October 20, 2025

President Trump endorses a potential candidate to challenge Congressman Massie in the GOP Primary, Sen. Rand Paul discusses the government shutdown and his plan to increase tourism in Eastern Kentucky, and thousands turn out across Kentucky for "No King" rallies.

Episode Transcript

(00:00):
♪

(00:06):
>> This man is in and the race
for Congress from Kentucky's
4th district yet, but he's
already picked up a big
endorsement.
>> And that's why the post that
Terre of what we think it's
really hurting Kentucky
farmers.
>> We go one-on-one with
Senator Rand Paul to talk about
the government shut down the
economy and his idea for

(00:27):
increased tourism and eastern
Kentucky. Wayne Rooney. The
beauty. ups truck to view of
the river.
And see that and more as we
explore one Kentucky city's
main street.
>> Production of Kentucky
Edition is made possible in
part by the KET Millennium

(00:49):
Fund.
♪
♪
Good Evening and welcome to
Kentucky EDITION for this
Monday, October, the 20th.
>> I'm Renee Shaw and we thank
you for joining us this

(01:09):
evening. President Donald Trump
has his candidate for Congress
in Kentucky's 4th district,
but he's candidate isn't
running yet. Trump has been
criticizing the current
Congressman Thomas Massie.
Massey is a Republican, but he
has publicly disagreed with
Trump on budget issues. And
Massey is leading an effort
for Congress to release the

(01:29):
Jeffrey Epstein files.
Something Trump, of course,
opposes. Trump has vowed to
back a primary opponent to
Massey in 2026. Friday in a
truth Social Post Trump said
he backs Ed guile. Ryan, a
former Navy SEAL from Shelby
County who ran unsuccessfully
for the Kentucky General

(01:50):
Assembly in 2024, this is video
from Gall Ryans commercials in
that race. A race eventually
won by Aaron Reed. Last year
ago, Ron spoke to the Courier
Journal about his background
and his position on the issues.
>> I saw now and I want to Army
Ranger school. One of the
toughest. Training schools next

(02:11):
to SEAL training.
>> In the world to be a better
leader than it did that for me.
And then island Rangers in
combat.
>> But that leadership
experience, that's a crucible
of food, sleep on the Nile in
hardship and arduous conditions
to simulate combat made me a
better leader. I saw that out

(02:32):
as a junior officer to make
myself a better leader. You I'm
going to protect the Second
Amendment. I'm pro Life Pro
Constitution. And I'm gonna
protect our values. Part of
part of my campaign is
positivity.
Prosperity and the protection
of our culture. I'm going to
fight inflation, eliminate the

(02:52):
income tax and wasteful
spending and cut regulation.
I believe in accountability and
transparency combat the games
that not only illegal drugs,
increased penalties for
dangerous criminals and hold
officials that are doing catch
and release accountable outlook
generationally as a legislator
for the for the best interest

(03:13):
of
these communities, these
counties, my district and the
Commonwealth.
>> President Trump said this in
his post Friday, quote, Unlike
light weight Massey, a totally
ineffective loser who has
failed us so badly. Captain
Ed Go High is a winner. Who
will not let you down run and

(03:36):
Ron, unquote. Politico reports
that goal Ryan thanked Trump
for his support on Saturday but
did not officially launch a
bid. He said he would make an
announcement about what's next
Kentucky's junior U.S. senator
laced up his hiking boots to
show his effort to buoy
adventure tourism in
Appalachia. That in turn, he
says will benefit the Eastern

(03:57):
Kentucky economy. Senator Rand
Paul was in the Red River Gorge
last week to promote the
creation of the eastern
Kentucky Leaf and Blossom
Trail. Similar to the Kentucky
Bourbon Trail. This group will
engage communities and
businesses to create a trail
system that will bring visitors
to areas of the region. They
haven't been able to get to
before. Senator Paul hopes the
trail will attract tourists

(04:19):
away from the overcrowded
tourist areas of nearby states.
>> I think we can compete for
Tennessee and North Carolina
Mountains are every bit as
beautiful. If not more
beautiful.
>> And but they're getting a
lot of traffic. It's so crowded
down in Tennessee and places.
But I think we can siphon off a
lot of that business and they

(04:40):
millions of dollars of business
saying the future of Eastern
Kentucky. A lot of it is
tourism.
>> After Senator Paul High,
some of the scenic trails as
you see and the Red River
Gorge. We caught up with them
for launch at a local
restaurant. How McKenzie Spink
spoke to the senator about some
of the headlines at the federal
level like the government
shutdown and the release of the

(05:03):
so-called Epstein files.
>> The U.S. is in its 3rd week
of a total government shutdown.
Senate Democrats want to
negotiate the Affordable Care
Act subsidies that are expiring
in December warning that
premiums could double for many
Americans. Senator Rand Paul
says the subsidies that are
expiring primarily benefit the
upper class and the insurance

(05:24):
companies.
>> This isn't in the ending of
the original Obama care
subsidies. These are add-ons
up. Seems if you make 170,000
ares year you get an extra
$3,600 a year. Most people
we're going to be watching
this. Don't think making
$170,000 is poor. They think of
that has been pretty well off
and they don't need a subsidy

(05:44):
of all this is done is made the
insurance companies which are
so I don't is a good idea, but
it's not really material in the
sense of the debate we're
having is over just opening
the government and the
spending levels.
>> Senator Paul has been a
critic of President Trump's in
the past. I asked him about the
president's idea that U.S.
cities should be used as
training grounds for the

(06:05):
military.
>> Policemen are trained that
if you're standing in front of
my office, you're allowed to
do it. He's used a citizen,
want to protest a mamas.
We don't shoot you. We don't
arrest you necessarily. The
army is less nuanced and this
and so army, we're talk to kill
the enemy, subdue them. So it's
a different sort of rules of
engagement. And that's why

(06:27):
analysts is
a disaster. You're eating one
policeman as opposed to the
army patrolling our cities.
>> A procedural move called
a discharge petition led by
U.S. Representative Thomas
Massie of Kentucky's 4th
Congressional district that
could force the House to vote
on releasing the Epstein files.
But there still aren't enough
signatures. Senator Paul says

(06:47):
he supports the release of the
documents to help restore the
public's faith in the
government.
>> There is this perception out
there that very wealthy people
got away with something?
Probably because they're
wealthy. Now, I can't prove
that, but I think we should
get the information forward
because we all need to have
confidence in our government
time to releasing the obscene

(07:07):
documents. I have voted that
way. We had a vote that came up
that has put for primarily by
Democrats. But I voted with
Democrats to least Epstein
files.
>> Last week the Treasury said
that the Trump administration
is putting together 20 billion
dollars in aid to Argentina
to ease its economic crisis.
Senator Paul says we can't give

(07:27):
money that we don't have even
to our allies.
>> In order to give them
20 billion and literally we
have to borrow the money from
China and then Senate
Argentina. This year. China's
buying 0, no soy game. Our
farmers are hurting because of
that. Where is China buying our
soybeans from Argentina?
Brazil been part of this is

(07:49):
from the tariff war. And that's
why the POWs, the chair of what
we think it's really, really
hurting Kentucky farmers.
>> Regarding the government
shutdown, Senator Paul says he
expects it to end soon but that
he opposes both the Republican
and Democratic spending plans
because of the multi trillion
dollar deficits attached to
both plans for Kentucky
edition. I'm McKenzie spank.

(08:12):
>> Thank you, Mackenzie.
This week, a bipartisan team
including Senator Paul plans to
force a vote on legislation
that would block the president
from carrying out any military
action against Venezuela and
less Congress declares war this
month. The U.S. struck 5 boats
off the coast of Venezuela that
were suspected of carrying

(08:34):
drugs, killing 27 people.
Thousands of Kentuckians took
to the streets on Saturday
taking part in a nationwide day
of protest against the Trump
administration. Washington was
one of more than 2 dozen cities
and the state to hold so-called
no Kings rallies. It was the
city's second such rally this
year. Organizers say the crowd
and the sense of urgency even

(08:57):
greater this time around.
>> This moment can not be
overstated. The reason for all
of you is you want to see the
waves in Hawaii because with
every single day that passes, I
was on the road
going to be erased.

(09:19):
Our communities less safe.
And regular people because he
knows
something powerful cities all
♪
A dictatorship. The bank
consolidated right now.

(09:39):
>> It's the courage of ordinary
people to put a stop to.
That's why all here we need
to make our voices heard.
Now. If we get beyond a certain
point, if authoritarianism has
consolidated, he won't be able
to speak out and we will have
lost.
That point is not here yet.
We have a chance to save our

(10:01):
democracy. A lot of people have
the same concerns. They believe
the rats were right here today.
I think it's just even more
enthusiastic and more.
>> Joyful. Then it wasn't here.
But we're also this sense of
urgency has not And we know
that this moment there made a
big thing going on in the
government that we have to try
to address.
>> People are being stripped of
their status and their

(10:22):
humanity. People are losing
the very protections they
sought by coming to this
country. People who came to
this country to become a part
of it as I how and as many of
you have.
People who are working to make
this a better country for all
its people as all of you are

(10:44):
trying to do. Everyone here
today.
Wants to do something immigrant
and refugee along here. I want
you to stand with the immigrant
and refugee from here.
>> But you know what? This
message isn't just a slogan.
This is a call to action.

(11:06):
>> My friends at a Dhaka
obviously are here. You know,
they live in fear of ice, but
they fear to go outside and
they they go to work and they
come out. That's all they did.
So I'm here for those that
don't have a voice. I'm here
for those that feel
marginalized by society.
I'm here for everybody that
cannot come out here today.
I'm here today because human
rights matter to me.
>> I would like to see a brown
people be able to walk down

(11:26):
the street to not be disappear.
I would like to see our
Constitution.
I'm I'm honored and I just want
the freedoms that we have
always had.
Lying. I'm tired of
gaslighting. I would just love.
I'm a better country for my
children.
>> I have a really diverse

(11:46):
family. So I'm fearful that
they won't be able to be their
true selves, that they won't
have benefits that I've
enjoyed. I mean, I'm I'm semi
retired. So I'm worried about
my future. But I I want
everything we had. I would
love. Comfort and innocence.

(12:08):
And I know that's gone.
>> I definitely here for the
other person that has laws are
being in chains currently.
this young I'm going to have to
grow up in a world where, you
know, people can get married,
people that they love or we get
the health care that they need.
I'm worried that one of the
situation to one day be me or
someone that I know and they
won't. And they will get the

(12:31):
things that they need.
>> The most important thing is
to KET this momentum going live
TV to come together on one day.
Have a big protest, have a big
march in and then sort of leave
and not do anything out there
right now. But we have to go
back home and we have to make
sure that we're still resisting
and the ways that we think that
we need to we need to push to

(12:54):
KET going.
>> Some Republican state
lawmakers have criticized the
know King rallies online.
A state representative TJ
Roberts shared pictures on
social media that he says show
Saturday's rally in Florence.
He characterized it as, quote,
open borders, filth, vandalism
of public property smears on
our incredible ICE agents and

(13:15):
the same vile rhetoric that got
Charlie Kirk killed in, quote.
Governor Andy Beshear says he's
found more than 9 million
dollars in state money to
continue serving free launches
to Kentucky saying years last
month the state announced all
funding for senior males had
been exhausted. That was abrupt

(13:36):
news for senior meal providers
and state lawmakers called on
the governor to find a
solution. Beshear says his
finance cabinet will also
evaluate the senior Mills
program, which have doubled
and per meal cost since the
pandemic.
>> No, Kentuckyian should face
hunger. And while I'm glad we
found a tool temporary

(13:56):
solution, we must ensure that
we understand our people's
needs as well as the cost
controls and procedures for
the senior meal program to
appropriately budget and run
these programs in the future.
>> The governor also says the
state will cover expenses for
the federal government's
temporary assistance for needy
Families program since the
federal government will not

(14:20):
during it shot down. Bashir
promised payments for just the
month of November. He says the
federal government will also
stop food stamps or snap next
month. Bashir did not say the
state would offer additional
assistance for that program.
The Democrats have their
nominee for a special state
Senate election and district.

(14:42):
37 on December, the 16th
Senator David Yates resigned
recently after Louisville Mayor
Craig Greenberg picked him to
become interim Jefferson County
clerk after the death of Bobbie
Holsclaw Democrats in the
district have picked Gary
Clements, president of United,
Steelworkers, local 60 93 to
Ron in that special election.
Clemens is also a veteran of

(15:04):
the Army reserves and a
statement state Democratic
Party Chair Colmon Eldridge
says, quote, Gary Clemens is
uniquely qualified to go fight
for our families and the
general assembly and quote,
Republicans have not yet hit
their nominee.
♪
♪

(15:32):
Thomas, more University and
Crestview Hills and northern
Kentucky is joining the
Kentucky community and
Technical College system to
launch what's called Pathways
to more a program that will let
students at any of the
16 kctcs colleges transfer to
Thomas more easily and with
more support. It's the first
partnership like this between

(15:53):
Kctcs and a private university
students will benefit from the
advice from both institutions
and students who transfer to
Thomas more full-time will
receive a $4,000 Transfer
Scholarship. Thomas Moore,
President Joseph below says,
quote, We are proud to partner
with Kctcs to empower more
students to achieve their
academic and personal goals

(16:14):
with confidence and clarity,
unquote.
High schoolers and one Kentucky
school district have. Have
counseling help at their
fingertips. And Bullet County
schools partnered with a local
based software company to
create an AI-powered app that
high school students can access

(16:35):
counseling, resources more
about this in tonight's
Education Matters. Report.
>> We are here to write an
education for them, but we
can't really provide that
unless their basic needs and
their emotional support are
taking care of first. So I
really think that this app
provides that for them and they
can show up to school knowing

(16:55):
that they have a means of
support. 24 7, even when
they're outside of these.
Well spearheading a lot.
The kids were already using AI
chatbots to give emotional
support. But using something
brabec of chatgpt can be a
little risky because it's just
connecting to the bride
Internet and not exactly what
you want. A vulnerable teenage
population looking to for
advice. And we just really
strongly that we needed to set

(17:16):
up a flow that kept a human in
the loop. I think it's really
critical of AI. So is the
Slingshot team's work really
closely with the coalition to
understand what the needs were?
We worked really closely with
counselors and staff to
understand what they're
concerned, where how we can
build something that work for
them as well. And then the
bill. But the mobile app and a
Web app. So the app is very

(17:37):
user friendly.
>> There was resources. There's
little characters that you can
personalize based on your mood.
There's a chat box so you can
go and you can like type in
whatever you're feeling or
whatever you need. Help with.
And it will provide feedback or
information on that topic.
The app itself has a chop pot
that's been trained on data

(17:58):
provided by counselors and
staff. So it's only connecting
to that verified data on how to
give feedback on how to coach
kids. They're emotional
>> situations. So the tab
itself is there. Then there's
also a resource action.
Something we're hearing from
kids is no handouts and pdf.
Sorry, okay. But it's not in
that really resonates with us.
So we're taking those same
pieces of content that tell you

(18:18):
how to navigate a tough
situation. And we're turning it
into a quiz or a quick article
or a podcast or something that
really feels like it lands a
teenager and then we also have
a way for them to digitally
reach out to their counselors
that they need in-person
support. So there's feedback of
that could the stigma around
having to go down to the office
or request an appointment that
that was a real barrier to

(18:41):
getting human help. And we were
able to build a flow which
students could go in and say,
you know, I'm raising my hand.
I need help. We're hoping to
see a decrease in the
number of
>> wheeling him into health
issues that we see that we are
also hoping to just gives
students out what to know that
they're not alone and to know
that they have somewhere that
they can go to a mission that

(19:03):
just on their phone. It's an
easy way to just go and say,
hey, I'm not doing so. I need
to talk with somebody. And so I
think just seeing the amount of
>> help the students are
getting go up and the amount of
until health issues go down,
that would always say our first
line of defense is a is a
human. But
>> it says here is as backup as

(19:23):
well.
♪
>> Which Kentucky City has a
ferry boat, no franchise stores
and a connection to one of the
most famous families in
Hollywood. Augusta, Kentucky
sits on the bank of the Ohio
River. And even though the
population is small, the city
has a big impact on tourism.

(19:45):
Our Emily Sisca takes us to the
heart of Augusta and tonight's
segment of Monday's on Maine.
I guess is kinda by this step
back into time. Like a home.
Our town. So everything about
it is Smalling Queen Small and
quaint. Indeed.
>> Augusta, Kentucky is home to

(20:05):
1100 people and it sits right
on the edge of the Ohio River
in Bracken County. Even though
the population is small, it's
tourism impacts are mighty.
The view helps a lot. We have
nothing in front of us between
us and the river, which is
fantastic. Roof like Hawk is
a lifelong resident of Augusta.
>> I've lived here in Augusta

(20:26):
far. You 7 years now.
>> Getting coast, 88 in her
87 years like Hawk described
the change she seen in the city
with one word progress. Oh,
my goodness. We used to not
have tourists. Now, Augusta
sees plenty of tourists last
year. Bracken County brought in
2 million dollars in tourism

(20:47):
revenue and visitors come from
across the world. I've had
somebody. And as far as the
Republic of China.
Germany. So what brings these
travelers to the river city
tourism director Janet Hunt
said it's a few things. If you
like bourbon, you need to try

(21:07):
that guests a distillery, if
you like white Christmas, you
got to see the roads were doing
>> In fact, the Rosemary
Clooney Museum has the largest
collection of white Christmas
memorabilia in the world.
And speaking of the Clooneys,
Augusta is the hometown of the
famous family. George Clooney
still makes frequent visits
to Augusta where his parents

(21:30):
reside. 9th got 2 kids.
>> Brings Lamb and his wife
Amal. It's a normal thing one
and not so typical saying about
Augusta is the lack of chain
stores and restaurants. We
don't have any franchise.
And everything's open by
individuals. Are family owned a
walk down Main Street shows not
just one but 5 different

(21:51):
restaurants in the city of 1100
people. One of those is the
Beehive Augusta Tavern, which
offers an upscale dining
experience. KET Swan Duggar
took over as general manager
about 3 years ago. It's always
been my dream to run a
restaurant. I have tried
several times to leave.
Hospitality has been doing it
since I was 16.

(22:12):
>> And I can never leave.
Swogger said many people learn
about Augusta on social media
and decide to make the trip.
>> If you can get people to
come to a guest of the fall in
love and they come back and
they bring people in the brain
groups and
>> and they really truly love
it. And one of the places for
those visitors to stay is the
benchmark in which has 12
unique rooms and the only

(22:32):
coffee shop in the city.
All of our guests will get free
complimentary coffee in the
mornings. And it's also open to
the public one experience.
Visitors literally can't miss
is the Jenny and ferry which
runs back and 4th between Ohio
and Kentucky every day except
for Christmas. That is
experience itself. It takes

(22:53):
probably about 5 minutes.
Tourism continues to grow in
Augusta has families like the
gloss look to open up new
attractions like an antique
car museum.
>> There's roughly 40 42 in our
collection. Most of the
antiques are early 20's, some
early 30's as well.
>> The family plans to open the

(23:14):
museum in the spring and
they've already gotten a
positive response from the
community.
>> Last couple weekends and the
weather is good. We put them
all out sign and in the parking
lot. And we have company all
day long. stay for hours.
>> And for Laycock who has seen
lots of change in 87 years.
Her favorite things about
Augusta remain constant.

(23:34):
>> The scenery. The beauty.
ups truck to view of the river
contents care of us. We'd like
to hear.
>> Leaders in Augusta said it's
their mission to KET a local
businesses alive and maintain
what they call hospitality from
the heart for Kentucky edition.

(23:55):
I'm Emily Sisk.
>> Thank you, Emily, for that.
Well, finally, we wouldn't have
the Kentucky hot Brown without
the Brown Hotel in Louisville.
And we're Hee Haw star with a
notable nickname are to be.
Gibbs tells us more in this.
Look back at this week in
Kentucky history.
♪

(24:19):
>> Union forces clashed with
Confederates at the battle of
Wildcat Mountain in Laurel
County on October. 21st 18 61.
It was considered the first
union victory of the entire
war.
Will Spain Brown hotel opened
on October 25th 1923. It would
welcome an actor's presidents

(24:40):
and other celebrities and would
be the birthplace of the
Kentucky Hot Brown in 1926.
Also in Louisville, doctors at
Jewish Hospital performed the
first hand transplant during
surgery that took 15 hours on
October. 25th 1999.
Happy birthday to Lewis Jones.

(25:01):
Better known as Grandpa Jones,
the country music star best
known as a regular on the TV
show. Hee Haw was born October
2019, 13 in Niagara in
Henderson County. You would
think maybe grandpa. Long
before becoming a
>> country. Singer songwriter
Merle Travis, a native of

(25:23):
Rosewood in Muhlenberg County,
died at the age of 65 on
October. 20th 1983 Travis wrote
many songs about coal miners,
including 16 times a song made
famous by Tennessee. Ernie
Ford.
Speaking of music, the western
Kentucky University Music
Group, the Hilltoppers appeared

(25:43):
on the Ed Sullivan Show on CBS
on October. 26 1952.
>> Prince Charles now King
Charles attended the Kentucky
Georgia College football game
on October 22nd 1977.
>> It gave one by Kentucky.
33 to nothing. And that's a
look back at this week in
Kentucky history. I'm Toby

(26:03):
Gibbs.
>> And speaking of history, KET
is celebrating Lexington's 200
50th birthday. Our latest
documentary takes you on a
sprawling journey beginning on
the banks of town Branch Creek,
the Civil War and Great
Depression while featuring
several notable figures in the
city's history. The full 3 our
program also includes so much
more that you can start

(26:24):
watching time night at 7 at 8
Eastern 7 central right here
on KET. Don't Miss it and I'll
see you tomorrow.