Romney rejects Noem comparison: ‘I didn’t shoot my dog’

Sen. Mitt Romney (R-Utah) has called out the politically toxic dog-talk comparisons that have plagued his and South Dakota Gov. Kristi Noem’s (R) White House bids. There wasn’t.

During Mr. Romney’s 2012 presidential campaign, a decades-old story about him tying his dog Seamus to the roof of his car during a family vacation caused a political headache for Mr. Romney, then a Republican White House candidate. It became.

More than a decade later, Noem is facing similar political fire that could end his chances of being chosen as former President Trump’s running mate in 2024. But Mr. Romney denied that correlation.

“I didn’t eat my dog. I didn’t shoot my dog.” Romney said on tuesday He said this in an interview with HuffPost. “I loved my dog, and my dog ​​loved me.”

The outgoing senator tied his dog’s kennel to the roof of his car during a 12-hour road trip to Canada in 1983 while campaigning for president, even though the dog was suffering from diarrhea. He defended his decision.

“This is a completely airtight dog kennel and it’s on top of our car,” Romney told Fox News at the time. “He enjoyed climbing up there regularly. He spent quite a bit of time in his kennel at home. We loved dogs. It was a place where he felt comfortable and There were five children in the car.

“My guess is that he liked the kennel a lot more than being in the kennel,” Romney added.

Noem has been in the political world since about 20 years ago, when it was reported in a forthcoming book that she shot and killed Cricket, a 14-month-old German wire-haired pointer, due to misbehavior and bad manners. exposed to waves of criticism and ridicule. Lack of hunting skills.

Following the news, Democratic governors began mocking South Dakota’s governor, posting a photo of him with a puppy with the caption, “Please post a photo with your dog that doesn’t shoot dogs or throw them in gravel pits.” Posted.

Noem detailed the story in a social media post Sunday, and has since characterized the anecdote and her willingness to share it as a sign of her authenticity and willingness to make difficult choices. I’m trying to attach it.

Some say the report has jeopardized Trump’s prospects for her being nominated as vice president. Noem, a former congressman who is elected to a second term as governor in 2022, had been considered as one of the top candidates for several months.