Episode 3: Senators (Amy Klobuchar), Stories & Second Chances

Summary

Podcast Summary: Episode 3: Senators (Amy Klobuchar), Stories & Second Chances

Release Date: April 25, 2025

Podcast Information:

• Title: Andy Beshear Podcast
• Host: Andy Beshear
• Description: A weekly show featuring open, unscripted conversations with a diverse range of guests. The podcast delves into topics beyond politics, including family, faith, current events, pop culture, and personal stories, fostering real connections and insightful dialogues.

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1. Introduction

In the third episode of The Andy Beshear Podcast, host Andy Beshear sets the stage for a deep and meaningful conversation amidst the backdrop of recent political turmoil. Aimed at alleviating listener stress, Andy emphasizes the podcast's mission to provide a space for learning, laughter, and connection during challenging times.

Key Topics Introduced:

• Interview with U.S. Senator Amy Klobuchar
• Discussion on tariffs and their impact on farmers in Minnesota and Kentucky
• Story about Ted the turkey and the Thanksgiving pardon incident
• Conversation with Jerina Weathers, Commonwealth Attorney of Louisville
• Insights into federal government layoffs and their implications
• Tribute to Pope Francis
• Personal anecdotes featuring Andy’s wife, Brittany Beshear

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2. Interview with U.S. Senator Amy Klobuchar

a. Background and Upbringing

Senator Amy Klobuchar shares her rich family history, highlighting the influence of her Slovenian grandparents and her parents' professions. Her grandfather worked in dangerous iron ore mines, instilling a strong work ethic and sense of responsibility. Her father was a dedicated newspaper man, and her mother was a lifelong teacher.

Amy Klobuchar [03:26]: "I'm the granddaughter of an iron ore miner and the daughter of a teacher and a newspaper man."

b. Motivation for Entering Politics

Klobuchar recounts a personal and transformative experience involving her daughter's severe health issues. Her daughter's struggle in the hospital exposed her to systemic shortcomings, particularly in insurance policies, motivating her to advocate for legislative changes.

Amy Klobuchar [08:17]: "When I was in the hospital, I got kicked out. I ended up testifying for this 48-hour hospital stay... That was my first experience, and I got hooked on it because you could get something done for the right reason."

c. Discussion on Tariffs and Economic Impact

The conversation shifts to the economic repercussions of the current administration's tariffs. Klobuchar criticizes the tariffs as a "fiasco," citing their detrimental effects on farmers and the broader economy, including increased costs for American families.

Amy Klobuchar [12:28]: "This has ended up being a fiasco. It's a $4,000 tax on every family, including $200 in groceries."

She further elaborates on proposed tax cuts favoring the wealthy and large corporations, expressing concern over the ballooning national debt and the undermining of social safety nets.

d. Light-Hearted Segment

Towards the end of the interview, Klobuchar engages in a playful exchange with Andy, discussing favorite musical acts and sharing amusing anecdotes, including a story about a turkey charging the press.

Amy Klobuchar [17:12]: "I would choose the Beatles, but I would really choose Prince or Bob Dylan because they're both from Minnesota."

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3. Conversation with Jerina Weathers

a. Public Safety and Recidivism

Jerina Weathers, the Commonwealth Attorney for Louisville, discusses her approach to public safety, emphasizing the importance of rehabilitation and preventing recidivism. She advocates for comprehensive support systems that aid individuals in reintegrating into society post-incarceration.

Jerina Weathers [22:00]: "There should be some programs and services that are happening inside the jails... second chances also come with developing someone and moving them somewhere where they've never been before."

b. Attacks on Diversity Initiatives

Weathers addresses the recent federal attacks on diversity initiatives, highlighting the broader implications beyond race, including support for individuals with disabilities. She underscores the necessity of maintaining inclusive policies to foster a diverse and dynamic community.

Jerina Weathers [28:01]: "Some of it is fear... our responsibility is to keep this open and honest."

She also proudly reflects on her role as the first black woman to serve as Commonwealth Attorney in Jefferson County, emphasizing the progressive strides in diversity within the justice system.

c. Encouragement and Appreciation

Andy acknowledges Weathers' groundbreaking contributions and expresses admiration for her dedication to fostering a safer and more inclusive community.

Andy Beshear [28:19]: "I'm happy to be a small part of that story. But this story is yours, and you more than earned all of it."

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4. "In My Kentucky Accent" Segment

a. Critique of Federal Government Layoffs

In this segment, Andy Beshear vocalizes his frustration with the ongoing federal government layoffs, particularly targeting Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth. He criticizes the administration's handling of classified information and the resultant instability within critical agencies.

Andy Beshear [29:XX]: "This president has all the cause. He needs to fire this Secretary of Defense. He should have never been there."

b. Discussion with John and John

His guests, John McConnell and John Rabinowitz, delve into the ramifications of these layoffs, highlighting the loss of institutional knowledge and the potential jeopardy to national safety and public services.

John McConnell [31:25]: "I worry that we are not being mindful in the cuts that we are making."

They discuss specific agencies like the FDA, CIA, and Social Security, emphasizing how budget cuts could lead to inefficiencies and diminished services.

c. Tribute to Pope Francis

The segment also pays homage to the late Pope Francis, celebrating his inclusive leadership and humanitarian efforts. John McConnell shares a poignant quote reflecting Pope Francis's legacy of forgiveness and mercy.

John McConnell [37:48]: "The Lord never tires of forgiving. It is we who tire of asking for mercy and forgiveness."

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5. "5 Things You Didn't Know About Andy" Segment

a. Personal Stories with Wife Brittany

In a heartwarming and humorous exchange, Andy's wife, Brittany Beshear, shares lesser-known facets of his life, offering listeners a glimpse into his personal experiences and quirks.

• Horsemanship and Early Jobs:

  • Andy reminisces about his early days mucking out stalls and teaching horseback riding lessons, highlighting his enduring connection to horses.

    Andy Beshear [41:27]: "I graduated up to teaching kids how to ride. It was a way where, as a teenager, earning minimum wage... I could eventually fill up the gas in my car."

• First Car Antics:

  • He narrates the story of his first car, a 1982 Chevy Cavalier, describing its notorious quirks and how it inadvertently became his dining table.

    Brittany Beshear [40:12]: "Actually, that became our dining room table."

• Fashion Choices and Dating:

  • Andy humorously reflects on his youthful fashion choices, including a cowboy hat and a large belt buckle, which he credits with helping him secure his first girlfriend.

    Andy Beshear [42:06]: "I had a cowboy hat. It actually helped me get my first girlfriend."

• Financial Frugality:

  • Despite his political stature, Andy reveals his frugal nature, sharing anecdotes about reusing furniture and avoiding unnecessary expenses.

    Brittany Beshear [39:47]: "Andy does not like to spend money ever."

• Family Dynamics:

  • Brittany highlights Andy's love for horses and their playful interactions, showcasing the strong bond they share.

    Andy Beshear [42:19]: "Wait, I'm sorry... There you go. I didn't want to peek too early."

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6. Conclusion

Andy Beshear wraps up the episode with a message of hope and resilience, especially in the aftermath of Easter. He emphasizes the enduring presence of love and the importance of maintaining faith and optimism in challenging times.

Andy Beshear [44:50]: "Stay strong, keep the faith. We'll see you back for episode four."

Listeners are encouraged to subscribe to The Andy Beshear Podcast across all major social media platforms to stay updated on future episodes.

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Notable Quotes with Timestamps:

• Amy Klobuchar [03:26]: "I'm the granddaughter of an iron ore miner and the daughter of a teacher and a newspaper man."
• Amy Klobuchar [08:17]: "When I was in the hospital, I got kicked out. I ended up testifying for this 48-hour hospital stay..."
• Amy Klobuchar [12:28]: "This has ended up being a fiasco. It's a $4,000 tax on every family, including $200 in groceries."
• Jerina Weathers [22:00]: "There should be some programs and services that are happening inside the jails..."
• Jerina Weathers [28:01]: "Some of it is fear... our responsibility is to keep this open and honest."
• John McConnell [31:25]: "I worry that we are not being mindful in the cuts that we are making."
• John McConnell [37:48]: "The Lord never tires of forgiving. It is we who tire of asking for mercy and forgiveness."

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This episode of The Andy Beshear Podcast offers a blend of serious discussions on political and social issues with light-hearted personal stories, embodying the podcast's ethos of real conversations and genuine connections. Whether delving into the intricacies of federal policies or sharing intimate family moments, Andy Beshear ensures a comprehensive and engaging experience for his listeners.

Transcript

[Amy Klobuchar]

Foreign.

[Andy Beshear]

Welcome to episode three of the Andy Beshear Podcast. It's been another week of confusion and chaos coming out of Washington, D.C. we've seen more federal employees lose their jobs. We've seen our economy reeling because of the president's tariffs. And so we come together during this time to try to process all of this chaos, difficulty and confusion in a conversation between friends. The goal is to take on these topics, but do it in a way that takes a little bit of stress off your shoulders. And hopefully we learn a little, we laugh a little, even in the midst of difficulty, and we are refreshed for our week to to come. Today's episode is a great one. We welcome U.S. senator Amy Klobuchar, who's going to talk about her upbringing, including her grandparents and parents and all they invested in her. She's going to talk about the why she got into politics, which is a very personal and moving story. We're going to talk about tariffs and the impact, especially on farmers in Minnesota and in Kentucky. And we've got a great story about a turkey that was supposed to get pardoned for Thanksgiving that charged the media and lost its immunity. Then we're going to have Jerina Weathers, who is the commonwealth attorney, the DA of the largest city in Kentucky, who's going to talk about public safety as well as these mean attacks on diversity issues. Then I'm going to be joined by John and John, and we're going to talk about these federal firings and how they're impacting state agencies and also talk a little bit about losing Pope Francis, a great faith leader, a great leader for this world. And finally, you're going to get Brittany Beshear, who is going to talk about things that you might not know about me. This is my wife of 19 years, but she doesn't take it easy on me at all. Let's get to the episode. On this week's episode of the Andy Beshear Podcast, we're joined by US Senator and former presidential candidate Amy Klobuchar. She is a senator who is showing significant leadership in Washington, D.C. and is going to share some of her story. We're gonna get into her why, and then we're gonna talk tariffs and the impact, especially on farmers in her great state of Minnesota, as well as the Commonwealth of Kentucky. So, Senator, welcome to the Andy Beshear Podcast.

[Amy Klobuchar]

Hey, Governor, it is great to be on, like, the horse picture up there on the wall. And it is I'm a big fan of yours and I'm excited to be on to talk on your new podcast. So thanks for having me.

[Andy Beshear]

Grateful you said yes. And grateful for your support throughout my political career. I know. Supported me in a number of different races. So very excited to have a friend on the podcast.

[Amy Klobuchar]

Excellent.

[Andy Beshear]

So tell us a little bit about your background, about growing up, a little bit about your parents.

[Amy Klobuchar]

Sure. So I grew up in the suburbs of Minneapolis and my mom was a teacher. She ended up teaching second grade till she was 70 years old. She had 30 second graders in her class. And my dad was a newspaper man. He actually started with the Associated Press and then he ended up covering the Vikings. The Minnesota Vikings, when they were an expansion team. He became their main sports writer in the Minneapolis paper, wrote 23 books, including a book sadly named, which is still relevant today, will the Vikings ever win the Super Bowl? But my background, sort of from a Kentucky point, a Commonwealth point, being interested, is that my grandpa and grandma were both Slovenian. And my grandpa worked 1500ft in the underground mines. They weren't coal mines, they were iron ore mines. And it was really dangerous back then. And my grandpa became a foreman. He had quit school at a really, really young age because he had nine brothers and sisters and he was the oldest boy. And the parents got sick and died. And so it was his responsibility. And so my dad was the first one to graduate from high school. And then he ended up going, going to a two year community college and from there the University of Minnesota, got his journalism degree, served during the Korean War, he was stationed in Europe, came back, met my mom who had come over from Milwaukee. And that's my story of my family. And I always think about that. I'm the granddaughter of an iron ore miner and the daughter of a teacher and a newspaper man and the first woman elected in the state of Minnesota to the U.S. senate. And none of that would have been possible if they hadn't put it all on the line. And my grandpa saved money in a coffee can. I always tell kids a story because it's also the power of education. What a difference that makes.

[Andy Beshear]

So I'm also second generation college, my dad being the first generation in his family. And I think a lot about how thankful I am for my parents and their view on education. But I also think about my grandparents like you just talked about them and the values they passed down. Do you think your grandfather having to take on such responsibility and even duty at such a young age was passed on to you, maybe part of why you do what you do?

[Amy Klobuchar]

I think so, because you have to always remember where you came from. And you think about the sacrifices that they made for you, and it just. It gives you another sense of the world. I also got from them a sense of leadership, adventure. My grandpa that I would hear when I started running for Senate and I'd go up there to the iron range, I would hear stories of people who had dads, who had worked in the mines with my grandpa, and they said that when he became one of the foremen, the foreman would usually stand at the top and radio down when they explored a new part of the mine. But my grandpa Mike, who had these huge hands, was this big guy that he would always go with the guys, and he would always go first to, of course, taking the most danger going down there. And so those are the kinds of things that you remember in your heart, and you said, okay, if they did that, you know, I should be able to get this bill passed, or I should be able to take a risk and take on this cause that people hadn't taken on before. I do think if you carry those stories with you, especially right now, with what we're dealing with in our nation, it gives you a grounding. With all the crap that goes on in politics, all the divides that happen every day, all the hatred, all of it, it just makes you think, okay, this is why I'm doing this, and this is who I'm doing it for.

[Andy Beshear]

And I love that, because this podcast is about trying to just get beyond the. The what we think and the why we think it. The diversity of our experiences and not just putting somebody in a box of D or R, right or left, liberal or conservative, but recognizing that you've got a unique upbringing. I have a different, unique upbringing. And all these things make us who we are. And so we try to get to both that and. And then the why. I think the why is one of the most overlooked things in politics about what drives us and why we make the decisions we do. And I think you have a pretty special why about why you got into politics. Will you share it with us?

[Amy Klobuchar]

Sure. That's when our daughter John and my daughter Abigail was born, and she was really sick. I was at a law firm at the time, and she couldn't swallow the night she was born. And they did all these tests, and she ended up having to have a tube through her nose for about six months and then a stomach tube for another year. And it was really, really hard. But when I was. And then she eventually got better. And when two things came out of that. Once I got involved in groups of parents with kids with disabilities, even though she didn't end up with a permanent disability. But it changed my sort of, my whole mindset about what these parents are going through. And then the other thing was that when I was in the hospital, I got kicked out. That was when you got kicked out in 24 hours. She was literally in intensive care. She couldn't swallow. They didn't know if she had a tumor. They kept doing all these X rays and they just had that rule, as long as I was okay, they were going to kick me out. I'd been up the whole 24 hours. And as my husband wheeled me out of the hospital, I go, I bet this wouldn't happen too, because at the time all the insurance executives were men. So at the time I said this would not have happened to the wife of the insurance executive. And so we, I ended up, she got a little better. We still were in a hard place, but the other people had had the same experience in my state. And so on a bipartisan basis, Democrats, Republicans, I ended up testifying for this 48 hour hospital stay. And our state was one of the first states that did it and we passed it. And my first experience, which you know so well as a governor but of a conference committee in the legislature was they couldn't say they were against it, but they were trying to delay it. And so I brought, I brought, I think it was like four or five pregnant friends to the conference committee because we're all having babies at the time. So they outnumbered the insurance lobbyists who were trying to say this shouldn't take effect for a year or two. And the legislators said, when should this take effect? And all my friends who had think they were going to have a baby any day, they raised their hand and they go, no. They literally had to take effect the next week. That's what happened. So that was my first thing. And then I got hooked on it. Because you could get something done and it was for the right reason.

[Andy Beshear]

Absolutely. It's that concept that the time we have in these jobs is a gift and a blessing in a really chaotic world. At least we get to get up and do something about it each and every day. So I know almost down to the day how much time I have left being governor. And sometimes in a speech I'll say it down to the day and people will laugh and somebody will say, so you're counting down. And I said, yes, but not for the reasons that you think. It's that every day I've got is an important day that I can hopefully do Something that helps people.

[Amy Klobuchar]

Exactly. And like you said, sometimes small things matter just as much. Because while a piece of legislation might be big, if you don't implement it right and you don't actually get it done, it's not going to help them. Or a small piece of legislation can help someone tremendously. Or a just the way you get your staff to help people when they call in with things and answer their calls.

[Andy Beshear]

You and I have talked a lot about this current administration, about the policies that they're putting forward, and we could talk about a hundred of them, and maybe that's what they want us to do, to talk about all 100. But what is hitting people the most is what's hitting. Hitting them in their wallets is making it harder for them to pay bills. That a president who was probably elected because the last group of movable voters thought that he'd make paying the bills a little easier are finding he's doing things that are the exact opposite. You have a unique position on the Agriculture Committee about seeing the impact of his policies on farmers.

[Amy Klobuchar]

There are people that voted for President Trump, including a number of our farmers, who thought, okay, prices are too high. I want to improve our economy. They were upset about inflation, different things. And then when he won, they expected those promises to be met. And instead what he did was put in these across the board tariffs. They want things to be made in America. Both of our states make a lot of stuff ag or manufacturing, but they did not expect him to upend the entire economy to the point where costs are up, chaos is up, and the market is down. But they were not ready to deal with these across the board tariffs. I just think this has ended up being a fiasco. It's a $4,000 tax on every family, including $200 in groceries. So people's prices are going way up that they have to pay, and it hurts us in our economic expansion across the world. We want to be a country where we grow and make stuff, where we invent things, where we export to the world. And that can't happen if we cut ourselves off from the world's economy.

[Andy Beshear]

We Talked about that $4,000 to $4,700 hit to American families on the last episode of the podcast how it blows a hole in the budget and how many families just aren't going to be able to get by. And then I think from how you started your answer, it compounds with cutting the rental assistance vouchers, which they're threatening to do, cutting Head Start and what that would mean to these families that are already struggling, that can only go to work, or maybe both of them can only go to work because of it. If you're both taxing the American people who are struggling to get by and cutting the help that helps them get out there and be productive, how do people make it?

[Amy Klobuchar]

Yeah, and what we're supposed to be doing is having people's backs. Politics, as Paul Wellster used to say, former Minnesota senator, should be about improving people's lives. And when I look at what they're proposing right now in Congress, which just should drive all the governors nuts, because what they're proposing, I'm all for keeping in place tax cuts for people making under 400,000. So let's start with that. However, they're proposing more tax cuts for the wealthiest $50 million for every billionaire. What they are proposing right now would total $37 trillion in debt over 30 years. And 25 trillion of it is for the people making over 400,000 and the big companies and the like. And so instead of using that money to pay down the debt and do something on the deficit, instead of using that money to make private sector incentives for more housing or childcare, instead of using it, as you've pointed out, to make sure people can buy their groceries or make sure that their grandma or their mom is being able to stay in assisted living through Medicaid and retire with dignity. Half the people in this country, that's how they retire when they're in assisted living that's paid for by Medicaid. They are messing around with the very fabric of life that guarantees that people have dignity in their retirement, that they keep the benefits that they earned and that they're able to work hard and make a living and support their family. I'm actually just shocked at how far he's gone with this. And I'm someone that works, as you know, with Republicans to Congress ago, I was number one for bipartisan bills, number three for getting them passed into law. Okay, Grassley beat me. But I actually believe that you can get things done with Republicans. But this has been so destructive of our economic moorings in this country that I'm just getting more and more worried every day if he doesn't pull this back.

[Andy Beshear]

All right, so we like to close our interviews on the Andy Beshear. Anything more positive, Andy just with some fun things. Well, so we talk about this. And this interview's been the perfect example of a conversation between friends where we can talk about those really tough things, but then friends will always talk about something positive. Maybe a Little bit funny right before they leave. So I want to ask you just a couple of questions so people know a little bit about our choices that aren't political at all. If you had to choose, would it be Elvis or the Beatles?

[Amy Klobuchar]

I would choose the Beatles, but I would really chose Prince or Bob Dylan because they're both from Minnesota. And have you seen a complete unknown movie?

[Andy Beshear]

I have not.

[Amy Klobuchar]

Okay. Oh, about Bob Dylan.

[Andy Beshear]

Oh, have it. Haven't yet.

[Amy Klobuchar]

Okay, well, you have to see it. But I would choose the Beatles. But I would really choose one of our.

[Andy Beshear]

All right, I like your answer.

[Amy Klobuchar]

I have an asterisk.

[Andy Beshear]

See, I would be Elvis. Are you?

[Amy Klobuchar]

Of course you would.

[Andy Beshear]

Cheese or chocolate?

[Amy Klobuchar]

I would be cheese because I'm such a big dairy state and so I've grown to love cheese. Only in Minnesota do we carve out butter queens. Out of butter. But go on.

[Andy Beshear]

And. And if somebody asked what your secret superpower is, something you do well, that has nothing to do with politics. What would it be?

[Amy Klobuchar]

Okay, well, I look at. This is not cool to admit anymore, but I do really well with not a lot of sleep because everyone's supposed to get a lot of sleep. But that has allowed me to be a mom and be in office. I know we're not supposed to talk about politics, and it's allowed me to have one hour's sleep in the Senate and then get on a plane and go home and do a full day. And that's the one thing I have. I also can say all 50 states with my memory.

[Andy Beshear]

So your superpower is actually useful. Mine is cooking the Thanksgiving turkey, which I now realize probably comes from Minnesota.

[Amy Klobuchar]

We have sent many turkeys to the White House, the actual turkeys for Thanksgiving that's been pardoned. But I will tell you one funny story because it involves our governor, our former governor Dayton. He decided that he would invite me to the send off for Ted the turkey to the White House. Obama was president. I got to be there. And Ted the turkey got all excited about the lights from the media in the governor's reception area. That he charged his pen and the pen went down and he charged the press corps.

[Jerina Weathers]

Wow.

[Amy Klobuchar]

And there were feathers everywhere. And then the egg commissioner had to kind of get him back and calm him down. And so this was hilarious. And Ted calmed down. The next day I got a call that Ted wasn't going to be allowed to be the turkey pardon. That he wasn't going to allow be allowed to spend his later days at Mount Vernon like the pardon turkey does. And that beautiful, beautiful Expansive green lawn looking over the Potomac. And so I called the University of Minnesota. I go, this isn't fair. And they said, okay, well, what's happened? If you want to know the truth is the White House has deemed Ted to be a flight risk. They don't want him anymore. And so finally, the governor called. He goes, you know what? You got to let this go. You got to let it go. Ted is going to end up as a Thanksgiving dinner, but they have two other turkeys that are going instead. And that is the sad story of the demise of Ted the turkey.

[Andy Beshear]

I had always wondered what would beat our Willie Nelson poker story on the Andy Beshear podcast. And it is definitely the turkey charging the press corps and losing, I guess.

[Amy Klobuchar]

His immunity from Thanksgiving ending his career.

[Andy Beshear]

Well, Senator, thank you so much for joining us.

[Amy Klobuchar]

Thank you. It was great to be on Andy.

[Andy Beshear]

I'm now joined by a friend of mine for about a decade, co worker for many of those years, Jerina Weathers. Jerina is the Commonwealth Attorney for Louisville in Jefferson County. She is the equivalent of the DA for the largest urban area in Kentucky. And she made history becoming the Commonwealth attorney and ultimately keeping this job. Today, we're going to talk about a couple different things, so welcome. Jarina.

[Jerina Weathers]

Thank you so much. I appreciate it. Good to be here.

[Andy Beshear]

So being the top prosecutor in the largest city in Kentucky, public safety is your primary job, Right. So I've always thought one of the ways to decrease crime and make us safer is to prevent someone who has committed a crime and is in one of our correctional facilities from committing a crime in the future. And we talk about recidivism being that term, how many people that have been through our jails or prisons end up coming back to them. So a big thing that I've thought a lot about is second chances and the idea of what we can do to support people once they've committed a crime and we have the opportunity to say, how can we prevent you from ever doing that again? That makes us safer. And hopefully it means we get contributing members of society.

[Jerina Weathers]

Right. And I agree there should be some element of, I consider it like a team or a community of restoration that it has to be everybody that is saying that, listen, they've done whomever have done their time, and now it's time to look at what does this look like for us as a community. And it's always a sticky subject for me because my main goal is to move forward, build bridges, move with integrity, and also, though, continue to help make our community safe and the way that you do that. There's some folk that need to be off the street. And then once they've done their time, there's still that space and time to say, are you ready? Are you ready to be part of the community? And I'll be honest with you, I think about my dad all the time. He's the reason why I'm an attorney. He used to send cases when I was a kid to me, and I had to go over it and look through it. And Gigi, tell me what you think about him. And I'm like, why am I doing this? And he is the one that said, because there are real people behind the V's. So it's Commonwealth v. Whomever. We gotta remember that they're real people. So no matter what side you're on as far as prosecution or defense, that's what you have to look at. But my dad died in federal prison, and I loved him and I respect him. He was a wonderful human being. He was a beautiful person, extremely brilliant, just a brilliant mind. But there's also some things that happened in the past, and he would say that now, if he were alive, he would say, you know, what is it that you can do, Gigi, to make this better for someone like me? And it's tough. It really is tough, because that's why I do believe of restoration. I also believe that there should be some programs and services that are happening inside the jails. I mean, I'm talking about real ones, you know, the ones that have to go to prison. And it's more than for us. It could be up to five, 20, 30 years. Almost. Almost to life. But what's happening in the inside. Because we're going to. It's this vicious cycle. If we don't have a change. Right. Is that really happening? Are we just putting people in prison and throwing them away? Because I believe that some people need to be in prison. I do believe that. But second chances also comes with developing someone and moving them somewhere where they've never been before. And that's all of our responsibilities. Some people don't feel that way, though. I mean, you know, you're here to do this, and this is what you're supposed to do. But obviously that's not working.

[Andy Beshear]

We're all here to try to make a better world.

[Jerina Weathers]

That's exactly right.

[Andy Beshear]

And to solve the issues and the problems. That's our job as elected officials.

[Jerina Weathers]

That's right.

[Andy Beshear]

And a lot of people think it's to battle it out, Democrats and Republicans. But it's supposed to be about creating a better life, which is also a safer life for most people out there.

[Jerina Weathers]

That's right. That's right. And you're brilliant at that. You really are. To be able to look outside of who we are and politicians and things like that. But if we don't get back to the core, that we're just people supposed to be doing things, it is bigger than us, it's bigger than individuals.

[Andy Beshear]

And the common ground isn't partisan, even though people have tried to make it a good job. Your health care, the roads and bridges you drive, the schools you drop your kids off at, and whether you feel safe in your community, I'm convinced, are those things that when we do better, when we do better in government, when we do better as a community, that lifts everybody up.

[Jerina Weathers]

That's right. I agree. I agree.

[Andy Beshear]

I want to switch to another topic that you and I have had a chance to talk about over the years, and that's, at least recently, attacks on diversity initiatives, primarily coming from our federal government. And I want to start this conversation by admitting that you can speak to this in a way that I can't. I will never feel the weight of discrimination, sexism, racism, but I know they exist in our society and that it's incumbent that I listen and that I try to learn. So how generally does all this make you feel coming out of the federal government?

[Jerina Weathers]

I will start with when we moved here in Louisville. It was in the 70s with Ford's busing, and we eventually moved out to the South End. And it was a different type of experience. I mean, it is what I learned is it is concerning when someone doesn't like you or opposes who you are just because of who you are. And the big part of what's going on with the initiatives now, or the lack thereof, is that it is not just about race. It goes all across the gamut. Even when I worked for you in personnel, the importance of understanding. My daughter just said it. She's in nursing now, and she just last week she said, do you know that that 1 in 36 kids have autism? And we talk through that process because we have to have an ability to have access for very qualified, unique, beautiful people with different talents and unique talents that you don't see anywhere else. And I think a lot of it is some of it's fear, and then some of it is that when I learned growing up in the 70s, some people just are never going to care. They don't care about you. It's all about me, me, me. So it's Our responsibility, all of us, to make sure that we keep this open and honest. I told the media the other day, they were like, well, this is not how we used to do things before. I'm like, well, you never had a black bald woman in front of you either that's running Jefferson county as a Commonwealth Attorney. Come on, you all.

[Amy Klobuchar]

Yeah.

[Andy Beshear]

You were the first black woman to serve as Commonwealth Attorney in Jefferson county in history.

[Jerina Weathers]

It's true.

[Andy Beshear]

And so we think that our country is almost 250 years old, and you have to be a first.

[Jerina Weathers]

That's right. It's humbling.

[Andy Beshear]

Thank you for what you do well.

[Jerina Weathers]

Thank you. I appreciate you. I appreciate you. Now, you know, I know you wouldn't say it, but you've given me that opportunity, too. You've given a lot of us the opportunity to be in these positions at the Commonwealth. Commonwealth Attorney level that we've never seen in history. And all of us were back on the. On the ballot and we ran and we won. But it's the opportunity because you're all.

[Andy Beshear]

Really good at your job and earned every single bit of it.

[Jerina Weathers]

I appreciate that.

[Andy Beshear]

I'm happy to be a small part of that story. But this story is yours, and you more than earned all of it.

[Jerina Weathers]

I appreciate that. Thank you. I'm excited about what's to come, really.

[Andy Beshear]

Am Sharina Weathers.

[Jerina Weathers]

Thank you.

[Andy Beshear]

This is a new segment called In My Kentucky Accent. That's when you're going to hear about things that really burn me, things that get me upset, because I think our world and our country deserve better. The very first in my Kentucky accent deals with Pete Hegseth. This is the Secretary of Defense who now has not just been on one, but two text chains where classified information that could cause harm to our troops is being shared in a way that's not secure and with people who shouldn't have access to it. It appears this second chain is with some of his family members and maybe even his private lawyers. Mark Twain said there's no education in the second kick of the mule. And this is the second kick. Listen, right now, this federal government is firing so many people without cause. Well, guess what? This president has all the cause. He needs to fire this Secretary of Defense. He should have never been there. And listen, being these text chains aren't Donald Trump's fault, but he's going to own it if he doesn't step up, do the right thing, and fire Secretary Hegseth. That is in my Kentucky accent. It's that time in every episode where I'm joined by The Johns, John McConnell and John Rabinowitz to talk about some of the issues of the day. What I want to talk about, or at least start on today, are these massive layoffs going on in the federal government. Some of these agencies provide really important services. But I guess my first question is, what is the goal here? Is it to fix an agency or to break it?

[John McConnell]

Having been trained by John Morgan, I'm all about cutting wasteful spending, being efficient, being transparent. But I worry that we are not being mindful in the cuts that we are making. And I really struggle with the lack of empathy on the individuals that are making the cuts. As we've heard with some of your guests recently, it sounds like they're eliminating entire departments for no reason at all other than they think it saves some money without thinking about what could happen in the future.

[Andy Beshear]

And these departments are created by statute, by law. So Congress passes a law that says, going to have the department of this or that or the cabinet of this or that, and then they appropriate money to it and say not only are we going to have it, but here's the funding for it. And then the president, not being able to just ignore the law, is firing so many people at some of these agencies that they then cease to function.

[John McConnell]

Every day they wake up and they don't know what to expect. There are people taking buyouts because the risk of losing their job is too great.

[John Rabinowitz]

And when you talk about the experience that comes with a lot of these jobs, some being let go and some also taking early retirements, when you start to lose that much institutional knowledge inside those cabinets, one that sticks out to me is the fda, specifically because in my world of insurance, it's something that we have to deal with. It's drugs that get distributed as well as treatments. You know, all of a sudden, if you start to lose enough people there, you're going to start to encounter a drug lag which has to do with the approval of treatments and those new medications coming out. While other countries may not have that.

[Andy Beshear]

Issue or you're going to lessen the safety protocols.

[Amy Klobuchar]

Right.

[Andy Beshear]

These agencies are meant in some instances to protect us. Think about the cuts at the CIA. I mean, I lost a classmate in 9, 11. Fewer analysts make us less safe. The think about cuts at the FBI. When I was attorney general, I worked with FBI agents to catch child predators. Fewer FBI agents, we catch fewer predators. I worry about the cuts at the Department of Defense and what that will mean. Cuts in our intelligence agencies.

[John McConnell]

Well, you've told me stories too recently about cuts in social potential cuts with Social Security and how that affects the commonwealth and people's access to Social Security.

[Andy Beshear]

So there's at least been a list published that shows some of our rural Social Security offices closing. And what that means is that a person that lives in that area is going to have to drive several hours on a fixed income to another office. But then what they're also doing is shutting down the call in helpline. And so that person who likely doesn't use a computer as much as maybe the rest of the population is going to drive a couple of hours and not have all the documentation they need because they can't call on the phone and ask. And so they're going to miss a Social Security payment that they are rightfully entitled to, that they paid into, that they rely on for their life, because these obstacles have been intentionally put in their way.

[John McConnell]

You know, I also think about what in our Commonwealth, the weather issues we've dealt with this whole year. And I'm going to presume you work a lot with NOAA and the National Weather Service. And I mean, this funding could really affect that.

[Andy Beshear]

It does. One of our smaller National Weather Service offices in Eastern Kentucky that that has helped us prepare for all of these floods has lost a significant number of people.

[John McConnell]

You know, I also wonder, with all the cuts in funding, is there a chance the state would have to pick up some tabs?

[Andy Beshear]

Yes. So imagine every state having to do the same work 50 times that one group currently does right now. It just, it wouldn't be efficient and it would eat up the money that's meant to be there for our people in their time of need with all that overhead.

[John Rabinowitz]

And a lot of these cabinets serve the people of the country. They're not just numbers in D.C. they're real communities. They're going to be people that your kids may play soccer with. Parents.

[Andy Beshear]

Yes.

[John Rabinowitz]

So it's going to hit home.

[Andy Beshear]

And speaking of tough, as we're filming this, this is the Monday after Easter, and we learned this morning that Pope Francis passed away. To me, this was a person who went beyond just the Catholic faith and was looked up to as somebody who put their empathy and their love of people above just about anything else. John, you're Catholic. Tell me how.

[John McConnell]

Well, first off, it shocks people that Rabinowitz is Catholic. I am converted to Catholicism about 13 years ago. And really, this is the only Pope my girls have ever really known. And I heard him described one time as an inclusive change agent that built bridges instead of walls. And when I talked to my daughters about what an impactful person he was, how accessible he was, how his focus was on helping the homeless, in speaking out for people that had no voice. I think it's a huge loss. I am very hopeful that our church will. Will find a replacement, hopefully in the next few weeks that will carry on his mission. But I will tell you, they're gigantic shoes to fill.

[Andy Beshear]

And John, this was a Pope where even if you didn't agree with all of his policy positions, you respected him because he just, he led with love.

[John Rabinowitz]

And seemed to accept everyone and be willing to have a conversation and even the difficult ones. And I went back and I shared this with John, not being Catholic, trying to understand. And when you look at all the first he have, first pope from the Americas, first non European Pope, which is going to go back. And I heard this morning and I read it to a millennia. I mean, that seems like what I kept hearing over and over again. And first from the Southern Hemisphere, first to attend a G7 summit, first Jesuit pope, and the first Pope to take the name Francis, which is about being for the poor and leading from the bottom up, not the top down.

[Andy Beshear]

First Pope to say so many positive things about populations that popes hadn't said positive things about just, again, always defaulting to leading with his heart and not being always guided by dogma. When your heart tells you that we should judge less, accept more.

[John McConnell]

You know, Andy, I found this quote that I said I was going to have to read tonight from him, and it just speaks volumes. The Lord never tires of forgiving. It is we who tire of asking for mercy and forgiveness. And so, I mean, in a nutshell, that's who he was.

[Amy Klobuchar]

Wow.

[Andy Beshear]

The Andy Beshear Podcast has welcomed my son, Will, my daughter Lila, and now my wife of 19 years, Brittany. This segment is going to be called 5 Things yous Didn't Know About Andy. I have not been told what any of them are. This might be as nervous as I've ever been on this podcast. So, Brittany.

[Brittany Beshear]

Yes.

[Andy Beshear]

Welcome to the Andy Beshear Podcast.

[Brittany Beshear]

Thank you. I didn't want to miss out on the fun, and Winnie is definitely helping me feel comfortable.

[Andy Beshear]

We now know who this dog loves the most.

[Brittany Beshear]

Well, it is a given.

[Andy Beshear]

Fair.

[Brittany Beshear]

Yeah. So I have 5ish things that I think people would be interested to know about. We'll see if we get to the fifth one. I think the first thing that people may or may not know about you is that you actually are very good horsemen.

[Andy Beshear]

Oh, well, we. We didn't get this painting for nothing. My first Job ever was mucking stalls at a horse farm, which gets you ready for politics.

[Brittany Beshear]

Yeah. But actually you also are a very good rider that I've never seen in the time that I have met you. But your mom likes to tell me that you were very good.

[Andy Beshear]

She likes to tell you that because she wants me to get on a horse again. I got off the last horse I rode when I was 25 years old, pledged I would never get back on. And now my daughter is an equestrian and my bank account reflects it.

[Brittany Beshear]

Always about the bank account, Andy.

[Andy Beshear]

It is helpful for it to be positive.

[Brittany Beshear]

That should have been one of my five things. Andy does not like to spend money ever. His very first chair in his apartment was a green plastic lawn chair. And let me tell you, if we had not lost it in a move, he would still be sitting in it today.

[Andy Beshear]

To be fair, in our first apartment, we had both a RECLINER and from 1973, a green lawn chair. We did buy it used. And when we wanted to go out on the porch.

[Brittany Beshear]

What is this?

[Andy Beshear]

Weed? We'd carry them out there and then we'd bring them back to the den. We did that, but it was while. Yes, we needed more furniture. It was kind of nice when we didn't have so much stuff.

[Brittany Beshear]

It was great. Yeah.

[John Rabinowitz]

Remember one story didn't. At one point, wasn't there a picnic table in the house for a few minutes?

[Brittany Beshear]

Yes, indeed. Actually, that became our dining room table.

[John Rabinowitz]

You bet.

[Andy Beshear]

So we order this outdoor patio furniture, I think from Target.

[Brittany Beshear]

Indeed. Yeah.

[Andy Beshear]

And it shows up. And at that point I realized it is nicer than our kitchen table. And so I figured, why not just replace the kitchen table with the patio furniture? No one will notice.

[Brittany Beshear]

No, we could fit a lot of people around that. That's fine.

[Andy Beshear]

Yeah, very true.

[Brittany Beshear]

We could fit a lot of kids around that table.

[Andy Beshear]

I only had that as our kitchen table until I was elected governor. Yep.

[Brittany Beshear]

And it's sitting in storage for when we need to buy houses.

[John McConnell]

You still have it.

[Andy Beshear]

It's a perfectly good table.

[Brittany Beshear]

Maybe we'll re bring back the green.

[Andy Beshear]

Lawn chair if we can find it.

[Brittany Beshear]

If we can find it. Well, the next thing you actually touched on. I thought people would be interested to know that your first job was mucking out stalls and teaching horseback riding lessons, which neither of. Neither of which are easy jobs to do.

[Andy Beshear]

So I started about 14 mucking stalls at a lesson barn. If you got done mucking stalls, your reward was weed eating all of the fields. And that's something it teaches you a little bit about Life then graduated up to teaching kids how to ride. And it was a way where, as a teenager, earning minimum wage, which I think was five and a quarter an hour at that point, I could eventually, Once I turned 16, fill up the gas in my car.

[Brittany Beshear]

Yeah. Which actually, I swear we did not talk about. This leads me to my next question.

[Andy Beshear]

Oh, my first car.

[Brittany Beshear]

Your first car. Because we talk. Now, hold on. We talk about this because as of this morning, look out, Kentucky. Because Wilbur has his driver's permit.

[Andy Beshear]

So, though he is going to be the best driver.

[Brittany Beshear]

Actually, I had a friend say, when there are kids were 4 or 5, the only teenage driver she would allow her children to be in a car with was Will Bashir.

[Andy Beshear]

Well, we'll see if that's real now that he has his permit. So my first. Everybody thinks that if you become governor or your dad at some point was governor, you're really fancy. You know, sometimes people are trying to attack and they say, well, how old were you when you. When your dad was elected governor? And I look at them and say, 30. And then they don't quite know what to say after that. But my first car wasn't, in fact, my car. On my 16th birthday, I got my brother's used car and he got a new used car. It was a 1982 Chevy Cavalier. This thing was two doors, though there were technically seats in the back. You really couldn't sit back there. And it was manual, and it was one where if you didn't hit it perfectly, you lurched in that car and everyone had whiplash. I think I figured out how to make my seatbelt so tight I was like an astronaut in NASA on takeoff that I just couldn't move.

[Brittany Beshear]

Didn't you have a door that didn't work?

[Andy Beshear]

Oh, the door handle had pulled off, so you had to kind of grab all of it. And the tacking and the ceiling was coming down, too. But at the same point, I could drive, and so I loved it. And there was something about pulling up in school and finding where all the fanciest kids who maybe their parents owned a dealership had these really nice cars. And I'd always pull up between the two nicest ones I could find just to make sure I ruined any picture they would try to take.

[John McConnell]

So learning all this information today, when you were 16 and 17 and you would go out on dates, would you pick up the date on a horse or this cavalier?

[Andy Beshear]

Wait, I'm sorry.

[Brittany Beshear]

Wait, wait. You're assuming that Andy had a date in high school.

[Andy Beshear]

There you go.

[John McConnell]

This is true.

[Andy Beshear]

Fair point. There you go. I didn't want to peek too early.

[Brittany Beshear]

I think you snorted.

[John McConnell]

Did you wear a cowboy hat?

[Andy Beshear]

I did have a cowboy hat. It actually helped me get my first girlfriend. So I had. At one point I had. I also had a giant AL81 belt buckle. For those not from Kentucky. It is a Kentucky soft drink. Kind of like a hyper caffeinated ginger ale. It was delicious when I drank soft drinks. But yeah, let me tell you, with that. With that hat and that belt buckle, who.

[Brittany Beshear]

Just wait till I get a hold of the comments section.

[Andy Beshear]

All right, ladies and gentlemen, Brittany Beshear. And that's a wrap on episode three of the Andy Beshear Podcast. I hope you enjoyed. I hope you learned a little. Laughed a little. But I hope that right now you feel less stress than when we started. It is a tough world, but remember, especially after Easter, there's always hope. And there's more love in this world than there will ever be hate in my faith. Easter reminds us that even in the darkest of times, there's a light in that darkness. And the darkness has never put it out. So stay strong, keep the faith. We'll see you back for episode four. Thanks for tuning in. Be sure to subscribe at Andy Beshear Podcast on all major social media platforms.