The Blue Dot Podcast
The podcast making sense of Kentucky politics for working families.
Get past the political soundbites and dive into the kitchen table issues shaping the Commonwealth—from protecting public education and expanding healthcare to economic growth and good-paying jobs. We bring you straightforward Democratic commentary, local candidate insights, and raw analysis on the decisions that actually impact your daily life.
Brought to you by the Kenton County Democratic Executive Committee.
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The Blue Dot Podcast
Weekly Round Up: Rocky Launches, Beshear Delivers and The Vandal is Found!
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In this week’s Blue Dot Podcast Weekly Roundup, Brian Koehl and
guest co-host Nisia Thornton break down Kentucky’s biggest political
developments, along with the continuing laughable, yet also dangerous, foibles
of the Trump administration. Brian and Nisia discuss Rocky Adkins’ entry into
the Kentucky governor’s race and the high-profile Democratic primary that will ensue. Also discussed is Governor Andy Beshear’s deft fiscal management and how he is applying newly available funds to directly help Kentuckians. Plus, a new free medical clinic opens in Newport to serve un- and under-insured Northern
Kentucky residents.
The conversation then turns to national politics, including commentary on U.S. military escalation in Iran, congressional testimony from the Department of Defense action figures, and concerns about the human and financial costs of ongoing conflicts. Brian and Nisia conclude the episode by emphasizing the importance of the upcoming midterm elections and encouraging listeners to get involved through local Democratic canvassing efforts across Kenton County, along with a quick shout-out to the recent achievement of a treasured Executive Committee member.
Welcome to the Blue Dot, Northern Kentucky's premier political podcast, brought to you by the Kenton County Democratic Executive Committee.
SPEAKER_00Welcome back to the Blue Dot Podcast for our weekly roundup where we deliver you all the news you need to know in ten minutes or less. This week, Rocky entered the race for Kentucky governor. Five hundred thousand dollars worth of grants have been announced to transform abandoned properties in northern Kentucky, and the national chaos keeps on getting, well, more chaotic. Thanks for joining. I'm Brian Cale. Natalie is off this week, and we are joined by our guest co-host, Nisia Thornton, registered nurse and chair of the Kentucky Pride Council for Democrats. Welcome, Nisia.
SPEAKER_01Thank you, Brian. I'm very happy to be here.
SPEAKER_00Yeah, well, it's great having you. You know, I think the biggest political story in Kentucky this week is Rocky Adkins, senior advisor to Governor Andy Bashir, officially announcing his campaign for governor. While it isn't a surprise that the Rocky entered the race, it is certainly going to shake things up in the primary race for the Democrats.
SPEAKER_01Oh, that's for sure. Because this means he will be facing off against the current Lieutenant Governor Jacqueline Coleman. Both of these candidates are, of course, closely associated with Governor Bashir's administration. So it's going to be tough for either of these to present a clear division in policy, which means this primary may end up being a popularity contest between two extremely strong, well-respected candidates.
SPEAKER_00Yeah, that's right. Lieutenant uh Governor Coleman has been on the podcast in the past, and maybe we can get Rocky to join us so we can get to know him a little better. But suffice to say, whoever wins this bout will be an amazing candidate and will be poised to keep the governor's seat blue.
SPEAKER_01And boy, do we need this seat to stay blue.
SPEAKER_00Yes, we do.
SPEAKER_01We've talked extensively about how the Republican supermajority is hurting everyday Kentuckians in every way, and how Democrats are working doggedly to mitigate these harms inflicted by the Republican supermajority.
SPEAKER_00Yeah, that's right, Nisia. Uh one example is this week, Governor Andy Bashir announced that the Northern Kentucky Area Development District will receive $500,000 to help identify and redevelop contaminated or abandoned properties in Falmouth, Kentucky, specifically targeting historic and vacant commercial buildings. This is part of an $11.5 million EPA brownfield program awarded to six Kentucky communities and agencies. Brownfields are abandoned, unused, or underused properties where redevelopment is hindered by possible contamination. This is good news for Falmouth and shows how funding from Kentucky's Brownfield program can really make a difference in Kentucky communities and citizens' lives.
SPEAKER_01We're also seeing local leaders trying to help with the devastating blows that Kentuckians are starting to see from Trump and the Republicans' big betrayal bill and its Medicaid cuts. This Wednesday, Andy Rode to the Rescue announcing Medicaid providers will not suffer a 4% reimbursement cut after all. Those $255 million from taxes and additional revenue will delay those cuts through this fiscal year. And that fiscal year ends June the 30th, 2027. And how's that for actually making Kentucky healthy again? And State Senator Shelley Funkey Froe Meyer continues to preach the Maha, Make America Healthy Again, gospel of total non-health care professional RFK Jr. to the detriment of Kentuckians' health.
SPEAKER_00Real help, Real Help with Healthcare Challenges showed up this Wednesday. A new free medical clinic serving uninsured Kentuckians opened in Newport, helping increase access to affordable health care across Northern Kentucky. Faith Community Clinic offers patients convenient access to medical services and prescription assistance in a single location.
SPEAKER_01Yeah, Brian, more good news from the people who are actually making Kentucky healthy. This clinic offers primary care services. These include chronic disease management and preventative medicine. The patients must be Kentucky residents, uninsured, and generally have household incomes below 300% of the federal poverty level. This is according to the medical director, Dr. Robert Tracy. The Faith Community Clinic is currently open two days a week, but good news, plans to extend to four days a week.
SPEAKER_00Yeah, the clinic is seeing people from all over Northern Kentucky and beyond because people simply can't afford health care and medication. The clinic is reporting that they are seeing retired individuals who worked every day of their lives and thought they could retire comfortably, but who are now struggling. Oh yeah. I mean Pete Heggseth, General Dan Raisin Cain, and a Department of Defense bean counter testified on Capitol Hill this week to ask for more money for this little old Middle East excursion. I mean, Nisia, Pete only needs just sixty-seven billion dollars more, and he's sure Iran will never ever have a nuclear weapon.
SPEAKER_01Oh, do you mean the nuclear weapon Iran would have developed if we hadn't, quote, completely and totally obliterated its nuclear capabilities in June 2025 with wait for it, Operation Midnight Hammer?
SPEAKER_00Yeah, according to Pete, uh, we did totally obliterate their nuclear capabilities in that attack, but doggone it, Iran just kept on wanting to build another one, so we had to attack again. Even Lord Trump said the reason for starting this latest war, Operation Epic Fury, was that Iran was, quote, two weeks away from having a nuclear weapon. I mean, those Iranians must be some real geniuses to come from total obliteration of the program to a working nuclear bomb in the space of just seven months.
SPEAKER_01Oh my gosh. And Brian, I've got to pause a moment to say, aren't these military campaign names simply ridiculous? It's it's like giving a comic book hero title that's somehow going to make it a good idea and a success.
SPEAKER_00Yeah, right. I mean, I'm waiting for Operation Head Up Anal Sphincter. Now, that one will actually make sense for this administration.
SPEAKER_01Oh, Brian, it's it would make too much sense. And speaking of heads up the anal sphincter, Pete's goal is to be like his boss. And he's getting closer. His insecurity and incompetence were on full display during the congressional hearing. He could not factually answer a single question. But to his credit, he only blamed the current Iran war on Joe Biden a handful of times. Just a handful. And that's a record because as we've all seen, 18 months in Trump's second term, Biden is still responsible for everything that goes wrong. In fact, I'm pretty sure I saw Joe with a box cutter surveilling the reflecting pool a couple of weeks ago.
SPEAKER_00Finally, we have found our vandal. You know, Nisia, the monetary cost of this Iran incursion is one thing. But, you know, much more importantly, we have also lost several of our troops, with hundreds more injured. Iran has capitalized on the Hegseth Defense Department's poor planning and lack of preparedness to wreak havoc with attacks on surrounding American bases. Pete couldn't answer any questions related to the amount of damage, nor provide a full accounting of the human toll of this war.
SPEAKER_01And to make it worse, Brian, Trump just shrugged it off. The fact that his ego and his carelessness have resulted in the deaths of American soldiers means nothing to him. As proof of his insensitivity, take a look at the meme he posted with a comparison of previous wars and the number of troops lost in each conflict. The word dead in all caps was written after the number of casualties. It was just sick as if to say, well, hey, look, we've only lost 18 service members. I just can't imagine anyone publishing something so void of humanity. And can you imagine how the loved ones of those lost patriots must feel? I mean, talk about re-traumatization. How anyone still approves of this man is a complete mystery.
SPEAKER_00Yeah, I mean, and with Iran, with the senseless murders at the hands of out-of-control ICE agents, the untold deaths and human misery that we know is occurring behind closed doors of the deportation holding facilities, the thousands, if not millions, who have died due to the sudden cutting of USAID funding. I mean, there is a lot of blood on Trump's hands and those of his administration and cronies. I this is tough to talk about, but we need to be blunt and we need to be real about the stakes writing on this November's elections. Democrats represent not only better values and better policy, but winning the House and the Senate could very well save lives. I mean, that may sound like hyperbole, but take a hard look at what is really happening around us and think again.
SPEAKER_01Yeah, I could not agree more on the stakes of these upcoming midterm elections. And the way we get our smart and focused Democrats elected is we roll up our sleeves and put in the work. One of the best ways to get out the word and get Dems to the polls is through good old-fashioned canvassing. Our candidates really need volunteers to go out, knock on doors, and talk to their neighbors and listen to their neighbors. There are lots of opportunities to help out. We invite all of our listeners and viewers to check out Kenton County Democrats.org for canvassing dates and times and sign up to help.
SPEAKER_00Yeah, that's right, Nisia. And not only are the Kenton County Dems holding canvassing events twice a month, there are also candidate canvassing sessions. Next up on that list is a canvassing session for Aaron Curran, candidate for House District 65, on July 27th and also on August 3rd at Volunteer Park in Fort Wright.
SPEAKER_01And then all three Democratic Kenton County Commissioner candidates, Sarah Frelick and Bach and Jordan Baldridge, are conducting canvassing blitz on multiple dates all across Kenton County. They are out there pounding the pavement this Saturday and Sunday, and then next week, July 28th and 30th, and one more time the following weekend, August 1st and 2nd. For all of these events, volunteers will meet at the Lookout Heights Civic Club in Fort Wright.
SPEAKER_00That's right. And hey, before we go, I wanted to take a minute to give a shout-out to our very own executive committee member, Denise Fritch. This week, Denise was named as the Kenton County Public Library Executive Director. Congratulations, Denise. Our audience may remember we had Denise on the podcast last October to talk about the structure of precincts, the role of precinct officers, and the importance of canvassing. She is amazing in all she does for the Kenton Dens, and obviously the library thinks she's pretty amazing too. So again, big congratulations to Denise on her accomplishment. And now, I promise, that's our ten minutes for this week. So thanks to all of our supporters, and until next time, stay curious, keep the facts in focus, and never stop fighting for what matters. Peace out, everyone. Peace out.