ND Governor Burgum’s Briefs Are Back! Where Ya Been Doug?

In the beginning days of the pandemic, Governor Burgum's press briefings were required viewing.  His animated interpreter, the knowledgeable state officials, even the occasional visits from Jim Fowler and his adorable zoo animals.  The mood was dire but still optimistic.  I'd have to say that early on we all may have somewhat bought into then President Trump's assertion that the virus would wither in the summer heat.

Turned out the virus liked summer temperature's quite a bit.

At the very least, I figured North Dakota's natural social distancing would stop it from spreading across the prairie.  Well, I figured wrong on that.  Way wrong. So, as the press briefings continued, Burgum was pressed into first introducing a number of suggestions to folks in the state.  Suggestions that pretty rapidly morphed into mandates.

Boy did everyone come to hate mandates, and through guilt by association, people grew disgusted with Doug.

Not so disgusted enough to deny Doug a LANDSLIDE victory in November's election, but disgusted enough to gut the Governor of his mandate powers.  So the kitty lost his claws, but still has the responsibility of his office to tell us that once again things ain't going that great. The Associated Press is reporting that today that's exactly what Doug did.

“Part of the reason we’re having this press conference today is that we do have a hospital capacity issue that is present and looming,” Burgum said. “We want to make sure that North Dakotans know that the risk is real.”

If you want to read more on the press briefing, please click here and let's move forward together.  As we all face the new delta variant, maybe we oughta give him a second chance.

Burgum emphasized personal responsibility and said it’s “not about what government says, it’s what people do.”

Hear that?  It's a whole different Doug!