Photo by Scott Olson/Getty Images
South Dakota Governor Kristi Noem embarked this week on one of the more tumultuous book tours in recent memory, as she was peppered with questions about an anecdote about killing her dog Cricket, and another story about meeting North Korean leader Kim Jung Un. Major doubts were raised that the latter story was true.
As she sought to promote No Going Back, she was peppered with questions in interviews with mainstream outlets like Face the Nation and NewsNation, but some of the most contentious Q&A have been with those on the right, like Fox Business’ Stuart Varney and Newsmax. The book was an obvious was of getting attention as Donald Trump considers potential running mates, but Rob Finnerty of Newsmax went so far as to tell her, directly, “I don’t even think you’re on the list.”
Now Noem has started to cancel media appearances.
CNN‘s Dana Bash told viewers today that, after booking her for Inside Politics weeks ago, “she abruptly canceled last night.” Noem also canceled an interview with Greg Gutfeld on Fox News’ Gutfeld! last night, with the host telling viewers that she canceled due to the weather, per Mediaite.
“Blames the weather,” Gutfeld said. “I don’t believe it. I just think it is a little late to keep her on a short leash.” He then went on with Dana Perino “standing in” for Noem, while continuing to mock the governor.
Noem has addressed the severe weather in South Dakota in posts on X/Twitter today.
Noem has defended the decision to kill the dog as an example of the rare politician who has told the truth — “this dog was vicious, it was dangerous, it was killing livestock for the joy of it and attacking people,” she told Fox News’ Jesse Watters. But she has refused to say whether she actually met with the North Korean leader, telling interviewers that she will not talk about her meetings with world leaders, even though she wrote about just that in the book.
“When I became aware of the content, we had it changed,” she told Finnerty. “And that is the way that it is. Should I have put that in, included in the book? I am not going to talk about my meetings. I am not going to talk about my conversations with world leaders.”
Finnerty told her he didn’t think the meeting actually happened.
In an interview with NewsNation’s Elizabeth Vargas, Noem also declined to say why did didn’t ask to have the anecdote removed when she recorded the audio version of the book.
A spokesperson for Noem’s publisher, Center Street, did not immediately return a request for comment on the plans for the book tour.
