West Virginia Gov. Jim Justice tells haters like Bette Midler to kiss his bulldog's 'hiney'

West Virginia Gov. Jim Justice (R) — and his bulldog, Babydog — have a message for all the Wild and Wonderful haters out there: pucker up and kiss Babydog's backside.

"They never believed in West Virginia — that we could do it," Justice proclaimed Thursday during his 2022 State of the State address. "They told every bad joke in the world about us, and so from that standpoint, Babydog tells Bette Midler and all those out there, kiss her hiney," he continued, lifting up Babydog for, uh ... added effect.

In December, actress Bette Midler called West Virginia "poor, illiterate, and strung out" in a poorly-received tweet born of rage against Sen. Joe Manchin (D-W.Va.). She later apologized.

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Justice has previously included Babydog in his multitude of vaccination PSAs, so it only makes sense he again featured the star bulldog in this ... unique defense of his state.

Anyway, sorry, Bette — you heard the man.

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Brigid Kennedy worked at The Week from 2021 to 2023 as a staff writer, junior editor and then story editor, with an interest in U.S. politics, the economy and the music industry.