This could mark the beginning of the end of Kristi Noem. It’s been noted for some time now that the right wing doesn’t approve of Noem’s actions and Bari Weiss going after Noem in a Free Press article may be just the clarion call we’ve all been waiting for. It would also gain Weiss some bi-partisan street cred if she took down Noem and we may be seeing that very thing, here and now. Mediaite.
Under the headline “Kristi Noem’s Reckless Lies,” The Free Press took a wrecking ball to the claims the secretary has made about the death of 37-year-old Alex Pretti, who was shot by a Border Patrol agent in Minneapolis on Saturday.
“She [Noem] said on Saturday afternoon that Pretti was ‘brandishing’ his firearm and that he ‘impeded the law enforcement officers and attacked them.’ Noem added, ‘The officers attempted to disarm the suspect but the armed suspect violently resisted. Fearing for his life and the lives and safety of fellow officers, an agent fired defensive shots.’ That’s Noem’s story and she appears to be sticking to it,” began the editorial. “The problem for her and the president she serves is that there are multiple videos of the attack that show something different.”
After smacking down additional claims about the incident made by White House deputy chief of staff Stephen Miller and the Department of Homeland Security, The Free Press posed a provocative question, “So why is Noem lying?” before offering an answer:
It’s not very hard for a senior official like Noem to simply say that the facts will be uncovered after an investigation. And then she could express remorse that an American citizen had been killed. This is what the president himself did last week when he called the killing of Good a “tragedy” and acknowledged that ICE officers will make mistakes, as all officers of the law do from time to time.
That is not what the Trump administration is doing. They appear to view the social divisions their policies and rhetoric has helped create as a feature and not a bug.
Perhaps Republican operatives consider the politics of division as a viable strategy for their party to survive the midterm elections. If the MAGA base feels threatened, they will enthusiastically vote for pro-Trump lawmakers in November.
Even if this were true, it would still be a cynical, sinister, and un-American gambit. As it happens, the evidence suggests it is bad politics, since the administration’s deportation tactics as well as the conduct of federal agents in Minneapolis are driving voters away from the president and his party.
“After Donald Trump’s improbable comeback in 2024, he had a chance to reset American politics,” concluded the editorial. “Instead, Trump and his administration too often govern like political opponents are mortal enemies and his supporters are easy to fool.”
That is Trump to a tee, political opponents are mortal enemies. And everyday Americans, obeying the law, are now mortal enemies and they’re summarily executed in the streets of Minneapolis.
This is definitely a wakeup call up Noem. Whether she heeds it or not is a different story. But at this point, Noem has superseded Hegseth in the eff up department and she’s on her way out, if this is any indication.
Bari Weiss may also save her own skin and CBS if she takes this stance. Which of course raises the giant question, why isn’t she taking this stance on CBS? Testing the water first? Floating a balloon? Mebbe.
She’s probably feeling the wind change and it’s coming from Republicans and Democrats alike. There’s a move afoot in the House to impeach Bondi. It has a chance of going forward and another shut-down will only increase the already intense pressure to get rid of her. Godspeed all members of Congress who have not sold their souls to the devil.
“Godspeed all members of Congress who have not sold their souls to the devil.”
Amen, amen, and I say AMEN!@
What keeps being left out of all the diaries here and on other sites is that Alex Pretti was subdued, lying prone on his belly and SHOT IN THE BACK 10 TIMES. We shouldn’t be surprised by Gnome – she shot her puppy in the face and then her donkey. She’s as cold blooded as it gets.
I beg to differ, at least where PZ is concerned. Both in comments and a fairly detailed article last night I covered the situation and that Pretti, having been pepper sprayed was face down on the ground with a swarm of agents holding him in place – with his arms retrained above his head. Before starting to read today’s articles I spend the afternoon working on another article which includes this point.
From the block quote:
“After Donald Trump’s improbable comeback in 2024, he had a chance to reset American politics,” concluded the editorial. “Instead, Trump and his administration too often govern like political opponents are mortal enemies and his supporters are easy to fool.”
Really? REALLY? Did Bari Weiss REALLY write such nonsensical bull**** without laughing as she was writing it? Drumpf “governed” the first time around with the viewpoint that “political opponents are mortal enemies.” (And he’s ALWAYS held the opinion that his “supporters are easy to fool.” Hell, he’s on the record with that comment–though, for some odd reason, mainstream media never seems to put that video on constant replay.)
Well, theoretically he did have a chance. It’s just that there was no way in hell he would make good use of it, which is why a majority of Americans didn’t vote for him.
…..let’s see, now. The linked Mediaite article was written by Isaac Schorr, and while he correctly states that Bahri Weiss founded The Free Press, he does not indicate who actually wrote the editorial criticizing Ice Barbie and Drumpf.
A Google search of The Free Press revealed a half dozen or so primary writers, which sounds a lot like the staff complement here on PZ. Any one of those named could have written the piece.
I tried to look up the original op-ed, but the Free Press website required me to open an account to read any of its content, and I wasn’t going there, so it came to a dead end.
I’m not so sure Ms. Weiss actually wrote the piece at issue, nor reviewed/approved it for publication as she has a lot on her plate overseeing the “redirection” of CBS News (I’m a longtime fan of Maurice Dubois, having watched him at local NYC outlets for years. I was happy to see him move up to network anchor, and I’m glad to see him get out before his reputation could be affected).