By Gabe Bullard, Kentucky Public Radio
LOUISVILLE, Ky. – Governor Steve Beshear says he did not mean to offend anyone last week when he opted to attend the Kentucky Oaks rather than travel to Fort Campbell where President Barack Obama was meeting with troops, including the Navy SEALS who killed Osama bin Laden.
Beshear says by the time he heard the president was coming to Kentucky, he had already lined up several meetings with business leaders, and he could not send a proxy to meet with them at Churchill Downs.
"There's absolutely no intention at all to snub the president, and, you know, the White House knows it. They understand that. And we will continue to work with this President, particularly when we agree with something he's doing and we'll continue to fight him when they're doing something we don't agree with."
One thing Beshear does not agree with the president on is environmental regulation. Beshear says the Environmental Protection Agency wants to place damaging regulations on the coal industry.
Beshear's decision to forgo Fort Campbell has been roundly criticized by the Louisville NAACP and various state politicians. The governor, who is seeking re-election, says he doesn't think the controversy will hurt his appeal with voters.