{"id":1311327,"date":"2023-11-03T08:15:00","date_gmt":"2023-11-03T08:15:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/grist.org\/?p=621839"},"modified":"2023-11-03T08:15:00","modified_gmt":"2023-11-03T08:15:00","slug":"kentuckys-democratic-governor-would-rather-not-talk-about-climate-change","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/radiofree.asia\/2023\/11\/03\/kentuckys-democratic-governor-would-rather-not-talk-about-climate-change\/","title":{"rendered":"Kentucky\u2019s Democratic governor would rather not talk about climate change"},"content":{"rendered":"
Kentucky\u2019s Democratic governor, Andy Beshear, has been called the state\u2019s \u201cconsoler-in-chief<\/a>.\u201d He\u2019s presided over a period of extreme weather in the state, from tornadoes that leveled entire towns<\/a> in the farmlands of western Kentucky, to record flooding<\/a> that washed out thousands of homes in its mountainous Appalachian east. Through it all, voters have taken note that the governor has made a habit of personally visiting disaster sites and committing to funding their recovery. <\/p>\n But when it comes to the root causes of the state\u2019s weather troubles, Beshear is quieter. \u201cI wish I could tell you why we keep getting hit here in Kentucky,\u201d said in a media briefing<\/a> after the floods. \u201cI can\u2019t give you the why, but I know what we do in response to it.\u201d<\/p>\n Though climate scientists and environmental advocates have drawn a link between the disasters and human-caused climate change, Beshear has avoided discussing the topic at length. Now, he\u2019s up for reelection, against a Republican cut from Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell\u2019s cloth<\/a>.<\/p>\n