'Phony and fake': Beshear doubles down on Vance criticisms as VP talk heats up

Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear called out JD Vance for misrepresenting Eastern Kentucky in an interview with Kaitlan Collins on CNN late Monday — doubling down on his criticisms of the Republican vice presidential nominee as his name continues to circulate as an opposing Democratic candidate.

"He calls us lazy, and this makes me angry, but it especially makes me angry about our people in Eastern Kentucky," Beshear said of Vance. "These are the hard working coal miners that powered the Industrial Revolution, that helped build the strongest middle class the world has ever seen, that helped us win two world wars and he called them lazy, acting like he understands our culture."

The Monday night interview marked the second time Beshear appeared on national television since President Joe Biden announced he would drop out of the presidential race, with the Kentucky governor first criticizing Trump's running mate on MSNBC's Morning Joe earlier in the day.

More: Why Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear is - and isn't - the best candidate for vice president

During Beshear's interview with Collins, he called Vance "a phony and a fake."

"He first says that Donald Trump is like Hitler, and then now he's acting like he's Lincoln," Beshear said.

Vance responded to Beshear's initial remarks during a campaign stop in his hometown of Middletown, Ohio, saying "it's weird to have a guy whose first job was at his dad's law firm and who inherited the governorship from his father criticize my origin story," according to a Politico reporter at the event.

Taylor Van Kirk, a spokesperson for Vance, added the current Ohio senator has always said he was raised in Middletown, "but his family's ancestral home is Jackson, Kentucky."

"JD grew up spending his summers in Appalachia and came from a poor family, something Andy Beshear could never relate to because he grew up with a silver spoon in his mouth thanks to his politician/lawyer daddy," Van Kirk said in a statement. "Unlike Beshear, who rode his father’s coat tails into the governor’s mansion, Senator Vance has had to earn everything he’s accomplished in this life."

The Republican Party of Kentucky echoed Van Kirk's response in a post on social media, saying Vance is "a heck of a lot more relatable" as a "guy who overcame a childhood of extreme poverty, a broken home and a family marred by opioid abuse."

In the CNN interview later Monday, Beshear doubled down on his stance that Vance is not a "real Kentuckian."

"What was weird was him joking about racism today, and then talking about Diet Mountain Dew," Beshear said. "Who drinks Diet Mountain Dew? But in all seriousness, he's not from Kentucky. ...This is a guy who went out to Silicon Valley that's trying to be an every man, (but) he ain't one of us."

Beshear is one of several people reportedly being considered as a running mate for Vice President Kamala Harris on the Democratic Party ticket, and he confirmed he spoke with Harris following Biden's decision to end his bid.

"She called and asked for my support, and I willingly gave it," Beshear told Collins, adding he wanted to keep the details of their conversation "personal."

When asked whether or not Harris' campaign had requested information from him for vetting purposes, Beshear said he had not been personally asked at this point.

Others reportedly in consideration for the vice presidential nominee include North Carolina Gov. Roy Cooper, Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro and Arizona Sen. Mark Kelly.

Beshear open to idea of being vice president, fully endorses Harris

Beshear's two national media appearances and increased social media attention Monday make it seem he's open to the idea of being a vice presidential candidate, though he has not explicitly said he wants the role.

"The only reason I'd ever consider something else is if I felt that I could help my people in Kentucky more in a different role or that there was a chance to move past the partisanship," Beshear said Monday night.

He also gave Harris his "full endorsement" during the Morning Joe interview earlier in the day.

"The vice president is smart and strong, which will make her a good president," Beshear said. "But she also is kind and has empathy, which can make her a great president. And the contrast between her and those running on the other side couldn't be clearer."

When asked on Morning Joe if the Harris campaign had reached out about Beshear running for vice president, he said, "I don't know how that process is going to work, (but) it's flattering to be a part of it."

The Cincinnati Enquirer contributed to this report.

Reach reporter Hannah Pinski at@[email protected] or follow her on X, formerly known as Twitter, at @hannahpinski.

This article originally appeared on Louisville Courier Journal: Beshear doubles down on Vance criticisms as VP talk heats up