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Noem Hires Trump Toady to Parrot Her Propaganda at SD Department of Health

531 South Dakotans died of coronavirus this month (at least that we know about). Community spread of coronavirus is raging. We are about to embark on a complicated vaccine rationing regime, and South Dakotans will need reliable, scientifically based information from the state to understand how much vaccine is available, for whom, when and where, and why it will be vitally important, when it’s our turn, for everyone to get that vaccine.

So in the midst of the worst public health emergency in South Dakota in a century, whom does Governor Kristi Noem hire to speak for the South Dakota Department of Health? A D.C. Trump toady:

The South Dakota Department of Health plans to bring aboard Daniel Bucheli next month as communications director.

Bucheli has spent the past decade working in communications roles, mostly in various federal political positions in Washington, D.C., and the neighboring area.

…Since 2010, Bucheli served in roles for three other U.S. representatives, the U.S. House of Representatives, the U.S. House Republican conference, the federal Office of National Drug Control Policy, and a mayor of Annapolis, Maryland.

He holds a bachelor degree in government and world affairs from the University of Tampa and a master degree in public policy political communication from Johns Hopkins University in Baltimore, Maryland [Bob Mercer, “Noem Administration Hires a Former Trump Campaign Staffer as State Health Spokesman,” KELO-TV, 2020.11.30].

No background in science, medicine, or public health, no background in South Dakota (really? job opens just ten days ago, and the Governor can’t think of any South Dakotans with knowledge and skills suitable for this important public servant’s position?)… but he worked for Trump, so he must be good enough for the Noem Administration’s plan to continue downplaying and ignoring coronavirus.

15 Comments

  1. Francis Schaffer 2020-11-30 18:12

    I was wondering if Governor Noem will bring out the lottery system used for tickets for the Mt. Rushmore extravaganza in July. If so I hope she excludes non residents. Maybe the millennials can gum up the works like they did for Trump’s Oklahoma superspreader event. You remember the one after which Herman Cain died.

  2. Cory Allen Heidelberger Post author | 2020-11-30 19:16

    A lottery for vaccines? I’ll bet her new Health spokesman Bucheli could explain that really well.

  3. mike livingston 2020-11-30 19:18

    I am guessing that the covid queen is operating on the theory that any news is good news. I heard South Dakota mentioned as the national example for how not to manage the pandemic on CBS, PBS, and NPR ,that is more coverage than i have since Gov. Mickelson’s plane went down.

  4. mike from iowa 2020-11-30 19:19

    Meanwhile, back at Ignorance is Bliss Ranch, the bodies continue to pile up as the number of infected people climbs hourly….

    United States
    Coronavirus Cases:
    13,918,314
    Deaths:
    274,327

  5. mike livingston 2020-11-30 19:30

    I am guessing that the covid queen is operating on the theory that any news is good news. I heard South Dakota mentioned as the national example for how not to manage the pandemic on CBS, PBS, and NPR multiple times ,that is more coverage than I have heard since Gov. Mickelson’s plane went down.

    My Bad I fixed typos.

  6. grudznick 2020-11-30 20:45

    This Trump fellow can’t be good news. Do you think they ran the previous young fellow off because he wouldn’t toe the line, or do you think he finally had a belly full? There are probably bloggers out there who know, so they should share.

  7. Mark Anderson 2020-11-30 20:50

    Scott Atlas, today’s man of the future, has the strength, and is now available. Kristi Noem, we of the outer states designate you, with the wisdom of Solomon, to appoint him as ruler of the covid19.

  8. Francis Schaffer 2020-11-30 21:07

    Yes Cory for vaccines. A similar program as for the July event. Sorry. You understood my thought better than I did.

  9. Whitless 2020-11-30 22:42

    Accurate public health information from a credible source is necessary in normal times and absolutely critical during a health crisis. Unfortunately, the Noem administration has repeatedly issued misleading statements or misled by omission. That practice will likely continue or even be amplified by the hiring of Mr. Bucheli. His lack of objectivity is evidenced by a perusal of his twitter feed. This quick hire of a DC swamp rat smacks of political calculation rather than any interest of ensuring that the public receives accurate information. Sigh.

  10. Jivin Knute 2020-12-01 00:04

    If it’s not Trump I’m raging about every single day it then falls on Kristi. I have lost what little patience I had with her when she went gallivanting around the nation extolling the virtues of Donald Trump B4 the election. Now she brings in one of Trump’s toadies to give us the skinny on what’s happening with Covid.
    All I can say is UFF DA!

  11. Cory Allen Heidelberger Post author | 2020-12-01 05:42

    Mike L, yes. Kristi is counting on all press to advertise for her. She figures her base will deny any bad news about coronavirus, view her as a brave challenger to the liberal/socialist fearmongering and power grab, and rush to move here, like Bucheli. She may eb realizing she can scare more sensible South Dakotans into moving away, thus tilting her 2022 electorate a couple percentage points toward her and ensuring that when she announced for 2024, she’ll be doing so after another successful campaign, not a rebuke from her own electorate, which she is stacking, like her Administration with her own ideological Trumpatriots.

  12. Cory Allen Heidelberger Post author | 2020-12-01 07:13

    No kidding, Jivin. Just when we get Trump to hole up and keep mostly quiet in his post-election funk, Kristi starts hiring his lackeys to come make their noise here for a couple years.

    I can’t wait to elect a Democrat as Governor in 2022 who will go to the Capitol and fire all these numbskulls.

  13. Norma Wilson 2020-12-01 10:14

    Another outrageous act by SD Governor Kristi Noem who has no clue about how to govern. Like her mentor Trump she always does the polar opposite of what is moral, ethical and logical. It’s likely that many more South Dakotans will die as a result of her incompetence and that of her followers and appointees.

  14. Jake 2020-12-01 13:53

    Alas, Kristi-your favorite epidemic specialist Dr. Atlas is now available to move here to help you further de-fraud the people of your state with more bad advice! Perhaps that would help your campaign chest $$$$ grow, eh?

  15. John 2020-12-01 20:31

    Hiring a trumpster credentialed in supporting executive lies bodes well for noem and South Dakota. dripping sarcasm. noem’s idiocy is complete.

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