Good morning! It’s not often that one gets emotional watching a press conference. But Governor Beshear’s comments at yesterday’s coronavirus update were moving and, yes, emotional.
He talked about deciding to live in the governor’s mansion – “the first family to live there full-time in 30 years.” He talked about his family, especially his children, and that he knew there was a chance they would be heckled by other children since their dad was the governor. “Never, though, did I think that they would be bullied by grown adults.”
He then went on to call out the elected officials who had encouraged this group, and who had led a similar rally just days before. Even though some of them condemned what happened Sunday, they were nevertheless responsible. “You can’t fan the flames and then condemn the fire.”
Finally, he looked right into the cameras and said “I will not be afraid. I will not be bullied. And I will not back down.”
The governor’s remarks are right at the beginning of the press conference video. I encourage you to go watch at least that part of the press conference. I believe that you will join me in being proud of the way our governor handled this, and thankful that he is our governor at this perilous time.
We will get through this, together. #TeamKentucky
Bruce Maples, publisher
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Today’s Five Things to Know
Beshear says ‘right-wing militia group’ that hung him in effigy was embraced and emboldened’ by GOP legislators at earlier rally
Two days after being hung in effigy, Gov. Andy Beshear returned the fire Tuesday, using much of his daily coronavirus briefing to talk about the incident near the governor’s mansion on Sunday.
“I will not be afraid, I will not be bullied and I will not back down, not to them and not to anybody else,” he said, reading from notes for about 10 minutes. He said the Three Percenters, “a right-wing militia group,” shares the blame with unnamed but previously identified Republican legislators who spoke at an earlier Capitol rally involving the group, which “had been embraced and emboldened by elected leaders that rallied with them weeks before.” (Forward Kentucky)
Kentucky first lady thanks supporters who rallied against governor being hanged in effigy
Kentucky first lady Britainy Beshear wrote that a group held signs of encouragement outside her home on Monday. (Courier-Journal)
Cases decline, but more nursing homes infected; Kentuckians’ behavior and attitude worry health officials
Amid a decline in KY coronavirus cases, the number of nursing homes with cases took a big jump, and unhealthy behavior and lack of testing signups made officials worry. (Forward Kentucky)
Over 100,000 have asked for their absentee ballot; here’s how to get yours
The GoVoteKY.com online portal has been in place for a few years, but on Friday it added a new option to its menu: Absentee Ballot Request. And according to our Secretary of State, over 100,000 Kentuckians have already taken advantage of that new feature. (Forward Kentucky)
A few weeks to stop a depression. Are you listening, Senator McConnell?
The Senate is out of session, having left without acting on more economic aid. Repubs say it’s time to see how previous efforts work before considering more. This is a dangerously wrong attitude. Decisions will be made in the next few weeks that will put the nation on a direct path to depression without Congressional intervention. (Forward Kentucky)
McConnell: Next pandemic aid can’t bail out states’ and cities’ ‘preexisting’ fiscal woes
McConnell said Tuesday the next COVID-19 aid package won’t be near the $3 trillion plan OK’d recently by the House. “Ain’t going to happen,” he said. (Courier-Journal)
New endorsements
Friends of the Earth Action endorses Booker
Friends of the Earth Action, the political action arm of Friends of the Earth, today endorsed Rep. Charles Booker in his run for the Democratic nomination for U.S. Senate. (Forward Kentucky)
Rep. Attica Scott endorses Shannon Fabert to take on Massie for KY-4 seat
State Rep. Attica Scott of Louisville has endorsed Shannon Fabert for the Dem nomination to take on Thomas Massie for the 4th District Congressional seat. (Forward Kentucky)
This Friday’s show
Dr. Steven Stack on COVID in Kentucky,
and the backstory on competing Indivisible endorsements
This Friday on The State of Kentucky, we talk with Kentucky’s “top doc,” Dr. Steven Stack, about how the fight against COVID-19 is going in the state, and what has him worred the most. Then, we get the backstory on the competing Indivisible endorsements, with some groups endorsing Mike Broihier and others endorsing Charles Booker. Watch live at noon, or later on Forward Kentucky.
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Did you miss any of these?
Featured Content on Forward Kentucky
([new] indicates new since last Forward Five; 🔥 indicates lots of reads)
— News —
[new] Department of Public Advocacy worried about court safety – Most criminal court proceedings have been suspended since March due to the coronavirus, but that is about to change. The Department of Public Advocacy is worried about what it may mean for the health of their attorneys and others in the system. (read)
[new] Two new books from Forward Kentucky writers – I continue to be grateful for the team we have at Forward Kentucky, and proud of the work they do. So it is with a great deal of pleasure that I can tell you that we have not one, but TWO new books on the way from two of our writers, Berry Craig and Paul Wesslund. (read)
🔥 [new] Protesters hang Beshear in effigy; condemnations follow – At a protest in Frankfort today, some of those present hung Governor Andy Beshear in effigy, then marched from the Capitol to the governor’s mansion and demanded that Beshear come out and face them. (read)
State budget bleak for this fiscal year – but not as bleak as first thought. (Still really bad, though.) – The Consensus Forecasting Group has painted a bleak outlook for state revenue during the remainder of the 2020 Fiscal Year that ends June 30, but not quite as bad as predicted earlier this spring. (read)
Booker asks state Board of Elections to take five actions related to primary – In a letter to Jared Dearing, director of the state Board of Elections, Rep. Charles Booker has asked for five actions by the BOE related to the upcoming primary. (read)
🔥 Paul makes coronavirus claims not backed by science, fact-checked by WFPL reporter – Senator Rand Paul made a number of assertions about the coronavirus in a hearing, some of them not backed by science. Ryland Barton does the fact-checking. (read)
—Commentary—
[new] Republicans, do you want to condemn political violence? Here’s what you do. – Republican leaders have “condemned” what went on. This is a first step, but without further action, it is ultimately meaningless. (read)
🔥 [new] On Savannah Maddox, photos, and terrorism – Rep. Savannah Maddox has sown the wind, and is reaping the whirlwind. Let me come to her defense. Partially. (read)
[new] On Memorial Day – A reflection on Memorial Day by a retired Marine. (read)
Fighting the coronavirus with magical thinking – There’s a lot of magical thinking out there when it comes to fighting the coronavirus, from the White House on down. Here are some non-magical examples. (read)
Credibility and the return of trust in the midst of a pandemic – Guess what? In the midst of a crisis, people want expertise and credibility. And they want people they can trust. What does that mean for elected officials? (read)
Should we keep reporting on Trump? Bill Straub weighs in. – If Trump is just going to keep on lying at his press conferences, should we even cover them? Rachel Maddow said “forget it.” Bill Straub has other ideas. (read)
🔥 Reparations for white people – The Right stays outraged over reparations to the descendants of slaves. The irony is, we already have a system of reparations — only it’s for white people. (read)
— Policy —
Masks help stop the spread of coronavirus – the science is simple and I’m one of 100 experts urging governors to require public mask-wearing – Every week more and more jurisdictions require mask use in public. So what is this evidence that has led so many scientists to believe so strongly in masks? (read)
— Media —
🔥 [show] Who or what is “The Steady State” – and why are they endorsing Joe Biden? – Join us as we talk with Dr. Erik Prentice, who formerly served in the office of the Director of National Intelligence, and is now a private citizen in the corporate world, living in Louisville. Recently he became a founding member of a group called “The Steady State,” made up of National Security and Homeland Security veterans who have endorsed Joe Biden for president. We’ll learn more about this group, why it formed, and why Dr. Prentice joined it. (view)
[podcast] Unemployment insurance issues, Booker endorsements, and interview with Rep. Rachel Roberts – We discuss the massive amounts of unemployment claims the state is processing, how big the problem is in context, and how and why people are slipping through the cracks. Also, the endorsement of Charles Booker by 16 of his House colleagues, and what it might mean. And, an interview with Rep. Rachel Roberts of Northern Kentucky. (listen)
Posts with Most Social Media Shares in Past Fourteen Days
(🔥 indicates post with surge of recent shares)
- Paul makes coronavirus claims not backed by science, fact-checked by WFPL reporter (2,000+ shares)
- IG investigating McConnell’s wife fired by Trump (2,000+ shares)
- 🔥 On Savannah Maddox, photos, and terrorism (1,000+ shares)
- We have a debate! (1,000+ shares)
- Kentucky garbage man hadn’t seen elderly woman’s trash can out, rightly felt something was amiss. (1,000+ shares)
- Congrats, KY, you got your R nought below 1. So don’t blow it. (1,000+ shares)
- We’re still getting an F on our census test. C’mon folks, do better! (1,000+ shares)
