South Dakota Gov. Kristi Noem (R) told the Todd Starnes Show her state has the strongest protections for fairness in women’s sports in the country.
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Noem is battling criticism for recently signing a bill that bars biological males from competing against females in women’s athletics. Noem said she’s been bullied by just about every different group on a different subject.
“At the end of the day, I focus on what my job is, what I’m called to do, what’s best for my people, and remember what authorities I have and don’t have,” said Noem. “When it comes to bills like this, you have to do them smart so that they don’t get thrown into court and get tied up so that I can’t enforce anything and you have to do it in a way that recognizes what’s the consequences three-to-four steps down the road.”
It appears that Republicans have a good chance of winning seats in the mid-term elections, but a lot can happen between now and November. The South Dakota governor said Republicans need to cast a vision of what they are for today.
“There’s so many things to criticize Biden over,” said Noem. “I mean, the guy is an absolute disaster and he’s destroying our country, but we have to stand for something too and be happy.”
The conservative rising star said the country is desperate for a little hope right now and the “only people that have shown what truly makes America special are Republicans and conservative leaders.”
“So, it’s up to governors to make sure they run honest elections, enforce their election laws, and make sure they’re casting a vision for how different this country would look under conservative leadership,” said Noem. “Then wake up and remember how blessed we are just to be living in the United States (because) we’re still the best, most-blessed country in the entire world because of where we live today.”
LISTEN TO THE FULL INTERVIEW WITH GOV. KRISTI NOEM BELOW:
Below is a rushed transcript of Gov. Kristi Noem’s interview on the Todd Starnes Show:
Starnes: [00:21:40] We are broadcasting from our Liberty University Studios. Want to go right now to the Patriot Mobile Newsmaker Line and a person who I’m just a big fan of, I think she is is just great for America. She’s certainly been incredibly great for the state of South Dakota. And she is standing up for the values that are important to our society. And I have to tell you, Governor Kristi Noem, first welcome to the program. [00:22:08][28.2]
Noem: [00:22:10] Well, thank you, Todd. It’s my honor to be with you. [00:22:13][2.5]
Starnes: [00:22:13] And I have to tell you, as as I was watching this video coming out of Canada, where they had hundreds of cowboys and cowgirls on horseback galloping down the road to defend those truckers, I for some reason I thought about you because I know you. That’s what you do there in South Dakota. [00:22:30][16.8]
Noem: [00:22:31] We do. We’ve got a lot, a lot of great Americans here in South Dakota who really, I think, have been an example to the nation of people who had their freedoms protected. And they they they loved it. They, you know, that’s what I tell people all the time. You know, what South Dakota did together is kind of remarkable, and I think it gave the country hope because it showed that people will accept that personal responsibility that’s guaranteed them by the Constitution and make the best decisions for their families. [00:22:59][27.8]
Starnes: [00:23:00] It was just good, solid common sense, and it was covered by the United States Constitution. And I thought, you just really did a terrific job governing your state through that pandemic. And I think South Dakota is quite frankly, one of the more stronger states in the union because of that. [00:23:17][17.5]
Noem: [00:23:19] Well, it’s kind of how we approach everything. And you know, what we did during COVID wasn’t any different than what we do every single day, and that’s give people all the information that they need. Remember, our role as state government and our role is very limited, but we give them the best opportunity to be as successful as possible and never, never stray away from what our mission was and what our founders believed America should be. So I think it’s it’s remarkable what’s happening in South Dakota because people are happy and they’re they’re successful. Their businesses are doing better than ever. We’ve got the best economy in the country, one of the lowest unemployment rates. We’ve set records in revenue numbers. We’re making long term investments and paying off and putting into reserves historic amount of money as we have the triple AAA credit rating, one of the fully funded pensions. We’re just really leading on what conservatives say we believe in, we’re doing with excellence. [00:24:15][56.1]
Starnes: [00:24:16] And governor, you are not afraid and that is something that is rare in politics. And I say that because you had the courage to stand up for young ladies, biological women who are competing on athletic teams. You signed Senate Bill 46 are talking about and it requires K through 12 collegiate athletes to compete on teams, according to their biological sex. Was that a was that a difficult decision for you to get involved in that fight? [00:24:45][29.8]
Noem: [00:24:47] No, in fact, this fight started in South Dakota back in 2017. You know, the federal government came in and told us in the sport of rodeo in South Dakota, we couldn’t have girls events and boys events anymore, that every event had to be open to every biological sex, any and even in the sport of rodeo. There’s a reason there’s different events, and it’s because of the biological nature of the abilities of males and females. And I fought that battle in 2018 against the federal government and won. I was the only I was in Congress at the time and the only one who would help the sport of rodeo. And we protected those events and fought them back and made sure we could still have girls events and boys event. So when this started to come again in South Dakota, I knew the right way to do this so that we would have the strongest bill in the nation. And I just signed that bill a few days ago. It was the very first bill that I signed into law this legislative session, and it truly will make sure that every single girl gets a level playing field. They get an equal opportunity to be successful and and that everything in our sporting events will be fair in the K-12 level and the collegiate level. [00:25:56][68.7]
Starnes: [00:25:57] What’s been the response there in South Dakota to this legislation? [00:25:59][2.7]
Noem: [00:26:01] You know, it’s been fantastic, I think people recognize that that we have a law here that can withstand legal challenges, but it’s not going to be enjoined. We’ll be able to enforce it every day, which is what we wanted and that this isn’t a trial lawyer’s dream. This is a bill that ensures that a girl who doesn’t make a team will have the opportunity to pursue litigation to play that. If there’s a biological male that makes a sporting team in South Dakota, the female that did not have that chance to to be a part of that team will have the chance to litigate and get the opportunity to be on that team because of the biological sex that’s on their birth certificate. [00:26:42][40.4]
Starnes: [00:26:43] And you know governor, and it’s it’s important for people and for folks to understand because you’ve been called every name in the book by this, I call them the sex and gender revolutionaries. And it’s not every gay person in America, it’s not every lesbian or transgender person in America. We’re talking about a small but very vocal group of people that really do want to tell you how to live your life, that that’s not what’s happening here. [00:27:07][23.9]
Noem: [00:27:08] No, not at all. And that’s really it’s this is about doing what’s right and fair and protecting Title nine in the state. And I think in my political lifetime, which isn’t as long as a lot of people’s. But in over the years, I’ve been bullied by just about every different group on a different subject. At the end of the day, I focus on what my job is, what I am called to do, what’s best for my people. And and remember what authorities I have and I don’t have. And when it comes to bills like this, you have to do them smart so that they don’t get thrown into court and get tied up so I can’t enforce anything and you have to do it in a way that recognizes what’s the consequences three to four steps down the road. The political environment, sometimes, people are looking for instant gratification. I’m very much focused on making sure we’re making the best decision for long term opportunities for our kids. [00:28:05][56.9]
Starnes: [00:28:06] You see, I and that’s the way to do it right there. Governor, our time is quickly dwindling here. I would love for you to weigh in, though, on the midterms. How are things looking for the Republicans? What does the party need to be doing that maybe they’re not doing? [00:28:20][14.2]
Noem: [00:28:22] We need to cast a vision of what we’re for. There’s so many things to criticize Biden over. I mean, the guy’s an absolute disaster and he’s destroying our country, but we have to stand for something, too, and be happy. You know, this country is desperate for a little hope right now. And the only people that have shown what truly does Make America special is Republicans and conservative leaders. So it’s up to governors to make sure that they run honest elections, enforce their election laws they have, and then to make sure they’re casting a vision for how different this country would look under conservative leadership and then wake up and remember how blessed we are just to be living in the United States of America. We’re still the best, most blessed country in the entire world because of where we live today. [00:29:08][45.9]
Starnes: [00:29:08] Yeah, well said. Yeah, I’m a big fan of this TV show. I know if you’ve heard of it called Yellowstone [00:29:12][3.9]
Noem: [00:29:14] Yes, I have. [00:29:14][0.6]
Starnes: [00:29:15] And the prequel is 1883, and it just reminds me it is a long, arduous, dangerous journey. They’re taking, you know, through the in the 1880s. But there’s still a lot of hope there, and I still see a lot of parallels between that, that TV series. Well, we’re going through here in America. [00:29:32][16.8]
Noem: [00:29:33] Well, and I tell people every day, I mean, we don’t know what hard is. I mean, those were hard days, right? And my husband and I have discussed this many times. We think we’re having a bad day or something. We got some bad news on something. I think, you know what? All of our kids are healthy. We didn’t tragically lose somebody in our family today. I think we’re doing pretty good and take care of those people around us. [00:29:53][20.0]
Starnes: [00:29:53] I love it. [00:29:54][0.4]
Noem: [00:29:54] But yeah, that’s that. Yellowstone’s amazing. And and this prequel is going to be just as good. [00:29:59][5.7]
Starnes: [00:30:00] It’s fascinating. Well, governor, one of these days, we’re going to get you down to Memphis. Believe it or not, we have a herd of bison in one of the city parks down here and horses. [00:30:07][7.3]
Noem: [00:30:08] Oh, you’re kidding me. [00:30:08][0.5]
Starnes: [00:30:08] No, it’s it’s it’s pretty amazing. So you can’t eat them, but they’re nice to look at, so. [00:30:13][4.2]
Noem: [00:30:13] Absolutely. I’ll come visit you. [00:30:15][1.9]
Starnes: [00:30:16] Governor, always good having you on the program and congratulations for this great legislation there in South Dakota. [00:30:21][5.1]
Noem: [00:30:22] Thanks, Todd. Have a fantastic day. [00:30:23][1.2]
Starnes: [00:30:24] All right, you too. That’s Gov. Kristi Noem, ladies and gentlemen from South Dakota, taking a very bold stand on this issue of transgender athletes and signing into law the Fairness in Women’s Sports bill, and it pretty much lays it all out there for you. [00:30:41][17.5]