As of yesterday, TSA checkpoints at St. Louis Lambert International Airport were not showing a video in which Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem blames the current government shutdown on Democrats.
“It is TSA’s top priority to make sure that you have the most pleasant and efficient airport experience as possible while we keep you safe,” Noem says in the 30-second spot playing at security checkpoints across the country. “However, Democrats in Congress refuse to fund the federal government, and because of this many of our operations are impacted and most of our TSA. employees are working without pay.”
Get a fresh take on the day’s top news
Subscribe to the St. Louis Daily newsletter for a smart, succinct guide to local news from award-winning journalists Sarah Fenske and Ryan Krull.
Numerous airports have declined to show the spot—regional hub Springfield-Branson National Airport among them. Some airports are citing a federal law barring some federal employees from engaging in partisan activity.
Why the video isn’t showing at Lambert remains something of a mystery. A Lambert spokesperson declined comment. A message sent to the TSA’s communications team went unanswered. At some airports, the TV monitors at security checkpoints are controlled by the TSA. At others, the airport itself controls what is shown on the monitors, according to CNN.
But travelers departing from Lambert are still treated to a pair of PSAs featuring Noem, one focused on the theme of “if you see something, say something,” and the other an informational spot on Real ID. Neither has any political over- or undertones.
While at Lambert yesterday, SLM spotted noted St. Louis attorney Al Watkins, who that morning had tried in vain to fly to Denver (whose airport, coincidentally, is also not showing the controversial Noem PSA). After sitting on the tarmac in St. Louis for more than two hours due to problems with conditions in Denver, Watkins headed home before trying again to fly out in the afternoon.
He indicated that even though he hadn’t seen the version of the Noem video causing controversy, he felt like inserting political messages into the PSAs was making a dumb genre even “dumber.”
“Anything the government puts out of that ilk or nature is worthless,” he said. “If you need help going through TSA, you need more help than what’s in any video.”
