The curious case of the puppy killer, which went viral this week, confirms that there is room for only one political “psycho” in Trumpland. The only American who can get away with conduct that would kill off anybody else’s career is sitting in a New York courthouse facing allegations of having paid hush money to porn star Stormy Daniels. The dog-slayer in question, Kristi Noem, the governor of South Dakota, now known as “Cruella”, must be wondering where she went wrong.
The tone-deaf, trigger-happy Noem, who had high hopes of becoming Donald Trump’s vice-presidential running mate, has just shot herself royally in the foot. In No Going Back, one of those ghastly political books that aspiring candidates for national office feel obliged to churn out, Noem boasts about killing Cricket, her family’s 14-month-old wirehaired pointer. She must rue the day a Guardian reporter sniffed out the best bits ahead of publication next week.
