South Dakota Governor Kristi Noem didn’t hold back during her recent interview with CBS News’ Margaret Brennan, expressing frustration over what she perceived as unfair treatment because of her conservative views. Noem criticized Brennan for interrupting her numerous times during the interview, particularly highlighting the frequency of interruptions compared to interviews with liberal figures like Gretchen Whitmer and Nancy Pelosi.
The interview sparked widespread attention, especially when Brennan questioned Noem about a passage in her new book, “No Going Back,” where she claimed to have met with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un. Noem seemed to backtrack on the claim, suggesting it was included mistakenly but stopped short of admitting it was false outright.
Their exchange grew tense as Noem defended herself, asserting her extensive experience with world leaders but refusing to delve into specific meetings. Noem insisted the anecdote about Kim Jong Un shouldn’t have been in the book and was promptly corrected once brought to her attention.
The contentious back-and-forth continued, with Noem questioning why she was being treated differently from other interviewees and Brennan defending her line of questioning by citing Noem’s own words. Despite the interruptions, Noem underscored the importance of discussing her book and its significance for the nation.
During the interview, Noem was also pressed about another controversial excerpt from her book, where she admitted to euthanizing a dog named “Cricket” on her farm. She defended her decision, citing the dog’s aggression towards people as a factor in her difficult choice to euthanize it.
Overall, the interview shed light on Noem’s perspectives and the challenges she perceives in dealing with the media as a conservative figure, while also addressing controversial aspects of her book.
