Al Roker Slams Kentucky Governor for Making Fun of Closing School in Polar Vortex

After the governor of Kentucky bemoaned school closings during the polar vortex and said America is “getting soft,” Al Roker criticized his comments and defended kids staying inside during subzero wind chills.

Weatherman Al Roker is in a war of words after the governor of Kentucky said we're turning into a nation of softies.

It started when Gov. Matt Bevin bemoaned the closing of schools due to the polar vortex blasting the country, plunging swaths of the nation in subzero temperatures.

“Now we cancel school for cold? I mean,” he told Terry Meiners on his NewsRadio show. 

“It's deep freeze! This is serious business!” Meiners replied. 

“It is? Come on now. I mean, there's no ice going with it or any snow. I mean, what happens to America? We're getting soft,” the governor replied. 

The words did not sit well with Roker, who took on the governor, calling him a “nitwit.” 

“I just have to say, this nitwit governor in Kentucky, saying that, ‘Oh, we're weak.’ These are kids who are gonna be in subzero wind chills. No, cancel school. Stop it they wanna be out there, that's great. These are our children. I'm glad you’re not a teacher,” Roker fired back. 

Huge parts of the nation continue to suffer life-threatening temperatures. In New York, the wind chill factor makes it feel like it is in the negative degrees. In northern Minnesota, the wind chill made it feel like -77 degrees.  

RELATED STORIES