South Dakota Gov. Kristi Noem has campaigned so hard to become former President Donald Trump’s vice president that even some of Trumpworld’s most controversial figures are turned off by it.
It turns out that telling the world you killed your dog, as Noem does in her upcoming memoir, isn’t the best political strategy.
“I’ve always been a strong advocate for a woman as vice president, because I think there are strong women — even if Kristi Noem is maybe a little too grounded,” the former said. White House strategist Steve Bannon to Donald Trump Jr. about Trump’s ‘triggered’ show.
“I’m shooting the puppy in the gravel,” Bannon added, struggling not to laugh.
Yes, even Bannon, who adopted the badger as his avatar for his cruelty, thinks Noem has gone too far. Trump Jr. echoed his thoughts.
“Not ideal,” said Trump Jr. “I read that and I was like, ‘Who put that in the book?’ Your ghostwriter must really not like you, if he wants to include that one. »
Noem defended her decision to kill Cricket, a 14-month-old dog she had difficulty training to hunt pheasants. She wrote in the book, first reported by The Guardian, that she “hated that dog.” A final struggle, in which Cricket mutilated chickens, turned out to be this. Noem wrote that shortly afterward, she grabbed her gun, drove the dog into a gravel pit, then killed it.
“Whether running the ranch or in politics, I have never handed over my responsibilities to anyone else,” Noem wrote on X. “Even though it is hard and painful. I respected the law and I was a responsible parent, dog owner, and neighbor.”
The Democrats had a field day. Minnesota Governor Tim Walz encouraged people to post photos of themselves not killing their dogs. A Republican House lawmaker said the anecdote and the disclosure by Noem herself were enough to exclude the South Dakotan from being Trump’s vice presidential nominee.
“The worst part is that it wasn’t a successful job. She provided the information voluntarily. So when someone tells you who they are, believe them,” said Rep. Nicole Malliotakis, a Republican from New York, to Politico.
If Noem really wants to become vice president, this was one of the worst efforts to get the job.
Previously, she caused a minor scandal by bizarrely touting the services she received from a Texas dentist. Noem was already dealing with more traditional scandals, like a 2022 legislative report that revealed her daughter received special treatment when she applied for a real estate appraiser’s license. Governor Noem has repeatedly denied such treatment, but the report makes clear that it happened.
It’s a difficult balance to find when it comes to becoming vice president.
No one wants to appear too eager for work, which seems hopeless at best. In a worst-case scenario, a potential vice president could lose all the influence needed to shape his role in the way that would most benefit him. Modern vice presidents want a partnership like the one President Joe Biden shared with Barack Obama. No one wants to relive historical complaints about being No. 2, like future President Harry Truman, who during his brief vice presidency barely saw FDR. After all, the ultimate goal is to claim the presidency herself after eight years as an understudy.
Compared to Noem, the other candidates on Trump’s shortlist behave much more in accordance with tradition.
Sen. JD Vance, a Republican from Ohio, is reportedly attending a major fundraiser for Trump. Sen. Marco Rubio, a former rival in the 2016 Republican primary, is reportedly ready to move to resolve a possible dispute over living in the same state as Trump. North Dakota Gov. Doug Burgum, who briefly ran against Trump in the last primary, defended the former president on cable television. Sen. Tim Scott of South Carolina, also a brief primary challenger for 2024, fueled speculation with his comments to the Wall Street Journal.
Noem is expected to compete in a big fundraiser with many other Veepstakes contenders, but this appears to be a rare exception to how she’s handling her odds. His recent actions are reminiscent of fictional television characters like George Costanza and Saul Goodman, who deliberately tried to get themselves fired from their jobs (only Saul succeeded). But she really needs it. As a term-limited governor, Noem will need to find a way to continue her career, which also includes time in the state Legislature and Congress.
It is truly an honor to be nominated, or in this case, to receive media coverage about becoming a vice presidential candidate. Biden has instructed his team to ensure that all finalists on his shortlist see a boost, as former Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti told the New York Times. It worked. Rep. Karen Bass is now mayor of Los Angeles, former U.N. Ambassador Susan Rice has a top job in the Biden White House, and Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer signed a book deal and boosted his own presidential speculations. Some, like Senator Elizabeth Warren, already had national prominence. But at least it certainly didn’t slow down their careers.
Noem’s actions have made her future much less promising. And as the South Dakota newspaper puts it, “There may be no undoing the immediate damage done to Noem’s political career.” »
This dog just doesn’t hunt.
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