(Molly Bruns, Headline USA) Alabama Gov. Kay Ivey released a video on Twitter, with a sarcastic “bless his heart” leveled at the president.
Poor Joe, bless his heart. pic.twitter.com/ujugl1ll9X
— Kay Ivey (@kayiveyforgov) February 8, 2022
“Growing up, my mom and dad always told us ‘if you can’t say something nice, don’t say anything at all,'” Ivey explained in the video. “Well, here’s what I have to say about Joe Biden…”
She then trails off for a few seconds until wrapping up with: “Poor Joe Biden, bless his heart.”
For those unfamiliar with the usage of the phrase, “bless your heart” can either be used as a sincere phrase of endearment or an insult of the sarcastic and passive aggressive persuasion.
“‘Bless your heart,’ like most things, evolved. In the era of AquaNet and pedal pushers, it morphed into a phrase anyone could add at the end of a sentence to indicate there might be a hidden meaning behind the words.
“A mean meaning,” the site “It’s a Southern Thing” explained. “Example, ‘You must have been out in the humidity, bless your heart,’ which is a passive-catty way of saying, ‘Your bouffant flopped and you’re looking a bit like a soggy sheepdog.'”
While the site explains that the phrase is still mostly used in a positive manner, it has become a staple of southern insults, meaning anything from “I wish I could say what I’m really thinking,” to “you’re pitiful, but you don’t know it.”
Several Twitter users echoed Ivey’s sentiments:
Gotta love her? I don’t live there anymore but her statements are so true. Love the if ya can’t say anything nice don’t say anything at all, it’s exactly what I was taught growing up but the”bless his heart’ well ????
— Riverland (@LisaDrey5) February 8, 2022
Kay Ivey wins Twitter for the week, at least.
— Dark Knight (@Jtl_Morriss) February 8, 2022
I’ve visited the south enough times to know what ‘bless his heart’ means lol
— Jack-of-all-trades-1970 (@Jackisback_1970) February 8, 2022
