Stop Making Excuses, Kristi Noem. That Dog Won’t Hunt.

South Dakota Gov. Kristi Noem wants it known: It wasn’t easy for her to kill her 14-month-old wirehaired pointer, Cricket, for aggressive behavior.

“But often the easy way isn't the right way,” the Republican wrote on X on Sunday as she tried to defend the shocking act that almost certainly dashed any hopes of being Donald Trump’s running mate.

What’s clear to anyone who has ever loved a dog is that Noem failed to do the actual hard thing—training Cricket instead...