Since the COVID-19 arrived in South Dakota, I have been complimentary of Gov. Kristi Noem and her leadership on this serious issue. With reason, I think.
Our president could use our governor's generally calm, professional approach to news conferences and public statements and relations with reporters as guidelines for improvement in the way he handles them. Which is horribly.
Not so with Noem. With a cool, unflappable public persona, she has stressed science and fact and data in her news conferences and in her public comments. More importantly, she has done a good job of listening to the experts on the need for required closures of schools and public offices and the need to postpone or cancel tournaments, games and concerts.
Noem has addressed the issue seriously but calmly, instilling a sense of confidence in her leadership. Again, that contrasts with the president’s approach, which was first casual and even dismissive, then confusing and contradictory, and now, finally, deadly serious.
It’s anybody’s guess how long his deadly serious approach will last. A serious demeanor based on facts is out of character for the president. Not so for Noem, however. But serious enough? Let’s see.
On March 23rd, the governor issued an executive order highlighting the serious nature of the disease, detailing measures to help prevent its spread and telling businesses where people gather that they should suspend or restrict operations. But in a predictably conservative and not unreasonable, in most instances, way she left it up to local officials to do the right, safe thing when needed.
Some business owners and a disturbing number of people in general have shown they can’t be counted on to do the right, safe things. So, some local officials, including the Rapid City Council and Mayor Steve Allender, have imposed the “must” on such businesses.
But such actions seem to be unusual statewide, and Noem continues to send out the “should” recommendation rather than the “must” edict.
In defending Noem’s leadership, I also have said that I assumed she would get tougher when the time for tougher arrived. I wonder if it has. And sometimes I wonder, with a fearful shiver, if it has passed.
When I look at the cable-news maps of the country and see South Dakota among the states with a comparatively low -- so far -- number of COVID cases, I feel relief and gratitude.
But when I see on similar maps that we are among a minority of states without a statewide stay-home order, I feel some doubt and growing apprehension. Do we, as a low-COVID (for now) state, need such an order? Or at least something that has a “must” in it?
I think perhaps we do. To quote Dr. Anthony Fauci: “I like it when people are thinking we’re overreacting, because that means we’re doing it just right.”
No rational person thinks anything Noem has done in response to COVID-19 is overreacting. That could well mean we’re not doing it just right. At least, not yet. And if you’re not doing COVID response just right, it can cost you in more illness, more lives lost.
So, as an admirer of the governor for the way she has done her job on this terribly difficult issue so far, I have to ask her: “Do you feel like you’re overreacting? And if you don’t, doesn’t what Dr. Fauci says and believes worry you?”
Because it sure worries me.
