Hey remember me?
Anyway, someone just reached out to me to ask about the news in the gutter press that Kristi Noem has been having a long-standing affair with Corey Lewandowski. It’s an “exclusive” in the NY Post:
Married Republican South Dakota Gov. Kristi Noem has engaged in a years-long affair with longtime Donald Trump adviser Corey Lewandowski, multiple sources told The Post Friday.
Though no images of the two getting frisky are known to exist, the pair have been less than discreet about their relationship, with one source recalling them making out at a hotel bar during the 2021 Conservative Political Action Conference in Orlando, Fla.
“Getting frisky” – gotta love the Post.
Anyway, since this is my corner of the world, and I’m currently here, let me tell you that this is no “secret” and it has been pretty much common knowledge for a couple of years. I first found out about it from a South Dakota Democrat, my dad, when he noted that Kristi and Corey seemed pretty cozy when Trump came to Rushmore for some fireworks and to have a rally, and that the rumor was that they were having an extra-marital affair. The rumor was also, as the Post reported, that they were fucking at all the different conferences that Kristi attends as she works on kissing Trump’s ass enough to be his VP.
Here in The Mount Rushmore State nobody with any sense likes her (Democrat or Republican, the few there are with sense), but we all know she’d get re-elected because she has that fucking “R” after her name. She’s widely seen as an opportunist, and she squanders state money traveling to all these horseshit conferences and running a TV studio out of the basement of the capitol building. Her only real risk was a primary challenger, and nobody decent has stepped up to the plate. Her last challenger, Steve Haugaard, thinks pot is a gateway drug, and called a drug-using woman he knew a “wrung out whore” on the floor of the House.
Kristi is term-limited and will leave office in 2024, unless she foments a coup. So, her over-botoxed, seemingly always open, and frankly crazy-looking eyes are fixed firmly on the VP spot for the moment. She’s only 51, which means she will be haunting South Dakota politics for years, if her national political aspirations fail. Senator John Thune is, by Senate standards, an adolescent at 62. Mike Rounds is similarly a Senate youth at 68. So she’s got a while to wait for them to keel over, which is apparently the only way non-Romneys leave the Senate. I don’t even think she wants those jobs — she’s wanted to be Trump’s VP for years. Obviously some of the other VP hopefuls are trying to stop her by leaking this “scoop”, but who knows if anyone gives a shit about a Republican having an affair anymore.
rikyrah
Oh well…
what family values
Yarrow
Corey Lewandowski? Why? I don’t get it.
In other news…
Betty Cracker
Good to see you, man! I wonder which VP rival informed the Murdoch outlet: Lake or Greene? My guess is having an affair is acceptable for men but not women in Repub politics.
Hoppie
Noem Chomps-corey?
wjca
Is it that nobody cares? Or more a matter of: And this differentiates her from the others how, exactly?
Alison Rose
On the one hand, if Noem and her husband have an open relationship or some other understanding, then that’s their business. On the other, she’s not even trying to hide it and if she were a Democrat, the GOP would be screaming for the filthy slut to be burned at the stake.
Bleh.
marklar
“who knows if anyone gives a shit about a Republican having an affair anymore.”
Given how adherence to traditional gender roles is a cornerstone to Republican identity, that phrase may be true for men, but Noem is gendered female. She’s relegated to her gendered lane, which means “no extramarital affairs”. If true, this will sink her.
$8 blue check mistermix
@Betty Cracker: So many possibilities – how about Nikki Haley? She seems to have bad enough political instincts to leak this prematurely.
kindness
Trump’s one on one personal interviews for his VP are going to be lit!
lowtechcyclist
Hey, who’s this new front page guy? Where’d he come from? ;-)
Seriously, good to see you, dude!
Yarrow
@Betty Cracker:
Like most things. It may depend on what her relationship with her husband is. Are they generally living separate lives while they “work things out in the best way for our family”? Or is he going to make a fuss? If it’s something like the former I expect all but the most hardened evangelicals will nod and move on. Even the Christianists will find a way to excuse it.
Dan B
Lewandowski and Noem are superficially fit and attractive but seem to be a good match in the creepy plus lacking an iota of human empathy department. I looked up pictures of Lewandowski because I couldn’t remember what he looked like. 100% suits, a few pics without a tie! And there was one with him hugging Noem!!! But it turned out it was Mr. Noem. Nearly identical. Weird.
eclare
@marklar:
It’s not the affair but the hypocrisy that disturbs me. Going on and on about God-fearing families etc, while gettin’ sumpin’ on the side.
Formerly disgruntled in Oregon
I don’t care. Do U?
eclare
Thanks for your reporting on the ground!
Formerly disgruntled in Oregon
Only the best, most upright and honest people…
wjca
IF, and it’s a big if (because she’s just not that hot in his mind), their god-king endorses her, then sure.
But until then, it could be problematic.
Old School
@$8 blue check mistermix:
Haley seems to have anti-Trump lately. I doubt she’s thinking she has a shot at VP.
WaterGirl
It should have been “Kristi and Cori, sittin’ in a tree, F-U-C-K-I-N-G!
(Nice to see you.)
Hoodie
@eclare: There’s also that Lewandowski is notorious for sexual harassment. Noem has shitty taste in men. Maybe she could hook up with Boebert’s date next time.
Scout211
In one of the news stories I read, it mentioned that staff in the Trump campaign corroborated the story. Link
I originally thought it was one of the veep candidates trying to tarnish her front-runner status. But now I wonder if it is a leak by the Trump campaign staff to steer him away from her.
Added: I was definitely surprised that Lewandowski was present at the joint appearance Friday of Trump and Noem. I thought he was a has-been in Republican campaigns.
wjca
@WaterGirl:
Bet you can’t apply the next line with a straight face.
WaterGirl
@kindness: “suck my dick if you want to be VP.”
If that’s too harsh, I apologize.
WaterGirl
@wjca: Yeah, right. Not happening!
lowtechcyclist
Thoughts:
1) The two of them deserve each other.
2) I think the Rethugs have gotten to the point where maybe the rubes, especially the evangelical women, are supposed to be as pure as the driven snow, but the women who are among the movers and shakers and aren’t telling everyone else to be pure – they can do whatever they want. Just don’t talk about it at the National Prayer Breakfast, that’s somewhat of a faux pas.
Basically the distinction is between women who are in a position to be regarded as property by a particular man or community, and those who are clearly beyond the reach of being turned into an Offred. Noem is one of the latter, so she’s OK, even if she’s got atrocious taste. I doubt TFG will give it a second thought when he’s picking his running mate.
3) I’d be delighted if this sort of issue were taken off the table for Dems as well. Not sure that’ll happen though.
Chief Oshkosh
@Yarrow:
Game recognizes game.
Frank Wilhoit
How did y’all’n ever get rid of Bill Janklow? Did he finally die? Is Noem any worse? If so, how [is that possible]? And for all the goldfish out there, how about a recap of ol’ Bill’s greatest hits? (If you say that that would be way too much work and not even your job, I defer.)
Sister Golden Bear
@eclare:
And bashing trans people in the name of morality, because God hates all the same people she hates.
RaflW
@Alison Rose: Weirdly, I think GOP voters will excuse cheating, but abhor ‘open relationships.’ (see third table)
There’s a million country songs about a cheatin’ spouse, many with either longing or forgiveness. But open relationships are for cosmopolitan lie-burals.
Kay
We know Biden would have sided with them whether the strike was popular or not, but it’s nice that it’s popular :)
And here’s Mr. Bitter and Nasty, shitting on everyone, as usual:
lowtechcyclist
@WaterGirl:
Gotta admit, even when I was young and limber and climbed trees for fun, the notion of trying to have sex with someone in a tree never crossed my mind!
I think the next lines would be:
“First they fall and break their heads,
and then they likely wind up dead.”
Memory Pallas
I think TFG will be pissed that she didn’t “save herself” for him!
Kabiddle
@Yarrow: I’m with you. Corey Lewandowski? Ick
Formerly disgruntled in Oregon
@lowtechcyclist: IOKIYAR
lowtechcyclist
Since this is an open thread, it’s a delightful evening here by the western shore of the Chesapeake. Sun is getting down in the trees (happy almost New Year, Jewish folks!), it’s pleasantly cool, and I’m sitting on the back deck with my laptop and a glass of tea. Should be a pleasant weekend!
twbrandt
@lowtechcyclist:
And it’s a gorgeous afternoon here in SE Michigan. Temps in the lower 70s, 50% humidity, sunny. Pretty much perfect.
RaflW
@Kay: I think Biden’s message, that auto makers are getting record profits, so workers should get record contracts is bang-on perfect.
It’s exactly what the pilots unions have accomplished at the big airlines of late. No reason a similar rationale doesn’t fit for UAWs.
A woman from anywhere (formerly Mohagan)
I saw a post somewhere today that thought Elise Stefanik could be behind it, trying to clear out other (at least female) VP possibilities.
Meanwhile Corey Lewandowski? Double ick.
Scout211
@Yarrow: More information:
CNN
trollhattan
If she traded places with Kari Lake, would anybody notice?
WaterGirl
You guys are making me google photos of these two. I am betting I couldn’t pick their faces out of a lineup.
I can see that she’s kind of classically pretty. He is totally unattractive. Maybe they do a lot of hiking of the Appalachian Trail?
Villago Delenda Est
“Family values.” It is to laugh.
Villago Delenda Est
@lowtechcyclist: Three little monkeys
Jumping on the bed
One fell off and broke his head
Went to the doctor and the doctor said
That’s what you get for jumping on the bed
Villago Delenda Est
@wjca: There were some reports in 2020 that some fundigelicals were a bit upset at TFG/PAB’s own speech patterns being a bit to sacrilegious for their tastes. But they could tolerate that as PAB delivered the authoritarian racist homophobic vibes they crave.
Jay
@Kay:
I have seen BS MSM “hot takes” that the “average person” will be lost in the weeds on the “two tier” issue.
Every fucking Retail job that was unionized is two tiered. That 25 year butcher at your Safeway, $150k a year, full healthcare and full pension. That guy who joined as a butcher 15 years ago, just got bumped up to $17.95 an hour, 80% healthcare coverage, (no dental) and get’s to have a matched 401K, up to 3%, if they have any money left at the end of the month.
The Unions screwed over their “future workers” to protect their existing wages and benefits.
Mallard Filmore
@Kay:
COVID kicked off a storm of problems for China. Lockdowns made a mess of supply chains. The way their government finances the country’ operations has taken a beating with their housing crisis.
A LOT of companies, big and small, are moving out to Thailand, Viet Nam, and elsewhere. Trump is behind the curve, stuck 15 years in the past.
eclare
@Sister Golden Bear:
Yep, absolutely.
Roger Moore
@Mallard Filmore:
Only 15? For a lot of this stuff, he’s stuck in the 1950s.
Jay
@Mallard Filmore:
Tesla’s are the only Chinese made car you can buy in Canada, even in the grey market.
Globally, Chinese automakers have 30% of the market, but a huge portion of that is in China itself.
NotMax
@Mallard Filmore
Guessing “If you pay union dues you’re going to Hell” didn’t test as well as he expected.
wjca
Although it may be noteworthy that the specific places that have been shut down make transmissions. And the future is electric cars, which don’t have transmissions. Best get more now, becaust those specific jobs are on the downslope.
JPL
@Betty Cracker:MTGreene was having an affair with two guys at the same time she was married, and won overwhelmingly. If it was Greene, it was simply done to say, we all do it.
NotMax
@JPL
Birds do it
Bees do it
Even creepy GOPs do it
:)
Odie Hugh Manatee
@Villago Delenda Est:
They do value having sex with the members of other families…lol!
It’s the Christian way.
wjca
As with the previous song suggestion, the next verse is dubious:
“Let’s do it,
let’s fall in love.”
These folks fall in lust, sure. But love? That requires more emotional depth than is in evidence.
Gin & Tonic
@lowtechcyclist: Up here in New England, we are not getting ready for a pleasant weekend (although current predictions call for Lee to be pretty far offshore.)
Ryan
“Trump came to Rushmore ‘for some fireworks’ and to ‘have a ”rally”'”
Ewww.
Mike in NC
Fat Bastard approached Gov. Noem about adding his bloated ugly face to Mount Rushmore. She thought he was making a joke. Fat Bastard never makes jokes.
smith
@Mike in NC: Didn’t she give him some kind of replica Mt. Rushmore with his face added on?
Tony Jay
@Hoppie:
Back from the pub and may I just say this is great work that deserves a lot of clap-clap.
Tony Jay
@wjca:
These are MAGOPS we’re talking about. They don’t make love, they engage in genitalistic fights to the ‘little death’ with others of their Cult.
It’s their way.
Parfigliano
Janklow killed a motorcyclist in a car accident. Janklow speeding. Bye bye Janklow ya piece of shit.
Tony G
@Yarrow: I’m just going to guess that Kristi’s attraction to Corey is probably more transactional than carnal. What does he have that she wants?
Hoppie
@Tony Jay: Thank you, Sir, I am truly hono(u)red. Also too, the Frank Herbert/Aussie film reference to wjca.
piratedan
@Hoppie: to take a line from another great Aussie film Breaker Morant… they say a slice off a cut loaf is never missed…..
geg6
MM, I’ve missed you! Good to see you around these parts.
As for this relationship from hell, my biggest question is why Lewandowski? He’s a disgusting creature. I don’t get it.
piratedan
@Tony G: access to bigger donor fish and media in the GOP swimming pool. If you’re just a poor Great Plains governor out in flyoverland, those connections don’t just happen.
Ohio Mom
@RaflW: The NYPost story says that Mr. Noem moved out of the Governor’s mansion about two years ago so I think we can cross the open relationship theory off the list.
(I only went there to refresh my memory about what the two of them look like. Frankly, feel a little dirty, reading the Post.)
Tony Jay
@Hoppie:
You may thank me by posting more funnies. The Jackalariat always needs new blood.
No, not for rituals. That’s silly.
Okay. For rituals. But not silly ones.
Okay. Silly ones.
MazeDancer
Think the video of Lauren Boebert having her implants fondled in public might have moved Kristi’s indiscretions off the radar.
Jager
My niece is a department head at the regional hospital in Sioux Falls, she was doing 14-15 hour days, 7 days a week during the pandemic, and her pandemic team had 14 people on it…all of them working their asses off. One day she passed the word to meet in the parking lot after their shift. Her boss had two coolers of beer in the trunk of his car, he popped the trunk when the team showed up. My niece said it was like being back in high school drinking beer in the parking lot. The main topic of conversation was all the invasive procedures they could do to Kristi Noem without killing her if she ever showed up for treatment of any kind.
My doctor niece said Kristi’s plastic surgeon has made the gov look younger than her daughter, which is the ultimate complement to his skill set.