Editorial: Kristi Noem killed her "unmanageable" dog, but she failed to impress anyone with her show of strength.
In her upcoming book, "No Going Back: The Truth on What's Wrong with Politics and How We Move America Forward," South Dakota Governor Kristi Noem shares a shocking story about herself. She states that she took her energetic wirehaired pointer, Cricket, to a gravel pit and fatally shot him. The news about Noem's actions has stirred up a significant response from the media and the public alike, causing outrage.
This revelation didn't come from an investigative reporter or social media exposure. Rather, it was revealed in her book which The Guardian managed to obtain early. They revealed the incident, creating quite a commotion. Noem faced harsh criticism, not just from liberals but from conservatives as well, who opposed her decision. Despite the negative backlash, the governor defended her actions, saying that tough decisions like killing Cricket happen on farms often.
Noem even used the situation to sell her book, showcasing her unapologetic attitude towards the controversy. She wrote on social media, "If you want more real, honest, and politically INcorrect stories that'll have the media gasping, preorder 'No Going Back'."
In the book excerpt shared by The Guardian, readers learn that Noem hated Cricket after he caused a pheasant hunt to go awry by getting too excited. He even escaped her car, went to a local farmer's chicken coop, and bit her when she tried to restrain him. Noem considered the dog "less than worthless" at that point, leading her to take his life.
When her daughter, Kennedy, returned from school and asked about the whereabouts of Cricket, Noem didn't mention the shooting. However, she proudly proclaimed that taking down Cricket and killing a goat that day showed her ability to do difficult and unpleasant tasks - possibly a reference to the demands of politics.
One possible reason Noem shared this story could be her awareness of former President Donald Trump's dislike for pets. Trump was not a fan of dogs, as per his late wife Ivana's memoir, "Raising Trump." People speculate that she possibly thought the story would endear her to Trump supporters by showing her toughness.
However, her stance towards the incident might be changing as she wrote a softer tone about the decision to kill her dog in her latest post on X on Sunday.
Millions of homes have pets, with over 65 million of them owning dogs, according to a 2023 Pew poll. 97% of pet owners view their pets as family members. Yet, Noem, giving Cricket such a low opinion, view him as "less than worthless." This contrasts with the deep love and respect most pet owners have for their furry companions.
The idea of pets revealing character traits is also backed by studies, which suggests dogs are good judges of people's personalities. It's worth noting that despite Commander sniffing at least two dozen Secret Service agents over the years, Biden's presidency did not have any major uproar to kill the presidential pup for such behavior.
Given Trump's disinclination towards pets, it's plausible that Noem thought revealing the story of shooting Cricket could help her stand out as a running mate. However, it could also be seen as a wrong decision and shatter her image among those who disagree with her actions.
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"I can see why some individuals may be displeased by a 20-year-old story of Cricket, one of our ranch's working dogs, in my upcoming book - No Going Back. This book contains numerous honest tales of my life, including good and bad days, obstacles, hard choices, and valuable lessons.
"It is true that South Dakota law states that dogs who attack and kill livestock can be killed. Additionally, Cricket had demonstrated aggressive behavior toward people by biting them in the past. With this knowledge, I made the decision I did."
We'll see if this explanation lessens the public outcry. Regardless of political affiliation, people are rightfully appalled by animal cruelty, even if they don't always treat their fellow human beings with the same respect and dignity they deserve.
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Source: edition.cnn.com
