do it for babydog

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

January 28, 2022

.polaris__post-meta--date { display: none; } .polaris__post-meta--date.no-script { display: block; padding-left: 45px } January 28, 2022

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.

Omg. WV Governor Jim Justice during his state of the state address lifts up his his dog and turns her but to the camera while saying:“They told every bad joke in the world about us…so from that standpoint, Babydog tells Bette Middlet and all those out there, kiss her hiney” pic.twitter.com/bdJlOXhtez
— Alex Thompson (@AlexThomp) January 28, 2022

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.

What #JoeManchin, who represents a population smaller than Brooklyn, has done to the rest of America, who wants to move forward, not backward, like his state, is horrible. He sold us out. He wants us all to be just like his state, West Virginia. Poor, illiterate and strung out.
— bettemidler (@BetteMidler) December 20, 2021

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.