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Noem Brings More Reckless Conservatives to South Dakota, Campaigns in Georgia, Coronavirus Be Darned

The SDGOP spin machine is bragging about how Governor Kristi Noem’s reckless disdain for public health is luring other reckless conservatives to come gather in South Dakota and endanger public health. Instead of staying safely home and Zooming, the Minnesota Republican Party is going to track its mud all the way across our fair state and back to hold a winter retreat in Deadwood in January. (Recall that South Dakota Republicans deemed one Democratic candidate for District 4 House unfit for office because she shopped out of state; I assume the same logic applies to every member of the Minnesota GOP who moved to hold this official Minnesota party function outside of Minnesota.)

Noem’s “let ’em die, just don’t stop the sales tax” response to coronavirus is also inducing the “Freedom Fest” (O! let the F-words flow) to move from its usual digs in Las Vegas to Rapid City next July. The 2015 Freedom Fest was where Russian spy Maria Butina posed as a journalist and lobbed a softball question about Putin’s Russia to Donald Trump. Trump will have to pardon Butina to bring her back from Russia to Rapid City again (Trump met with one of Butina’s older white male American lovebirds, conspiracy theorist Patrick Byrne, at the White House two weeks ago), but I’m sure she’d be as eager as Dusty and all the rest of us to have her back in her old Black Hills stomping grounds.

Noem is already listed as a featured speaker at FF2021. The only other mug currently given as many pixels as hers on the roster is Dr. Drew Pinksy’s:

Freedom Fest 2021 Featured Speakers, screen cap 2020.12.31.
Freedom Fest 2021 Featured Speakers, screen cap 2020.12.31.

Dr. Drew Pinsky is a celebrity doctor (experience in treating addiction, not epidemiology) who spent February and March telling folks that coronavirus was “way less serious than influenza,” then apologized at the beginning of April for getting coronavirus flat wrong… even as he tried to use copyright claims to erase the record of his harmful comments on coronavirus. Dr. Pinsky came down with coronavirus this week and says he is “look[ing] forward to the immunity on the other side of this,” even though the CDC says there is not enough information to tell us how long or even whether Dr. Pinsky or anyone else who gets coronavirus will be immune to reinfection… or to infecting Kristi and all the other reckless conservatives who will join him in Rapid City in July.

But at least Dr. Pinsky has apologized for being wrong and recognizes the need to take coronavirus seriously. Governor Noem continues to travel the nation heedless of the CDC’s guidelines for coronavirus prevention. Yesterday she was in Georgia, indoors, not socially distanced, not wearing a mask

Kristi Noem, tweets from Georgia, 2020.12.30-21.
Kristi Noem, tweets from Georgia, 2020.12.30-21.

At least Freedom Fest is sparing Kristi another long flight out of state that takes her away from her elected duties. I suppose she can reasonably argue that she needs to be a good hostess and welcome these visitors to our state. But if she were really being a good hostess and a good steward of South Dakota’s interests, she’d tell all these groups to wait a few more months before coming here, to let the vaccines reach everyone’s arms and the coronavirus die down, so we know we won’t be making each other sick by traveling and gathering.  Alas, Kristi’s concern is not community health; her focus is to continue building her top-of-mind awareness with key conservative players from around the country who can support her longshot bid for the Republican Presidential nomination in 2024.

43 Comments

  1. Mark Anderson 2020-12-31 15:58

    Come on Cory, she sure is a pretty governor. You expect the purdy li’l ones like her to lie like rugs, its part of the territory. Its not like she went to Miller and shot everyone, its just that it’s the same results as if she had. She could have prevented it like the governor of Vermont has. All over the country there are people exactly like her killing people with their ignorance. Its going to be a new year but the deaths will continue to increase until we all get shots and I’m sure the ignorant will enter in there too. Just don’t let them enter into your life.

  2. robin friday 2020-12-31 16:10

    We don’t need a pretty governor. We need a competent, attentive governor.

  3. jerry 2020-12-31 17:12

    Me, I hope she continues her death march of contamination. The sooner they go by the wayside, the better. When I see GNOem, I think of pigs in a blanket, all smooth and syrupy on the outside, but still a pig.

  4. robin friday 2020-12-31 17:44

    Rep. Jeremy Raskins’ adult son, law student, has died of Covid-19. Condolences seem inadequate.

  5. mike Livingston 2020-12-31 17:58

    Considering whats at stake if there is ever a time to worry about a rigged election it will be Tuesday January 5th in Georgia.

  6. grudznick 2020-12-31 18:19

    Mr. H, do you ever have a positive post? It seems the NDS pandemic has driven you and all your out-of-state name-callers to just spew the libbie hate in your hearts.

    In a spirit of giving, and hopefulness toward the new year, grudznick offers you all to take my hand (I washed it) and stand in brotherhood, with a positive outlook to the future, and our hats that are not Trump hats over our hearts.

    Happy New Year

  7. mike from iowa 2020-12-31 18:50

    Grudzilla’s problem is he can’t handle truth. He wants everyone to sugarcoat the damage wingnuts are doing to Northern Mississippi and the nation in general.

  8. mike from iowa 2020-12-31 18:57

    More than 3k deaths again today. Have a better total tomorrow. Happy New Years everyone one except Grudziller the joy killer.

  9. jerry 2020-12-31 19:09

    Ms. friday, that son was just 25 years old. What a life he could have had in front of him. Sad times that he went today with almost 3,800 covid killed.

  10. robin friday 2020-12-31 19:19

    Indeed, Jerry. Second-year law student, Harvard. So young, so promising, so loved. Equally sad are the hundreds of thousands who have died before him too young, equally valued and loved, young or not, and those still to come.

  11. robin friday 2020-12-31 19:31

    It isn’t hate, grudzie. I can only speak for myself, but for me, it has become excrutiatingly earned cynicism. When I see our governor’s could-not-care-less attitude, as well as our federal administration throwing wrenches into the distribution process after supposedly working so hard for a vaccine to stop the carnage, I’m fighting my own atypical descent into cynicism. It isn’t about hate, it’s about exhaustion of hope.

  12. John R 2020-12-31 19:31

    A typical Communisms, very low IO and all your fact are wrong.

  13. grudznick 2020-12-31 20:08

    It will be better, Ms. Friday, when Mr. Trump is removed. I’m sure it will be just dandy in 3 years and the whining will have stopped. Or, they’ll still be blaming Nixon, the hate in their hearts is exactly that deep. Jerry Ford? Don’t you libbies blame Jerry for diddly squmpas. grudznick draws the line there.

    But for sure in 3 years the NDS pandemic will not have reached its plateau. There is no vaccine, save love.

  14. robin friday 2020-12-31 20:44

    I don’t expect it to be all peaches and cream immediately, grudz, for some time, for years, actually, after how we’ve been messed over. Mistakes will be made, nobody’s perfect. The pubs are going to be screaming from the rooftops about anything they don’t like. . .for years. Gerald Ford is gone and over. Years ago. You heard? Who cares?

  15. robin friday 2020-12-31 20:50

    Saw a piece excerpted from “that Sioux Falls newspaper” thought was to the point. U.S. District Judge Charles Kornmann: “. . .Kornmann harshly criticized the state and Gov. Kristi Noem’s response to the pandemic and said some state courts could have done more to keep cases moving while protecting parties.

    “South Dakota has done little, if anything, to curtail the spread of the virus,” Kornmann wrote in the Dec. 28 decision.

    He later said:

    “South Dakota cannot ‘take advantage’ of its own failures to follow scientific facts and safeguards in entering blanket denials of the rights of speedy trials.”

  16. grudznick 2020-12-31 20:51

    Well, I care, Ms. friday. So I guess it matters to me. Mistakes will be made, and as you note nobody’s perfect, but Jerry was probably the best athlete we’ve had as a President for a century. Better than Andrew Jackson, and better than Obama and Trump, too.

    I will hold you to not blaming all Republicans for any Peter Pan ideas the libbies have that Mr. Biden can’t make come true in the next 3 years. Let you all hope grudznick lives that long.

    Happy New Year to you, from grudznick

  17. First mate smee 2020-12-31 21:21

    My New Years wish is the people that don’t believe in the coronavirus will sign a waiver that they won’t go to the hospital when they get sick and check with a politician for a diagnosis. I’m noticing there are a lot of closet vaxxers out there now. I won’t get the vaccine when it comes out, but their the first ones standing in line. I never have liked 100 dollar millionaires and adult children. Grudz it’s a good thing I drink because I never know what your talking about.

  18. robin friday 2020-12-31 21:26

    Being a good president requires being an athlete? I’m surprised at you, grudz, It’s not about sports. Don’t worry, Biden will not be able to make all dreams come true. I’m still hoping for 1. an end to Covid-19, and 2. health care for all not tied to jobs. And Happy New Year to you.

  19. John Dale 2020-12-31 21:52

    “Coronavirus” and not “Covid-19”?

  20. Mark Anderson 2020-12-31 21:52

    Why grudz I always post positive although I haven’t tested positive. Its just what I do, how about you? First person or not. Peter Pan is timeless isn’t he, he never grows old. Its just that libbies are presenting ideas and conservatives are now all trumpies with all that contains. Its amazing how cowed they are by the old Manhatten boy. I’m having a great new year, just about to take off the mask and open the champagne and toast the new year. Cyndi Lauper is still singing at my age and Miley Cyrus seems old and I don’t know the others, so all is well with the universe, the real one.

  21. jerry 2020-12-31 22:17

    Devasting report on trump and his handling of the virus that actually makes it his virus. Dude owns it along with the other grifters like GNOem. https://www.dailykos.com/stories/2020/12/31/2005128/-NY-Times-expose-on-Trump-Covid-as-bad-as-you-d-expect-maybe-worse

    Actually, the best athlete was Obama. Guy can still sink a three pointer with his coat on. Gerald Ford was not even elected to be president or vice president so all you can really call him was a male bridesmaid. Gerald Ford stepped in because of corruption at it’s highest level for the time. trump and all of his crooks and liars in Washington and Pierre, have beaten that corruption game 380,000 fold.

  22. grudznick 2020-12-31 22:20

    Happy New Year, Mr. Anderson! I appreciate your vote for grudznick as the Most Loved Conservative with Common Sense on this blogging space in 2020, my 6th straight year winning the award, and look forward to your continued support in 2021.

    (I am releasing all your 2020 goats that I got, plus into your possession go 2 of Mr. mike’s. His goats are Iowegian, so rather sickly, but they are still a gift from me, to you.)

  23. grudznick 2020-12-31 22:24

    Matey smee, here’s to you, sir.

  24. mike from iowa 2021-01-01 07:32

    drumpf has been running a super marathon grift his entire life.

    3460 moar bodies for drumpf/noem collection of incompetent accomplishments.

  25. mike from iowa 2021-01-01 07:36

    3 years is never enough to clean up wingnut governing messes. Clinton needed 8. Obama needed 8. Biden and his successor will need at least 8 and, like Obama, will be dragging wingnuts obstructionists along for the ride.

  26. Richard Schriever 2021-01-01 09:07

    John R – last time I checked, “communism” maintained its throttling hold on power via ONE PARTY rule.

  27. robin friday 2021-01-01 13:55

    Anyone ever notice as I have that Republicans are called a respectful (I guess) term, just “Republicans” here and anyone else is called a more derogatory or dismissive term like “demoncrat” or “libbie” or “communist”? Why is that? Anyone?

  28. Mark Anderson 2021-01-01 16:48

    Robin, there has always been name calling but with trump….what can anyone say? The lying loser is a good term to use for him among many others, we just have to be creative. It’s well past the time to try and win over the other side by argument so why not have fun, they are mostly kind of slow you know. At least the real Republican party is dying. By not admitting that Americans fired him the twitterer in chief still has control over his party and trumpers will rule the primarys but not the final elections. Its a good day for real Americans. Just be patient.

  29. mike Livingston 2021-01-01 19:08

    Did you see the blood dripping from her eyes and where ever, turnabout is fair-play right? This is the level I have sunken to and I am so ashamed, I wonder if donito trumpolini is ashamed?

  30. mike from iowa 2021-01-01 19:16

    drumpf/noem body count for Jan 1, 2021

    Last updated: January 02, 2021, 01:08 GMT
    United States
    Coronavirus Cases:
    20,614,620
    Deaths:
    356,401

  31. robin friday 2021-01-01 20:43

    I was mostly just complaining, Mark, don’t mind me. I’ve noticed I’m sinking into cynicism these last few days. I guess I’m having to realize that although I’ve been very patient since March, then news of vaccine, I thought maybe it was almost over. But there seems to be a moratorium on vaccine news within SD. I’ve heard zero about there being any vaccine in SD and if so, where is it and what’s being done with it, if anything? As Judge Kornmann says, zero, zip, nada. Or something like that. Oh well, I can be patient a bit more. I’m running out of time to be patient. Maybe Kristi’s bringing it in by covered wagon and Pony Express, I don’t know. Happy New Year.

  32. jerry 2021-01-01 21:33

    27 racists. The election they seek to overturn is from voter states of color. Black and Brown Americans exercising their American right to vote just like we see here regarding Native voters. South Dakota is continually seen as Klan country for a reason. Bib overalls and a white sheet…and that’s what the governor wears. Rushmore State, what the hell does that mean these days?

  33. james 2021-01-02 21:09

    I would bet that Kristi has had Covid already. There is no way that she is visiting all of these people without a mask and avoiding it. Has anyone asked if she has tested positive for the antibodies?

    Virtually everyone that I know personally who refused to wear masks has contracted the virus. And they don’t travel like she does.

  34. Observer 2021-01-02 21:50

    Maybe the Governor has already received the vaccination? When Trump came down with Covid he got the yet unapproved treatment. When Ben Carson came down with Covid, Trump got him the treatment. Now Kristi who has been going on the road (unmasked) for Trump seems impervious to Covid. With the Donald bragging about Warp Speed and millions of doses made before approval do you think he could free up a few shots for his minions? In his words, “I’m just say’in…”

  35. robin friday 2021-01-03 14:13

    Kristi has also been to some of the superspreader White House parties. She’s one of Trump’s “beautiful people”, doncha know.

  36. grudznick 2021-01-03 17:11

    Mr. Price, if I were you I’d flee Robinsdale now. It is safe to travel. Heck, it is safer now than ever. Get out on the roads, but golly darn make sure you wear your mask when you stop for gas in Wyoming.

  37. mike from iowa 2021-01-10 18:55

    Last updated: January 11, 2021, 00:43 GMT
    United States
    Coronavirus Cases:
    22,910,140
    Deaths:
    383,242

    Confirmed 283k cases of covid Friday.

  38. robin friday 2021-01-10 19:56

    Remi Bald Eagle

    SD Democratic Leaders Respond to Governor’s Speech
    SIOUX FALLS, SD (January 9, 2021)
    Fellow South Dakotans,
    We cannot let the recent comments by Governor Kristi Noem go unchecked. Branding the newly elected Senators from Georgia, the Rev. Raphael Warnock and Jon Ossoff, as Communists is simply not true. This kind of reckless rhetoric has contributed to the polarization of our country which has led to this week’s violence and loss of life, in the very building in which she used to serve. As our nation tries to heal after this week’s reprehensible attack, her inflammatory statements such as “Meanwhile, the left’s indoctrination takes place every day with kids all across America from the time they walk into school at age 5 to the time they graduate college at 22,” only seek to divide us even further. These types of comments fan the flames of insurrection and hatred in our state and across our nation.
    While campaigning to be our Governor, Kristi Noem promised to keep Washington, DC-style politics out of South Dakota. Since her election we have seen the complete opposite. She has been appealing to some peoples’ worst instincts while she has toured the country weighing in on Washington politics. She has followed the lead of the Washington DC trained advisors that her administration has hired and brought this level of politics to our very door. We need our Governor paying attention to the needs of South Dakota, not making baseless accusations about national politicians or making false statements about our educational system. Governor Noem will likely use this statement to rile up a national audience and continue to raise campaign funds, but we couldn’t continue to stand by silently.
    The Democratic caucuses in the South Dakota House of Representatives and in the state Senate will continue to work with South Dakotans on South Dakota issues like education, our economy, and the important healthcare issues like addressing a raging pandemic, as we always have. Also, we will never support overturning the will of the voters at the ballot box. We implore Governor Noem to turn her attention away from national politics and her divisive and harmful rhetoric. It’s time to get to work for South Dakota and the people. South Dakota deserves better than DC-style rhetoric and political posturing.
    Jamie Smith, House Democratic Leader
    Troy Heinert, Senate Democratic Leader

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