FRANKFORT, Ky. — Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear laughed off some unflattering comments aimed at him on social media in the past year, and had his teenage son translate what one barb meant, in a light-hearted video that shows his willingness to occasionally poke fun at himself.
Continuing an end-of-the-year tradition, Beshear and his wife, Britainy, read several posts from 2024 that took jabs at him. It’s their version of late-night television host Jimmy Kimmel’s segment where celebrities read mean posts directed at them on the social media platform X.
Beshear, who has been mentioned as a potential contender for the Democratic presidential nomination in 2028, read one message that said: “Andy, I love you but you have zero aura.”
“I wish I knew what that meant, but it doesn’t sound good,” the governor said.
He called his son, Will, to translate, asking him: “So is that like a good thing?” His son replied it wasn’t, saying it meant “you have zero coolness.”
Laughing it off, the governor got in the last word, saying he has “so much aura.”
When another post commented on Beshear’s physical appearance, saying he has “no abs,” his wife replied that they had invested in a rowing machine, so ”look out.”
“Thank you for letting the world know about the rowing machine,” the governor replied.
He also read two competing posts, one that said: “Andy Beshear sounded like a goober” and the other that said Beshear is “the goober that America needs.”
“I’ve got you, America,” the governor said.
Beshear ended the video on a more serious note, saying Kentucky had “another great year” and urging viewers to “hug on the people that you love.” Since he became governor in late 2019, Kentucky has achieved its first-, second- and fourth-best years ever for private-sector investments.
Beshear is one of several Democratic governors who are the subject of early speculation as potential contenders for the party’s presidential nomination in 2028. Beshear’s second term as governor ends in late 2027 and term limits mean he can’t run for reelection then.
He recently said his focus will remain on jobs, infrastructure, education and health care in 2025. Beshear mentioned those same issues during a recent sit-down interview with The Associated Press when he gave suggestions on what Democrats should look for in their next presidential nominee on everything from more affordable health care to pro-public education and greater public safety in communities.
“I think the next Democratic nominee should be a pragmatist that is about getting things done, getting real results,” he said.