Rachel Maddow on Kristi Noem: Five things to know about Trump's pick for homeland security secretary

Summary

Summary of "Rachel Maddow on Kristi Noem: Five Things to Know About Trump's Pick for Homeland Security Secretary"

The Rachel Maddow Show, hosted by Rachel Maddow on MSNBC, delves deep into the implications of President Donald Trump's nomination of South Dakota Governor Kristi Noem for the position of Secretary of Homeland Security. Released on December 13, 2024, this episode provides a critical analysis of Noem's background, actions, and suitability for the role. Below is a detailed summary capturing the key points, discussions, insights, and conclusions presented during the episode.

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Introduction

At 01:06, Rachel Maddow introduces the topic by highlighting concerns regarding the incoming administration's approach to vetting its cabinet nominees. She emphasizes the lack of traditional vetting processes, such as FBI background checks and Senate confirmation hearings, which have historically been standard in presidential transitions. Maddow questions the transparency and qualifications of those selected to run the U.S. Government, setting the stage for a critical examination of Kristi Noem's nomination.

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1. Controversial Incident Involving a Puppy

Timestamp: 03:15

Maddow begins by addressing one of the most alarming aspects of Kristi Noem's public persona—the incident where Noem shot a defenseless puppy. This event has significantly tarnished her reputation and raises serious ethical concerns about her suitability for a high-profile government position.

Notable Quote:

"Kristi Noem's 26-year-old daughter failed twice in her efforts to obtain a license to be a real estate appraiser. And in South Dakota, that's all you get. You only get two chances and then you're out. Unless, apparently, your mother is the governor." (03:15)

Maddow elaborates on how Noem allegedly used her influence to secure an unprecedented third chance for her daughter, leading to the removal of the licensing agency head who initially denied the license. This preferential treatment was confirmed by a Republican-led investigation, highlighting potential abuse of power.

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2. Mismanagement of the COVID-19 Crisis

Timestamp: 05:40

The second point of discussion revolves around Noem's handling of the COVID-19 pandemic in South Dakota. Maddow criticizes her administration's policies, which included hosting large events like the Sturgis Motorcycle Rally and the South Dakota State Fair despite rising infection rates.

Notable Quote:

"Under Kristi Noem's leadership, South Dakota sunk to the worst per capita COVID death rate in the United States and among the worst in the entire world." (05:40)

Maddow points out that South Dakota experienced significant outbreaks in meatpacking plants and faced severe hospitalizations, with Noem attributing the outbreaks to mere coincidences and refusing to implement new safety measures. This mismanagement contributed to the state's dire COVID-19 statistics.

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3. Fabricated Claims in Her Autobiography

Timestamp: 07:25

Maddow addresses discrepancies found in Noem's autobiography, particularly her claims of having met and "stared down" North Korean dictator Kim Jong Un. These assertions have been debunked, casting doubt on Noem's credibility.

Notable Quote:

"Kristi Noem never met with North Korean dictator Kim Jong Un, let alone stared him down or, you know, helped him pick Bible verses or whatever. I don't know. Didn't happen." (07:25)

When pressed for details, Noem's spokesperson admitted to minor errors in the book, promising corrections in future editions. This incident raises questions about Noem's honesty and reliability as a public servant.

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4. Undisclosed Endorsement of a Texas Dentist

Timestamp: 09:10

The fourth point centers on Noem's endorsement of a Texas cosmetic dentist through a series of social media posts. Maddow critiques the lack of transparency regarding whether Noem was compensated for her endorsements or received any benefits in return.

Notable Quote:

"Governor Noem never disclosed if she was paid for this infomercial or maybe if she got the dental work for free or at a discount in exchange for doing this big endorsement." (09:10)

This action led to a lawsuit alleging failure to disclose her status as a paid endorser, highlighting potential conflicts of interest and misuse of her gubernatorial platform for personal gain.

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5. Cruelty Towards Animals as Detailed in Her Autobiography

Timestamp: 10:05

The final point Maddow discusses involves disturbing accounts from Noem's autobiography, where she describes killing both a puppy and a goat. These actions not only reflect poorly on Noem's character but also raise ethical concerns about her potential leadership style.

Notable Quote:

"Kristi Noem shot and killed her dog because she was mad at it... she then went and got their goat and then she tied the goat to a pole and she shot the goat as well." (10:05)

Maddow notes that even Donald Trump found the story repulsive, which reportedly affected Noem's chances of being selected as his vice-presidential running mate. While this may not disqualify her from a cabinet position, it undeniably impacts her public image and calls into question her judgment.

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Conclusion

Rachel Maddow concludes the segment by summarizing the five critical points that cast doubt on Kristi Noem's suitability for the role of Secretary of Homeland Security. From ethical lapses and questionable management during a public health crisis to dubious personal actions and endorsements, Maddow presents a compelling case for voters and policymakers to scrutinize Noem's nomination closely.

Final Thoughts:

"Five things you need to know about your potential new Secretary of Homeland Security, Kristi Noem." (10:16)

The episode serves as a thorough examination of Noem's controversial history, urging the American public to consider the implications of her appointment on national security and governance.

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Note: This summary is based on the transcript provided and reflects the perspectives presented during The Rachel Maddow Show episode released on December 13, 2024.

Transcript

[A]

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[C]

So it's time for another Rachel Maddow Show Public servant announcement. The incoming administration does not appear to be vetting the people they want to install in important jobs running the US Government. They have tried to get around doing FBI background checks and around any of the traditional vetting that is done by a normal presidential transition. They have even demanded that there shouldn't be confirmation hearings in the Senate for these people. It has been strange, it's been embarrassing to them. It has made for all sorts of unpleasant surprises already. But if this really is their plan, how much will the American people get to know about who these people are that Trump wants running the US Government? How did any of them even punch their ticket to get picked for these jobs? Well, in the absence of any real vetting the way it's supposed to go, we hope, maybe a Rachel Maddow show public servant announcement can at least help. Today, it is Donald Trump's pick for running the massive, sprawling Department of Homeland Security in Trump's first term. The first time he was president, he went through six different Homeland Security secretaries in four years. So who knows how long anyone will this job this time around. This one. He likes to change over a lot, but his choice to start at least is Kristi Noem. Now, a minority of people hearing that name will think, Christine Christy Noem, South Dakota governor. A majority of people hearing that name will think, wait, didn't she shoot a dog? Yes, yes, she did. More on that in a moment. But here are five other things to know about Trump's choice for Homeland Security. A Nominee who admittedly is most famous for shooting a defenseless puppy. Thing number one. As governor of South Dakota, Kristi Noem once got a significant portion of her entire administration involved in the project of getting her daughter a real estate appraiser's license. Kristi Noem's 26 year old daughter failed twice in her efforts to obtain a license to be a real estate appraiser. And in South Dakota, that's all you get. You only get two chances and then you're out. Unless, apparently, your mother is the governor. When Kristi Noem's daughter flunked out from the licensing process, Noem told the head of the licensing agency to come to the governor's mansion for a meeting with her and her daughter. The meeting also included the state labor secretary and at least one lawyer for the state labor department, and Kristi Noem's own chief counsel to the governor's office and her governor's chief of staff, all summoned to the governor's mansion to meet with the governor herself and the governor's daughter to talk about the daughter failing the licensing thing. And wouldn't you know it, Somehow at that meeting, a path was discovered to offer the governor's daughter an extra chance at getting her license. An unprecedented third chance that nobody else gets. Soon thereafter, Noem's administration forced out the head of the licensing agency who had had the temerity to flunk the governor's daughter in the first place. And we know all of this because the Republican legislature in the state launched an investigation and then they unanimously approved a report from that investigation finding that Kristi Noem's daughter got preferential treatment. That's thing number one. Thing number two. Under Kristi Noem's leadership, South Dakota achieved this distinction in its management of the COVID crisis. Headline quote, as bad as it gets anywhere in the world. As meatpacking plants in her home state were host to some of the largest single outbreaks of COVID anywhere in the world, Governor Kristi Noem insisted that it was just a coincidence that more than 1,000 infected people all worked in the same meat plant. She insisted that no new rules, no new procedures were needed to keep people safe. Kristi Noem had South Dakota host nearly a half million people for the Sturgis motorcycle rally in 2020, and hundreds of thousands more people the following at the South Dakota state fair. By the month after that, South Dakota had one of the worst COVID infection rates in the whole world. And its hospitals were rationing care to try to save their sickest patients. Under Kristine Ohm's leadership, South Dakota sunk to the worst per capita COVID death rate in the United States and among the worst in the entire world. That's thing number two. Thing number three, in the same book where she bragged about killing her puppy, Kristi Noem also wrote this quote. I remember when I met with the North Korean dictator Kim Jong Un. I'm sure he underestimated me, having no clue about my experience staring down little tyrants. I'd been a children's pastor, after all. And that is very cute. That is also totally made up. Kristi Noem never met with North Korean dictator Kim Jong Un, let alone stared him down or, you know, helped him pick Bible verses or whatever. I don't know. Didn't happen. When asked for details of this supposed meeting, Christine Ohm's spokesperson said the book contained a couple of small errors that would be corrected in future editions of the book. All right, thing number four. In the spring of 2024, just a few weeks before the I'm a Puppy Killer book came out, Kristi Noem did something strange involving a Texas dentist. As the sitting governor of a real US State, Governor Noem posted on all her social media accounts a big long infomercial about her fantastic experience with a particular cosmetic dentist in Texas. It was nearly five minutes of the governor speaking straight to camera about this particular dentist and how great this dentist was, interspersed with all these many, many, many extreme close ups of her mouth. Governor Noem never disclosed if she was paid for this infomercial or maybe if she got the dental work for free or at a discount in exchange for doing this big endorsement. She also never explained to the poor beleaguered dentists of South Dakota why she left the state to get her dental work done in Texas instead. At least one lawsuit was filed against Governor Noem for not disclosing whether she was a paid endorser for this Texas dentist. But again, this all happened while she was a sitting governor. Imagine all the dentistry she might be able to get done if she were Homeland Security Secretary. And finally, thing number five about the dog. The thing to know about the dog is that there's also a goat. In her most recent autobiography, I have to mention that because she's written two Christi Noem wrote that she shot and killed her dog because she she was mad at it. After explaining in detail how she shot and killed that 14 month old puppy, she then apparently decided she needed to kill something else right away. That same day, she went and got the family's goat. This is after killing the dog, she went and got their goat and then she tied the goat to a pole and she shot the goat as well. In fact, she says effectively that she missed with the first shot, so the goat was injured but not killed. Then she left it tied up there and injured to go get more ammunition. Eventually came back, reloaded and shot the goat again until it too was dead. Her puppy and her goat in the same gravel pit shot on the same day by Kristi Noem. And while she thought that was an awesome story that would help to propel her to national fame, and that's why she should definitely put it in the book, Even Donald Trump was reportedly so repulsed by the story. Donald Trump famously does not like dogs, but he was reportedly so grossed out by the story that it it may have cost her her spot on the shortlist to be his vice presidential running mate. He's not so repulsed that she can't be in the Cabinet still nominating her for Homeland Security, but he's repulsed enough that she couldn't be on the ticket with him. So, bottom line, if at some point America ends up staring down the barrel of J.D. vance ascending from vice President to president, there's a case to be made that that might rightfully be considered Cricket the Puppy's revenge on America. Or maybe it's the goat's revenge. Kind of seems more like something a goat would do. But there you have it. Five things you need to know about your potential new Secretary of Homeland Security, Kristi Noem. This has been a Rachel Maddow Show Public Servant Announcement.

[A]

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