Possible VP favorite for Harris walks back Diet Mountain Dew insult

Possible Democratic vice presidential nominee Gov. Andy Beshear (D-KY) apologized to Diet Mountain Dew on Thursday due to an insult in which he mocked the drink and Republican vice presidential nominee Sen. J.D. Vance (R-OH).

"Folks, I've been a person that, when sometimes I've gone over the line, I've wanted to make sure that I set the record straight," Beshear, 46, told reporters. "I do owe an apology to Diet Mountain Dew."

"Ale-8-One is definitely the soft drink of Kentucky, but I don't believe the government should be making your decisions," he added while showing off a bottle of Diet Mountain Dew. "So, if you enjoy Diet Mountain Dew, uh, you be you. We want to support you, and to Diet Mountain Dew, very sorry, didn't mean to say negative things about you."

Beshear's apology stems from a Monday interview on CNN in which the Kentucky Democrat mocked Vance's past and his affinity for the green diet soft drink.

"What was weird was him joking about racism today and then talking about Diet Mountain Dew. Who drinks Diet Mountain Dew?" he said in response to a battle between the two about who is really from Appalachia. "But in all seriousness, he ain't from here. He is not from Kentucky. This a guy who would come, maybe in the summers, for some period of time, or to weddings or funerals, and then he claims to be from eastern Kentucky, tries to write a book about it, to profit off our people."

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Despite apologizing to Diet Mountain Dew, Beshear appeared to stand firm on his argument that Vance is no Appalachian on Thursday.

"Just remember I am from here," he said. "Just like everybody else that is speaking out."