Actor Bette Midler caught in spat with Gov. Jim Justice over dog’s ‘ass’

After West Virginia Governor Jim Justice used his dog to mock her, Bette Midler renewed her feud with him on Friday, suggesting that his “ass” would make a better governor.

As a retort to criticism, Justice, a Republican, revealed his dog’s rear end during his state of the state address on Thursday, telling them they could kiss his pet’s “hiney.”

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The governor is well-known for his affection for his English bulldog. He’s been using the animal, which he’s dubbed Babydog, to promote COVID-19 vaccination in his state.

Midler, a film legend, had supposedly enraged the governor with a tweet insulting West Virginians sent by Senator Joe Manchin.

Justice addressed West Virginia’s critics at the conclusion of his state of the state address.

“They never believed in West Virginia that we could do it,” Justice said.

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“They told every bad joke in the world about us,” he said. “So following that standpoint, Babydog tells Bette Midler and all those out there, kiss her hiney.”

Justice raised Babydog and displayed the animal’s rear end to everyone in attendance.

Midler retweeted some postings criticising Justice for the event involving his dog’s backside before writing a tweet addressing his speech directly.

She showed a chart from US News and World Report that showed West Virginia’s rankings in health care, education, and infrastructure. The image depicted the state’s low ranking on a number of topics, as well as its overall ranking of 47 out of 50.

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“BTW, here are the state rankings of all the areas and agencies for which the so-called “Governor” of WVA, #JimJustice is responsible,” Midler wrote. “Judging from these rankings, I’d say his dog’s ass would make a better Governor than him!”

Midler wrote a tweet condemning Senator Manchin on December 20, 2021, that also targeted the residents of West Virginia. 

“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,” Midler wrote.  

The actress, who has appeared in films like Hocus Pocus and Beaches, later tweeted, “I apologise to the fine people of WVA for my last outburst,” before going on to criticise Manchin more.

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Since the governor and his wife first took Babydog to a press conference last year, she has gained minor celebrity status.

The plump canine was also the face of West Virginia’s vaccination lottery, dubbed “Do It For Babydog,” and Justice used his pet to encourage people to receive COVID-19 vaccines.

“If you won’t do it for your family, you’ve got to get vaccinated for Babydog. That’s all there is to it,” the governor said last year.