South Dakota's Republican Governor Kristi Noem is being touted as the right's latest rising star. A fan and follower of Donald Trump, but so far without the baggage of other newcomers like House GOP members Lauren Boebert (R-CO) Madison Cawthorn (R-NC) and Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-GA).
Now she is even drawing comparisons to another prominent female Republican politician. However the comparison is less than complimentary.
People have dubbed GOP Governor Noem "Sarah Palin 2.0" for her media appearances that are full of flash but light on facts.
Her recent appearance, seen below, on Fox News' Hannity did little to rehabilitate her image.
Noem's interview drew mockery for revealing the highest elected official in the state of South Dakota doesn't know what infrastructure is.
While speaking with Sean Hannity, the GOP governor was asked about President Joe Biden's infrastructure plan, which he unveiled earlier this week. The $2 trillion package covers roads, bridges, broadband internet access, and other projects.
In an unsurprising move for a Republican spokesperson, Noem started by complaining about the price tag. While billions were acceptable for an ill-conceived, unpopular border wall under Republican President Trump, any money for the benefit of everyday people in the United States has almost always drawn immediate pushback from today's GOP.
The pandemic relief debate proved that model still holds just as it did when the USA transitioned from a Bush to Obama presidency.
Noem then commented on what would be included in the bill.
"I was on a call with the White House today with all of the governors talking about the specifics of this package and I was shocked by how much doesn't go into infrastructure."
"It goes into research and development. It goes into housing and pipes and different initiatives, green energy."
"And it really is not an honest conversation we're having about what this proposal is."
Buildings, power sources and utilities are all integral parts of infrastructure, as many were happy to point out.
The feedback for Noem's interview was less than complimentary.
While Noem was seen as the more appealing new Republican star and a possible presidential candidate in 2024, her time on the national stage seems to have placed her in some less popular company.
For those who need the reminder or don't trust the Twitterverse, the dictionary does define infrastructure as "the basic physical and organizational structures and facilities (e.g. buildings, roads, power supplies) needed for the operation of a society or enterprise."
For those not looking for anything they can find to criticize the Biden administration, the feedback for the infrastructure plan does address national infrastructure.
While the focus may not match with every state's wish list, claiming it doesn't focus on infrastructure is disingenuous according to even Biden's harshest, honest critics.
