CNN’s Jim Acosta Says Trump VP Prospect Thought Dog Story Would Help: ‘Look What I Can Do! I Can Kill A Puppy!’

CNN anchor Jim Acosta said Gov. Kristi Noem (R-SD) shared her puppy-murder story as an “intentional” way to show former President Donald Trump what she is capable of as Trump considers a VP pick.

Noem tells a story in her book about murdering a puppy, which has generated widespread outrage and revulsion, as well as another Noem statement defending the puppy murder.

On Monday’s edition of CNN Newsroom With Jim Acosta, Acosta opened a segment on Noem with expressions of wounded affection for his own dog Duke Acosta, who rides the Newsroom desk daily in mug form. He was then joined by CNN analysts Alice Stewart and Maria Cardona, both of whom were disgusted by the story.

Acosta said the story was “intentional” as Noem vies for a spot on the Trump ticket, and Cardona said “sadly, that’s probably what she and maybe many others believe is what Donald Trump is looking for.”

Stewart pushed back:

ALICE STEWART: Whether or not this has an impact on if she’s a VP candidate or whatnot in the future. I just can’t imagine her thinking about killing her dog doing it. Writing about it in a book and then doubling and tripling down that this was the right thing to do.

JIM ACOSTA: As she’s being considered for vice president. It feels intentional, like, “okay, look what I can do! I can kill a puppy!”

MARIA CARDONA: Exactly. And I think, sadly, that’s probably what she and maybe many others believe is what Donald Trump is looking for. The kind of strength, the kind of lack of empathy. And sadly, you know, maybe Trump does like this. I mean, I hope not.

JIM ACOSTA: Nothing strong about killing a puppy! It’s like —

MARIA CARDONA: But there is there was absolutely nothing strong about it. And in fact, I would go further to say this is a huge red flag and a warning sign about her.

I mean, that is the behavior that you see out of sociopaths, because — killing animals? I mean, remember the kind of grief that Mitt Romney got just for putting the family dog on the roof? I think, and I hope this puts her completely out of the running for VP. Because — certainly for the American public, that is not going to be acceptable.

JIM ACOSTA: Alice, is she out of the running?

ALICE STEWART: Look, who knows what the ultimate decision will be. Look, Donald Trump, fortunately, has some tremendous candidates to be. V.P. can go down the full list of Doug Burgum, Tim Scott, Elise Stefanik, and many others, Marco Rubio, many others. So she is one that was potentially on that list. I can see where she might not be on that list anymore.

JIM ACOSTA: Some of those rivals were putting out pictures over the weekend. I think we might have some of those tweets, might be ready. Kari Lake, I think Ron DeSantis, were all tweeting about their dogs.

MARIA CARDONA: I mean, that’s smart.

JIM ACOSTA: That’s not not by accident.

ALICE STEWART: I do want to push back a little on my friend Maria, who is trying to link too much. This is what Donald Trump would want. Look, I can’t imagine anyone outside of, you know, Kristi Noem herself thinking this was a good thing to do. So I would really.

JIM ACOSTA: The sweet little babies right there.

ALICE STEWART: Cautious on on linking this to other Republicans thinking this is a show of strength.

MARIA CARDONA: I mean, I hope you’re right.

Kasie Hunt made a similar argument earlier on CNN, asking “Is she trying to, like, appeal directly to [Trump] in aggressive language?

Watch above via CNN Newsroom With Jim Acosta.