now the trauma that they were going through, and I think your answer speaks directly to the fact that at least that ad, that story, recognized that both people are going through that trauma.
- [09:48]
B
Yeah, I mean, exactly. Right. I think the Democratic Party sometimes does a bad job of reaching out to everybody and explaining these issues in depth and how they affect each individual person in different ways. There are very few issues out there politically that only affect one person. Right. It's not just like a one person thing. It can actually affect a broader group of society, whether it be LGBTQ plus issues, race issues, reproductive rights. I think they affect broader society. And I hope that my friends on the right can understand that. And I think your formula that you've implemented in Kentucky and is something that Democrats should take a lesson from nationally. I know you in, in your first run for governor, you won by less than 1%. Your second reelection, you don't have to.
- [10:33]
A
Tell the podcast that.
- [10:34]
B
Yeah, right.
- [10:37]
A
1%, 2,201 votes.
- [10:40]
B
Exactly. I love the number two.
- [10:43]
A
That was, that was the. That was my first AG election, my first governor's election. I won by 50, 500 votes. So I'd like to think that I expanded it each election.
- [10:53]
B
I would like to think that, too. I would like to think that, too. And you've only gone up in vote share in as a Democrat in the state of Kentucky. And I think you've done that by being authentic and implementing a lot of the things you've discussed both previously, but also things that can help Democrats into the future. And there's no better example of this, of these changes that we can make than in a Republican state. It's easy to do it in New York or another blue state and get elected as a Democrat there. Getting elected Kentucky. And I know I don't have to tell you, I'm preaching to the choir here. Getting elected in Kentucky as a Democrat is hard. And the lessons that you've discussed here on your podcast have you discussed publicly. I think I just hope that Democrats are listening to on a national level.
- [11:35]
A
It's just that idea that, yes, we need to stand up for all of our convictions, but we've got to be the party of jobs, of health care, of infrastructure, of public safety and public education. And if we do that, we appeal to everyone. Why? Because those programs in those areas help everyone. And we've been so consumed by getting 87% of one group and 68% of another and sent out all these different messages. In my opinion, people couldn't see what we are overall for. And it's got to be that, yes, we support each and every group. They deserve to be them. They deserve to never be discriminated against under the law. At the same time, these folks are worried about their jobs and their health care and their infrastructure, too.
- [12:21]
B
Yeah, I mean, exactly. Right. We don't have to speak to one group at a time. Right. I think as a party, I think we can speak to everybody. And as we just discussed, there are issues that affect everybody, that unite the country in a way that is somewhat difficult in today's politics. And you mentioned jobs, you mentioned the economy, you mentioned infrastructure, you mentioned education, you mentioned health care. These are all issues that impact everyday Americans. And those aren't left or right issues, Those are just American issues. And if we can talk about all those things, we will be very successful in elections. It's James Carville's theory from his Clinton years of it's the economy stupid. I think if we just take the it's the economy stupid argument going into 2026 and 2028, especially with Trump's tariffs, which are hurting businesses, Democrat, Republican, whatever, that I think will be very successful.
- [13:11]
A
The irony with James Carville and his friendship with you and me is the first big election he won was beating my dad in the primary in 1987 in Kentucky. But the whole world comes around and my dad got his shot to serve. So I think one of the things that the Trump campaign did better than the Democratic campaign the last time around was validating and talking to creators like you. And I think part of that is people not learning enough about the work you put in and what it means and how you're communicating across all these different channels. So talk a little bit about the amount of content you have to create, how you have to tailor it for certain platforms, just the real work. But behind in the thoughtful analysis, because we've talked about this, that goes into it.
- [14:03]
B
Yeah. I mean, it's an everyday thing. Every day, myself and my peers, we wake up, we are constantly glued to the news and trying to find major stories or maybe missed stories to talk about that really highlight the issues that are taking place in America, the issues that the Trump administration has caused. So it's like an everyday 247 thing. There's not a moment. I tell this to people all the time. There's not a moment where I'm not thinking about this. And so, you know, we're making TikTok videos, we're making YouTube videos, we're posting on Twitter, we're posting everywhere to reach every single person, regardless of what platform they're on, regardless of where they are. It's a constant thing. And so that's one of the main challenges. It's like staying consistent even when it's not great. It's not fun. Especially on a platform like Twitter, which is very right wing, very maga, being on that platform every single day and just absorbing the negativity. Negativity. That's a nicer word than I was going to use. The negativity.
- [15:02]
A
I'm pretty sure I know your word, too.
- [15:04]
B
Yeah, right. I'm sure absorbing that every day can be tough. And I think your point is correct about what Donald Trump and the Republicans did. They went on every podcast they talked to any creator that was willing. They, they went in for niche audiences that really speak to one specific group. They went to broader audiences that speak to a larger group. And another thing the Republicans really do that the Democrats don't, which is kind of regardless of or irrelevant of politicians, is the Republicans really support their creators. There's funding. They build studios, they hire editors, they do all these things for their creators. There's even groups out there, right wing groups like the turning point USAs of America, that will give creators contracts, that just give them a base salary and then a funding budget where they could travel the country and do whatever they want and make the content that they need to make to convince people to vote for Republicans. We don't have anything like that on the left. And I know that many groups right now are trying to build something similar, but unfortunately, we're playing catch up. So it's just been kind of like this silent thing that Republicans have done that is really showing its head now where they have just really taken over the, the social media space. And I might be making it sound like we're getting destroyed. It's a tsunami every day. It's not like that. But they certainly have the edge.
- [16:17]
A
You're listening to the Andy Beshear podcast, where creator Harry Sisson has just shown us exactly why we need to be listening with some really thoughtful analysis on steps that need to be taken. Harry, we have talked, I have a conversation amongst friends on the podcast, and we've talked a little bit about this summit with Russia in Alaska. But one thing that you come into this is seeing the lens of how things will play on the media and on social media. And one thing I keep thinking about is the look, the look of those two leaders when they walk together. And to me, it was a bad look for the United States. What do you think?
- [17:00]
B
I couldn't agree more, Governor. It was a really embarrassing day, I think, for this country. Welcoming Putin, who has been indicted for war criminals, has. The day before that meeting was sending cruise missiles into apartment buildings, killing innocent children, innocent Ukrainians who are not on the front lines, but rather just in major cities in Ukraine. And Trump welcomed him with glee. We had military soldiers laying out the red carpet for him at his plane. I don't know if you saw the photo of them on their hands and knees laying out this red carpet so this dictator can walk down. And when Trump was awaiting his arrival, he was clapping like I described him on TikTok, as a trained seal. And then they walked together and they were shaking Hands. And they were laughing, and it was basically like watching a reunion of two buds who haven't seen each other in quite some time. They got in the back of the beast, they were laughing, they were joking. We have no record of what that conversation was because it was private. And then, you know, the summit ended. There was no conclusion. There was no peace deal. There was no ceasefire. Donald Trump, prior to this, said, if there's no deal, it'll be a failure. Now, after there's no deal, he's saying it's a success. But just welcoming somebody like that on American soil, giving him the legitimacy that he so badly desires and wants, is shameful for the country.
- [18:17]
A
I think President Trump also said there would be incredible sanctions or pressure if Russia didn't come to the table. But it now seems like the United States position has totally flipped and we're arguing the Russian position to Ukraine.
- [18:35]
B
Yeah, I mean, that. That appears what it is. Trump is saying no sanctions, no relief, no ceasefire. Those are things that Putin has been advocating for for quite some time. And late last night, Donald Trump on truth social media, once again pushed what I would describe it as is just straight Russian propaganda. I mean, he said that Zelensky could end the war at any given moment. The onus is on him. And my response to the president would be, well, it's his country that's being invaded. He has to defend its people. The only person right now that can end this war is Putin. And for some reason, Donald Trump cannot bring himself to say that he got somewhat close recently to criticizing Putin with, you know, with the negotiations stalling maybe a month or so ago. And he says that he doesn't understand what Putin is doing, why he's doing it, but still couldn't bring himself to a full fledged attack on Putin. And he just continues to align himself with the Russians, which is making Reagan roll in his grave right now.
- [19:33]
A
It's definitely opposite of Rocky iv. We're supposed to know who the good guys are and the bad guys. Let's switch to another topic of the day, which we also talk about in our conversation, which will play just after this and redistricting. We are seeing Texas move ahead, and then we're seeing a response by California. And I want to say that I wish none of this was happening, but if Texas goes forward, I think that Gavin Newsom is doing the exact right thing in California. If these are the new rules, everybody's got to play by them.
- [20:06]
B
Yeah. I mean, I hold your position, Governor. I wish none of this was happening. I wish Texas would have never started this and we wouldn't be in this position right now. And the position from Governor Newsom has always been, if Texas stops, we stop. We'll stop right now. If Texas won't go forward, if Missouri, if Indiana won't go forward with their redistricting either. It's a really sad moment that we're in where we have governors of states who are meant to be focused on helping their people, especially in states that low, that rank low on the education infrastructure scales in the United States, they're more focused on appeasing Donald Trump then actually helping the people that they represent. Democrat, Republican, Independent, whatever. They're just sucking up to Trump. They're bowing down to him. They take his phone call. Greg Abbott says, you want five seats, you can have them. And so I agree with you. And I think not only is it. And they say it out loud position, they say it out loud. There was a redistricting hearing in Texas where the members of the panel, the legislator were listening to people and they just straight up said, we're doing this so Republicans can gain an advantage, not because, oh, we think these. They didn't run with the lie which they've gone with, which is we just want to make things fair. They just straight up said it. And so I agree that I think if Texas moves forward, then Governor Newsom should move forward. If they're not going to play by the rules, I don't think Democrats should just sit here and watch them do it and let Donald Trump continue his disaster path.
- [21:29]
A
So you have your hand on, or fingers on the pulse of a lot of different generations. But as we look at the midterms, what do you think that the key issues that will be strong enough to make people vote for somebody of any party will be for your generation?
- [21:48]
B
Yeah, I mean, it's a good question. I think it always just comes back to the economy. And that kind of touches a lot of different things in people's lives. But the economy, I think if Democrats run with a message of, look what Trump has done so far, he promised that he'd eliminate inflation. That that was his words, eliminate, eradicate inflation. He promised that all of these grocery prices would come down. He promised that gas prices would be A$80 again. He promised that America would be booming, the stock market would be destroying its own records every single day. This is what Trump promised and this is the reality. Inflation is continues to be higher than expected. These tariffs are destroying American industry, giving the edge to China and other countries that we are competing with on the world stage and the housing issue that Donald Trump ran on, no solution. He has provided no comprehensive policy yet on how we get young folks into a home and have a roof over their head and they can build the lives they've always dreamed of. I think if we run with that message and show that, hey, the Democrats have a solution here, let's invest in American industry, let's open trade with other countries, but make it fair for us here, let's get you into a home by building more. The abundance argument. I think we can have a very successful midterm, and as Governor Newsom has said, we could essentially neuter the Trump presidency by taking back the House or the Senate or hopefully both.
- [23:03]
A
I think what you're saying is very similar when I say we've got to be more than just against someone. We've got to be for something. We can point out that Trump's tariffs are going to cost an average American family $2,700 when they only get a couple hundred dollars in their tax break. We can talk about shutting down rural hospitals and how it's going to decimate the economies of rural Kentucky and rural America. Or, you know, we can talk about how now you're going to have to take a whole day of work off to see a specialist because they're two, three, four hours away, that your life is tougher. But I think, especially with some of the younger generations, it's, how hard is the American dream right now? Or how does it feel if you can't afford your first home at or around the age where your parents could afford their first home? That's got to really weigh on people, that's got to weigh on young couples. And I think people just want to see that real path to success, that they can live that life, that they can raise their own families and that there's a path.
- [24:07]
B
Yeah. I mean, that's been the promise of America for such a long time, where if you work hard, if you study hard, you can get ahead, you can live the life that you want, you can live comfortably, you can have a house, you can have a family, and not have to live paycheck by paycheck every single month. That no longer is the reality for a lot of people for a different variety of reasons, whether it be making it impossible to access higher education, to go to law school, if you want to become a lawyer or become a doctor, if you want to become a doctor, or just having opportunity to get into these positions in the first place. It's just become incredibly difficult. And one Thing I do want to get off my chest on something you said earlier, which is the rural hospital closings and the average American family, their, their bills going up by $2,700 because of these tariffs. I think it's incredibly gross to watch the juxtaposition right now between what's happening in D.C. and what's happening in rural Kentucky. For example, a lot of these Republicans, creators and politicians, they'll have these parties after they vote in favor of the big beautiful bill, they'll go to a nice bar in dc, have some top shelf whiskey and sip it amongst themselves, drink and have a great time, and they'll laugh it up. These issues, these rural hospital closures never affect these folks who are at these lavish parties. It's only affecting hardworking Americans who have put everything on the line to take care of their families. And it's still not enough. And a lot of these Republicans are making it even harder. And that speaks to the American dream. It's just gross to me to watch these folks in Congress, these creators, have these lavish parties, hang out with each other, spend all this money on this, on these different events, while simultaneously the people that elected them into office are suffering.
- [25:48]
A
They're definitely putting their party in front of their people. I think about Brett Guthrie, a representative from Kentucky who pushed through the big ugly bill in the House. That guy only has rural hospitals in his district and he may have more EV jobs in his district because we're building three of the largest battery factories in the world. What has he just done to jobs and healthcare in his community? It's a dereliction of duty and it's really turning your back on your promise to represent the people.
- [26:19]
B
I genuinely can't fathom how a lot of these Republican representatives who represent districts like you just discussed went into the House of Representatives or the Senate and they voted in favor of this bill, which they know deep down will hurt people they represent, hurt people that voted for them. And I'm interested to see the reception that that congressman gets and other others when they finally do the town halls that they've been running away from in their districts. Because I imagine that even the most Republican voters, if their loved one can't get to a hospital after being in an accident or having a terrible diagnosis, I don't think they're going to be very happy with their Republican congressman after they voted, who put them in that situation?
- [27:05]
A
It's the Andy Beshear podcast and we've just got a few minutes left with Harry. We like to end things by hopefully Letting people to get to know a few things about you. And we typically ask a lot of the same questions. So if you've listened to the Wes Moore podcast, you know what's coming. What's your favorite type of food?
- [27:22]
B
Favorite type of food? That's a really good question. I've been going back and forth recently, but I think I always have to go with Italian as a cuisine. I'm a big pasta guy. I love pasta, but I try not to eat it too much. I try to focus on like a protein, veg and carb kind of dinner.
- [27:41]
A
You know, so you post every single day. But if you were able to take off for a week, what would you do? Or where would you go?
- [27:50]
B
Man, that'd be nice. I'd probably go to a beach somewhere. I don't remember the last vacation I've been on. So I'd like to go to a beach and just like turn off my phone for a little bit and hopefully swim in the ocean. I love swimming. I love being in the ocean. Something like that, I think would be my ideal location.
- [28:07]
A
People ask me how I can talk to people in both parties. I say, well, it's because people of both parties are my neighbors, and I vacation at the Florida Panhandle. So I'd like to think that we could all figure out how to get along. If you could go back in time, let's say high school, middle school, and tell yourself not to follow one fashion trend, what would it have been? Oh.
- [28:29]
B
Well, I'm gonna come at this from a different perspective because I lived in Ireland, so the fashion trends were different. But when I was younger, I used to have this haircut where essentially it was just like shaved on the sides, like really, really thin. It was a lot of hair on top and it just laid in front of my face. It was almost like a worse looking mohawk. And so if I could go back in time and tell myself to not do that, I think that might have helped.
- [28:51]
A
Mine is also a haircut. The nastiest commenters on any of these platforms, not that they're listening, but if there was one thing that you'd want them to know about you, what is it?
- [29:08]
B
Oh.
- [29:11]
A
I can tell you mine.
- [29:13]
B
Yeah, please, actually tell me yours.
- [29:14]
A
Mine is I'm not reading your comments, so go right ahead.
- [29:18]
B
See, I love that answer, Governor. I. I would say the same, but I also think if I could just tell these people something. It's just that, you know, there's actually human. Anybody you hate comments on, there's like a human behind it. I guarantee a lot of these people wouldn't say it to my face or your face or other people's faces. They're hiding anonymously, and it's, you know, they feel comfort behind that. But I would just say, hey, there's a, you know, there's an actual person you're talking to behind here. And you should maybe think, would I say this in person? Would I say this during a conversation about politics? You probably wouldn't.
- [29:53]
A
Well, if we all had a little more empathy, we wouldn't see some of those comments out there. Hey, I really appreciate you being on the podcast. This is one of the best interviews and conversations we've had. Harry, thanks for being on the Andy Beshear Podcast.
- [30:07]
B
Thank you, Governor, for having me. I appreciate it.
- [30:15]
A
You're listening to the Andy Beshear Podcast. We talk about this podcast as a conversation among friends, a way that we process the information and topics of the week to get through the last week and to get ready for the next one. This segment is our conversation with the Johns, John Rabinowitz, an attorney and small business owner, John McConnell and an insurance agency owner and a small business businessman. Well, we have had a wild week in terms of news, but I'd like to think that we have to start with the summit between President Trump and Vladimir Putin in Alaska that occurred at the end of last week with a meeting with Zelensky and the president coming up today. Of course, this will come out on Thursday. So some things may have changed, but a lot to talk about, both what wasn't accomplished and the current position, position of the United States.
- [31:12]
C
Don't you think we start from the beginning, the pageantry of it. They both come down from their respective planes around the same time. There's a red carpet, there's the jets flying overhead. It was quite a bit of pomp and circumstance.
- [31:26]
A
I do think there was pomp and circumstance, but the look for the United States I don't think was great. And Putin came down and he looked strong. President Trump looked like he was really trying to get Putin's attention and or his approval. Even when they first met, it was.
- [31:45]
D
Kind of one step away. Was he going to try to take a selfie with him? I wasn't sure just exactly where it was going to go.
- [31:50]
C
And it was interesting to hear Putin start with, you know, welcome, my dear neighbor. You know, you never really think about that, but that's pretty impactful.
- [31:59]
A
And we talked about the fact that it was occurring in Alaska, which we.
- [32:02]
D
Purchased from Russia at one point in.
- [32:05]
A
Time, and they were discussing who might get what land. Of course, I always had doubts going into this because one of the countries whose land is at issue wasn't even at the table. The idea that the United States would negotiate with Russia for another sovereign country's land just started the whole thing out more complicated. But then certainly it appeared that the United States didn't get anything that it was going in seeking, which was a ceasefire, and even claims by the President that there would be massive sanctions if they didn't have a breakthrough.
- [32:41]
C
Yeah, I think that I had read prior to that meeting that the President had agreed with the EU leaders, with European leaders. Sorry. That it was going to be ceasefire first before a comprehensive plan for peace. But it appears that out of those discussions or in the middle of the discussions, that he changed his mind. Right. And so now we're looking at a ceasefire or we're looking at ceasefire first or no ceasefire. No ceasefire, sorry.
- [33:10]
A
And no demand for 1. John McConnell, you and I had talked right before this about how the United States seemed to have come in with certain demands, and today in their meeting with Zelensky, appear to be on the same page with where Russia came in to that meeting in Alaska.
- [33:29]
D
Well, basically, it appears that our president is going to be delivering Russia's demands, and obviously we can't negotiate for them, so it's just going to be repeating what they want to the other side.
- [33:42]
A
That was actually invaded before last night. It appeared that maybe the deal would be certain lands to Russia in exchange for NATO membership for Ukraine. And I can't speak for Ukraine, and no one wants to give up their sovereign lands, but NATO membership might have been something that would provide them security for decades to come. But then the President put on Truth Social, I don't know what to call it. Tweet posted on Truth Social that both were off the table. So what's the bargaining chip?
- [34:14]
C
Do you find it interesting, guys, that the European leaders are coming to this meeting today? And what do you think that. What does that display show?
- [34:22]
A
It shows that Ukraine is right. Yeah, Ukraine was invaded, and Democrats and Republicans were both there saying, Russia is the enemy, is the aggressor, this is a sovereign country in Ukraine, and Russia must be stopped. And then there was a shift with the President and some of his supporters. But listen, Europe is. Is a lot closer to this thing than we are.
- [34:46]
C
I think another thing we got to talk about is what's going on in our nation's capital. I think I've talked to you, John, before about this issue with the feds. Coming in and taking over police power more or less from the D.C. police. Now, the last two times I've been, which had been within the last year, it's been much, much better, in my opinion. I have seen a noticeable difference. Public safety is number one, no question. And we do want the Capitol B to set the standard. So your thoughts on it, guys?
- [35:18]
A
Well, I think you're hitting the right question. First, let me push back against some people in my own party who keep saying that crime is down. Yes, crime may be down, but it's not just important that people are safe, but whether they feel safe. Now, for a group that's supposed to value mental health as much as physical health, how people feel about their everyday lives is critically important. But how you go about it is important, too. I mean, preserving our overall civil liberties while still making people safer is something that we can do, and it's been done in other places. So you can ask for help from federal partners. You can ask for help from extra law enforcement. Certainly it could be the state police working with different city police. You can raise pay and bring in the number of additional officers they need. Here in Kentucky, we. We raised our pay for the state police and have the highest numbers we've had in a long time so that people are safer. But asking the National Guard, a group that typically doesn't have police experience unless in their regular lives, they're police. These folks could be accountants, they could be mechanics. They're folks that are called in to provide support to our military and assistance, especially logistics, to our state in times of natural disaster. Certainly I've had to call the Guard out in terms of a major massive protest that was going on in Kentucky. But this situation in D.C. in any.
- [36:42]
C
Of those, how does that work? Does the. In your experiences, does the president ask the governor to send the Guard, or do you offer it up?
- [36:51]
A
We've never seen guard from another state coming into a city in a different state or region for these purposes. We've seen them come in to help after natural disasters. But the idea that guard from one state, who technically are under the command of that governor are going into another and are going to do things related to security of that area, that's concerning.
- [37:15]
D
And that part makes me worry, too, because, you know, this started because the president felt the city wasn't safe enough, and then he went down this path.
- [37:23]
A
There are some that believe it was an attempted distraction as well from things that the President's facing, the demand for release of certain files. But I think it's a bad look to have what looks like military presence in the nation's capital. But for those who encounter the Guard, just remember they're our neighbors. We call them and ask them to do certain work. They've had no choice when they are called up. So if you disagree, and I certainly disagree with the idea that a West Virginia National Guard can be in D.C. doing certain things when D.C. and the leadership doesn't want them, doesn't mean that those guards, men and women, aren't good people. And let's have a good point.
- [38:08]
C
I was going to say on a much different note, a much lighter note, Much, much lighter. I had the surreal experience, guys, of dropping my oldest daughter off to college yesterday. I remember many of my friends saying, blink of an eye, they're going to be in college before you know it. And, John, for you and I, it's here.
- [38:29]
D
And our kids are neighbors now all of a sudden on UT's campus, they are. And it's. It's something different. I know my daughter looked at me and she goes, dad, let's do a TikTok for me going to campus.
- [38:40]
C
Which I'm like, I'll do one too.
- [38:42]
D
So.
- [38:42]
A
So this is in my future.
- [38:44]
C
This is definitely in your future now.
- [38:45]
A
It's. You set up the dorm room and you do a TikTok with your kiddo.
- [38:48]
C
Yes. It was like I had zero ability to say no. Like it had to happen.
- [38:54]
A
Based on watching it, I imagine that must be the case.
- [38:57]
C
You saw how enthused that was.
- [38:59]
A
We gotta post just a little bit of this right now. Romanticize a quiet life. There's no place like my room. Well, all right. How do you react to that?
- [39:21]
C
Listen, she's my oldest daughter. If she asked me to do it, I'm probably gonna do it.
- [39:25]
A
It's a great reason for people to go to our YouTube channel.
- [39:28]
C
Yes.
- [39:28]
A
Andy Bashir podcast and make sure you see it.
- [39:32]
D
And Corey got us good with hers because, you know, they've got the one with I finally got away and then she put it on there. I finally got away and then my parents moved four hours with me.
- [39:41]
C
That is true.
- [39:42]
A
We followed.
- [39:43]
C
We did follow.
- [39:43]
D
She didn't get away.
- [39:44]
A
That went a little bit viral. Yeah.
- [39:45]
D
3, 400,000 views so far. I think it's still growing.
- [39:49]
A
We're need her to post about the podcast now.
- [39:51]
C
Okay. We definitely need to do that.
- [39:53]
D
We could get that done.
- [39:54]
C
And then, guys, on another exciting note, our prior guest, Tyler Schuck made his first start yesterday.
- [40:05]
A
Looked good, was efficient, had a couple drops, got pressured a lot. But in general looked good, great throws.
- [40:12]
D
Looked comfortable in the pocket and held himself in there. What was he, 6 for 9?
- [40:16]
A
9 for 12?
- [40:17]
D
9 for 12.
- [40:18]
C
Well, what's great is he's running with the ones, he's getting every opportunity to be their starter and there are great things ahead for him.
- [40:26]
A
Alright, guys, another good week. Hope this has helped you get ready for the next one. You're listening to the Andy Beshear Podcast, available for download on all our major platforms, with big, big news coming soon. And now on the Andy Beshear Podcast, our segment called In My Kentucky Accent. That's when I talk about what's on my heart and mind. And this week I'm going to do something I normally don't. I'm going to be thematic. We just talked with Harry Sisson and he talked about his generation and involvement in government and politics. We had our conversation with the Johns that talked about dropping their oldest child, both daughters, off at college. So today I want to talk about the importance of listening to and including our young adults and important decisions that we make as government and how we put together our policies. You know, I believe it's tougher to be a young person right now than maybe ever before. I think back when I was in school and somebody would say something negative and I thought the whole world would know. Well now, no thanks to social media, people can put out the most negative information to the whole world. How to process that along with being bombarded by negative news every single day. And then the challenges that our young adults face in terms of being able to afford that first home, the cost of everything and how challenging it is with that first job means we've got to listen. Because if we haven't been through what they're going through, we don't know what it feels like. We don't know what the best policy decisions would be for them and how much it would help them out. And so I hope we can break down these barriers of thinking that you have to be over a certain age to have a voice and that we will make our table larger and invite everyone in. I've always said I believe diversity is a strength and never a weakness. And part of that is to make sure we're listening to people of all ages. The challenges of our young people, the challenges in being a senior, in this economy, in this environment. If we want to do this right, let's make sure everyone can speak their mind, everyone can be a part. And when we do that, we don't move to the right or left, we just move Forward for everyone. This is the Andy Beshear Podcast, and today is our first Throwback Thursday. Today's throwback is a good one because we just learned that Merriam Webster's Dictionary has recognized the term skippity. And that's going in the dictionary now, y' all might remember all the way back in episode one, Will Bashir with Gen Z lingo explained the difference between skippity and fire. Take a listen. Hey, Will. Hey, dad. So there's a lot of lingo that I hear you and your friends and so many other people using, and I was hoping today you'd teach us at least one word or phrase.
- [43:33]
E
Okay, so the word of the day today is skippity.
- [43:38]
A
It's skippity.
- [43:39]
E
Yes. You want to try spelling that?
- [43:40]
A
No. No.
- [43:42]
E
Okay, so skippity, basically, is another word for saying something is good. Right. So, you know, John, I like your outfit today. You look very skippity today.
- [43:52]
B
Him, I'm the closest to him. That's what I get.
- [43:54]
E
It was an example that was using.
- [43:57]
A
It in a sentence, right?
- [43:58]
E
Using it in a sentence. Yes. So I want you guys to try to use it in a sentence off of that definition. And I want to start with you, dad.
- [44:06]
A
Oh, so it's something that's good.
- [44:09]
E
Yeah.
- [44:09]
A
Now, wait, wait, but then how does skippity different? Is it different than fire?
- [44:15]
E
No, fire is like. It's really good. Skippity is just like.
- [44:18]
A
Okay, so it's like a level down.
- [44:20]
E
Yeah.
- [44:20]
A
So if we said the Andy Bashir podcast is fire.
- [44:23]
E
That's better.
- [44:24]
A
Okay. Yeah, I got it. But. But we'd say, you know, John's jacket is skippity.
- [44:30]
E
Right. But Winnie's collar is fire.
- [44:34]
A
Okay.
- [44:35]
B
Yeah.
- [44:35]
A
So, all right, let's hear you use it in a sentence, John. Me use it in a sentence? Yeah.
- [44:39]
D
Okay.
- [44:39]
B
Hold on.
- [44:39]
D
Gotta get my aura built up here real quick. Get ready for this. Gotta get ready.
- [44:44]
A
Come on, Will, how old do we sound right now?
- [44:48]
E
Not any older than 45.
- [44:51]
A
Oh, thank you. I just got younger today.
- [44:54]
D
We backtracked a little bit. Yeah, I'll take that.
- [44:56]
A
All right.
- [44:57]
D
That's skippity. Thank you.
- [45:00]
E
Wow.
- [45:00]
A
All right, Todd.
- [45:01]
C
I was gonna say, I think your shoes are skippity, but then I learned. I felt like that would be insulting because they're not fire. Right. So I'm learning. I really have to learn the difference.
- [45:10]
A
Wait, shouldn't your clothes be drip?
- [45:13]
B
Oh.
- [45:14]
E
So how painful is it to hear me say this? This is very painful.
- [45:17]
D
This is.
- [45:18]
E
But okay, skippity is a really, like, it Has a good connotation. Like, it's a positive connotation. So when you say something's skippity as opposed to something's fire, it's. It's still a compliment, but it's not.
- [45:30]
A
Like a great compliment.
- [45:31]
C
It's good. Not great.
- [45:32]
E
Good. Yes, good. Not great.
- [45:34]
A
So if somebody says that skippity, does part of you say, man, I thought it was fire?
- [45:39]
E
I guess part of that does. I've never really thought about it.
- [45:41]
B
Wait, no.
- [45:42]
D
Have you ever heard anyone say that?
- [45:44]
E
No, never.
- [45:45]
B
That's the answer.
- [45:46]
D
That's the real answer.
- [45:47]
A
But is there, like, topics that people will normally attach skippity to as opposed to fire?
- [45:54]
E
It's just like a funny word people use. It's not like a serious.
- [45:57]
A
Does anyone say awesome anymore?
- [45:59]
E
No, fire is more of like a literal word you'll use to describe something. Oh, like, you know, that's fire. Like, I would say that in a regular sentence.
- [46:07]
A
Is it legit to use a fire emoji?
- [46:10]
E
Yeah, I would say so is it.
- [46:12]
A
Legit to use a fire emoji in a text chain with national security folks putting classified information out on a commercially available app?
- [46:26]
E
Probably not.
- [46:27]
A
See, he gets it.
- [46:28]
D
Wait, do people use the word legit still?
- [46:30]
E
Yes, legit.
- [46:31]
D
All right, sorry.
- [46:33]
C
If we want to say skippity with an emoji, which one would we use? It's not the fire.
- [46:37]
E
Maybe like the thumbs up emoji.
- [46:39]
C
Okay. This is very healthy.
- [46:41]
A
I've been told the thumbs up emoji is passive aggressive. I didn't get it. I thought it says okay. Yeah.
- [46:46]
C
Oh, really?
- [46:46]
A
Or approved.
- [46:50]
C
We probably need that in a another segment for him to explain to us what to use and not use on these emojis.
- [46:54]
A
That'll be episode two, Proper use of emoji emoji etiquette. I think could be a whole podcast in and of itself. Amen, folks. That's a wrap on episode 20 of the Andy Beshear podcast. That's right, the little podcast that could made it 20 episodes and we're about to get a whole lot bigger. So tune in over the next couple weeks as we're going to have some really exciting announcements.
- [47:18]
B
And.
- [47:19]
A
And until then, remember to take care of yourself. The news is tough. It hits you in so many different directions. Make sure if you're overwhelmed, you take a minute to breathe. Reach out to your friends, process with them just like we do on this podcast. You're important, we care about you, and we can't wait until you tune in for the next episode of the Andy Beshear Podcast. Remember, you can download us on all major platforms or subscribe to our YouTube channel @andy Beshear Podcast. You can. Your downloads and 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.