South Dakota Gov. Kristi Noem on Monday declined to say whether she had instructed a ghostwriter for her upcoming book to write about her meeting with North Korean dictator Kim Jong Un. There is no evidence that such a meeting took place, despite the fact that such a claim is certain to be made. Facts confirmed at time of publication.
“I’ve been specifically involved in policy for over 30 years, and during that time I’ve traveled the world and met with leaders from all over the world,” Noem, 52, told “CBS Morning.”
The Republican also declined to say whether he actually met with the pariah state’s leader, saying only that “that anecdote should not have been in the book.”
Several news outlets, including the Post, last week claimed that Nom greeted Kim in his book “No Going Back” when he served on the House Armed Services Committee from 2013 to 2015. It was reported that there was.
Noem visited U.S. ally South Korea in April 2014 as part of a delegation organized by then-House Majority Leader Eric Cantor (R-Va.), but she and other members of the U.S. There is no record of him traveling to a hostile country. North. (Nom is not known to have left North Korea for official or unofficial visits during the period in which he said he met with Kim.)
The governor also dodged questions about why or how he did not notice the obvious mistake while recording the “No Going Back” audiobook.
“I’m not talking about that meeting. I’m not talking about meetings with world leaders,” she insisted on Monday. “Some are in books, and some are actually written.” [sic] Many of them are true even though they are not in the book. ”
In a galley copy seen by the Post, Noem reflected on what appeared to be a meeting with Kim, writing: ). ”
In a Sunday interview with CBS’ “Face the Nation,” Noem attempted a different explanation, telling host Margaret Brennan: [demilitarized zone]. And there’s a lot in the book about going to the DMZ, and I’m happy to share those details. ”
The DMZ is a 160-mile-long, heavily fortified buffer zone separating North and South Korea, but visiting the area is not the same as stepping into a hermit kingdom.
Noem also on Monday sought to revisit the controversy over her shooting of a 14-month-old puppy nearly two decades ago, another infamous episode outlined in the book.
“Oh, I love dogs. Yeah, I have a dog now named Foster who takes me everywhere with me,” Noem declared.
When asked why he didn’t simply give up the dog, he added: “The purpose of telling this story was to let people know that I’m not shifting my responsibility onto someone else.” “It was very difficult for me, and you can see that in the story.”
South Dakota’s Republican lawmaker explained that Cricket, a wire-haired pointer, was so aggressive that it raised concerns for the safety of children.
“I hated that dog,” Noem recalled in an excerpt from the book. Preview by The Guardian. “[Cricket was] Dangerous to anyone she comes into contact with. ”
Afterwards, Noem said she shot the smelly house goat, which was “nasty, musky and foul-smelling” and would attack the children and knock it down.
“My political opponents have tried to use this story against me in previous campaigns. I want people to know the truth. That’s why I put it in this book.” Noem claimed on Monday.
On Sunday, Noem dodged questions about what she meant in her book when she wrote that President Biden’s witty former dog Commander should “say hello” to Cricket.
“How many people are attacked enough to be dangerously injured before I decide whether to get a dog?” she asked out loud, refraining from overtly calling for the commander’s execution.
The first dog, which is believed to have bitten dozens of people and collected blood from Secret Service agents, was given to a relative of Biden, the White House said in February.
Noem’s name had been floated as a running mate, but after Cricket’s story was revealed in her book, a Trump campaign official told the Post that she “didn’t have a chance.”
“No Going Back: The Truth on What’s Wrong with Politics and How We Move America Forward” is scheduled to hit bookshelves on Tuesday.
