(RepublicanPress.org) – Donald Trump recently confirmed that South Dakota Gov. Kristi Noem (R) was on his short list as a possible running mate. She recently penned a book detailing the current state of national politics, “stories of DC dysfunction,” and what Americans can do to “seize this moment.” However, what appeared to be a long-form discussion of her qualifications to serve as vice president quickly turned into a political nightmare after a British news agency published excerpts of her unreleased book.
Noem’s publisher scheduled “No Going Back” for release on May 7, but The Guardian got its hands on a copy and published what essentially reads like a “hit piece” on the governor.
According to the publication’s accounting of her upcoming tome, Noem took her dog, Cricket, on a hunting trip with other older dogs to help calm the puppy’s disposition and train it to behave.
Long story short — Noem wrote that the dog disrupted the hunt, escaped from her truck on the way home, and killed several of a neighboring family’s chickens. According to Noem, the dog acted like a “trained assassin” and “whipped around” and attempted to bite her.
Continuing her story, Noem wrote that she “hated that dog,” adding that Cricket had proven to be “dangerous,” “untrainable,” and “less than worthless.” That’s when Noem realized she needed to “put her down.”
So, Noem grabbed her gun, took the dog to a nearby gravel pit, and did the dirty deed. She wrote that it wasn’t a “pleasant task” but “had to be done.”
As one might expect, the internet exploded with criticism from both sides of the political spectrum weighing in on Noem’s story. Likewise, news outlets started writing about the destruction of Noem’s reputation and political aspirations. Some pundits, claiming to have insider information, said the Trump campaign began expressing doubts about naming Noem as the former president’s running mate.
I can understand why some people are upset about a 20 year old story of Cricket, one of the working dogs at our ranch, in my upcoming book — No Going Back. The book is filled with many honest stories of my life, good and bad days, challenges, painful decisions, and lessons…
— Kristi Noem (@KristiNoem) April 28, 2024
Through it all, Noem kept a cool head. She posted a statement on her X/Twitter account, explaining that she didn’t enjoy killing the dog, but South Dakota law allows owners to “take down” dogs that “attack and kill livestock.” She also noted, apparently for the first time, that Cricket had previously displayed aggressive behaviors and bitten other people.
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