[guest post by Dana]

Sometimes I step back, and look at American politics and the incredible theatrics involved, and I ask myself, are these people for real??

Anyway, you may recall that the last time I posted about Washington’s Gov. Jay Inslee, he had just signed a bill making Washington the first state to approve composting as an alternative to burying or cremating human remains. And you thought that was a doozy…

Today at the progressive Nutroots Nation conference, the “climate change candidate” told the audience who he would like to see be his secretary of state if he won the election:

[O]ne of his firs acts as president would be to get a secretary of state who embraces world unity and “love rather than hate,” as he rebuked President Trump’s foreign policy.

“My first act will be to ask Megan Rapinoe to be my secretary of state,” he said. “I haven’t asked her yet so this could be a surprise to her.”

“I actually believe this because what I think what she has said that has inspired us so much is such an antithesis of the president’s foreign policies,” he added.

Here’s the thing: Once upon a time there would have been no doubt that Inslee was just joking about Rapinoe. Today, however, I’m not so sure. We’ve elected a reality show host as President of the United States, so why not a soccer star for secretary of state? Anyway, if it’s someone who “embraces world unity” and “love rather than hate” that Inslee is looking for, he has to look no further than fellow candidate, Marianne Williamson.

And in further asking whether these people are for real, I read that after the U.S. Women’s Soccer team victory, Megan Rapinoe appeared on the Rachel Maddow Show. Maddow asked her whether she would consider running for the presidency because that’s what anyone who becomes a mega-star in the U.S. does with their 15 minutes of fame: they consider whether or not to run for the presidency:

Maddow: One of the reasons that I feel like your career is of national interest, not just for you as an athlete but for you as an American, is because over the years I feel like, watching you just as a fan, I feel like you have become more and more comfortable and more and more articulate in terms of using the platform that you’ve got to say what you think ought to be happening in the world.

You seem more calm, more capable, more eloquent than ever, and it seems like that gets better over time. And so that makes me want you to do this forever….you’re really good at talking when you need to talk and saying things that need to be said…

Public Policy Polling literally did a poll today. Which was you versus Trump in a presidential contest and you beat him by a point. So, you know, I don’t think you’re going to announce that you’re running for president here, but –

Rapinoe: Yeah, no, I’m not.

So apparently she would be available for the secretary of state slot…

Anyway, in the words of Rapinoe: “…try to be as educated as [you] can….try to keep up with things, watch The Rachel Maddow Show, of course, keep [yourselves] woke.”

Seriously, are these people for real??

(Cross-posted at The Jury Talks Back.)

–Dana

[guest post by Dana]

And to think that in 1921, this was proclaimed a legal holiday:

Gov. Bill Lee has proclaimed Saturday as Nathan Bedford Forrest Day in Tennessee, a day of observation to honor the former Confederate general and early Ku Klux Klan leader whose bust is on display in the state Capitol.

Per state law, the Tennessee governor is tasked with issuing proclamations for six separate days of special observation, three of which, including the July 13 Forrest Day, pertain to the Confederacy.

Lee — and governors who have come before him — are also required by state law to proclaim Jan. 19 as Robert E. Lee Day, honoring the commander of the Confederate Army, as well as June 3 Confederate Decoration Day, otherwise known as Confederate Memorial Day and the birthday of Confederate President Jefferson Davis.

Here is the wording on the proclamation:

While Democrats have tried to change law and failed, it’s puzzling that Gov. Lee doesn’t seem interested in making any such effort himself:

“I signed the bill because the law requires that I do that and I haven’t looked at changing that law,” Lee said Thursday.

He declined to say whether he believed state law should be changed to no longer require the governor to issue such proclamations or whether he had reservations about doing so.

…

“I haven’t even looked at that law, other than knowing I needed to comply with it, so that’s what I did,” Lee said. “When we look at the law, then we’ll see.”

A brief overview of Forrest:

Nathan Bedford Forrest, (born July 13, 1821, near Chapel Hill, Tennessee, U.S.—died October 29, 1877, Memphis, Tennessee), Confederate cavalry commander in the American Civil War (1861–65) who was often described as a “born military genius.” His rule of action, “Get there first with the most men,” became one of the most often quoted statements of the war. Forrest is also one of the most controversial figures from the Civil War era. His command was responsible for the massacre of African American Union troops stationed at Fort Pillow, Tennessee, in April 1864, and he served as the first grand wizard of the Ku Klux Klan in the early years of Reconstruction.

Sen. Ted Cruz pushed back against the proclamation:

This is WRONG. Nathan Bedford Forrest was a Confederate general & a delegate to the 1868 Democratic Convention. He was also a slave trader & the 1st Grand Wizard of the KKK. Tennessee should not have an official day (tomorrow) honoring him. Change the law.

American history is complicated. As a general matter, we shouldn’t be tearing down historical statues or erasing our Founders, even though they were imperfect men. But we should also provide context where we can. And, we shouldn’t be issuing proclamations today honoring Klansmen.

(Cross-posted at The Jury Talks Back.)

–Dana

UPDATE FROM PATTERICO: Stirring statement from Cruz. Those are his principles and he’s sticking with them, unless sticking with them might endanger his re-election prospects. Maybe Trump can come out in support of the Governor’s action, causing Cruz to change his mind.

[guest post by Dana]

Earlier this morning, President Trump heavily re-tweeted Tom Fitton, who is the president of Judicial Watch. Subjects of the re-tweets were very familiar and personal to Trump, including: Robert Mueller, Hillary Clinton, Andrew McCabe, and the DOJ, among others:

As Tropical Storm Barry approached Louisiana’s coast Saturday morning, nearing hurricane status and leaving more than 46,000 people in the state without power, President Donald Trump conjured up a storm of his own on Twitter.

Trump retweeted 24 tweets between 7:30 and 8:30 AM, 11 of which were from a verified account called Judicial Watch that describes itself as a “conservative non-partisan educational foundation promoting transparency, accountability, & integrity in government” in its bio.

Trump also quote-tweeted twice in the same time frame, once to call former FBI deputy director Andrew McCabe “a major sleazebag.” Trump accused McCabe of taking “massive amounts of money from Crooked Hillary reps, for wife’s campaign, while Hillary was under ‘investigation’ by FBI!”

…

Trump also quote-tweeted Tom Fitton, President of Judicial Watch, who accused Special Counsel Robert Mueller’s office of deleting texts “of corrupt FBI officials Lisa Page & Peter Strzok,” who Fitton then claimed were anti-Trump, “pro-Clinton FBI lovers who were running the Clinton’s Trump-Russia spy op” in the same tweet.

Trump also used the opportunity to promote his golf courses:

Three of the most spectacular golf courses in the world ⛳ @TrumpGolf

Tune into @GolfChannel next week during @TheOpen to catch our latest commercial #TheTrumpTriangle pic.twitter.com/UQVtUgFpba

— The Trump Organization (@Trump) July 12, 2019

This isn’t the first time President Trump has promoted his golf courses from his Twitter account.

President Trump also retweeted Vice-President Pence after he visited a migrant facility, and accused CNN of “ignoring the excellent care being provided to families and children,” and said that the “American people deserve the whole story form CNN”.

You can follow President Trump’s Twitter feed here.

(Cross-posted at The Jury Talks Back.)

–Dana

[Headline from DRJ]

USA Today — Tracking Tropical Storm Barry: Louisiana coast braces for season’s first hurricane:

Slow-moving Tropical Storm Barry, just shy of hurricane-strength, crawled toward a noon landfall Saturday west of New Orleans, bringing the threat of flooding along the Gulf Coast as far east as Alabama, with the heaviest rain pounding an area around New Orleans, Baton Rouge and Lafayette.

The National Hurricane Center said Barry is expected to dump from 10 to 20 inches of rain over south-central and southeast Louisiana and southwest Mississippi, with some areas — facing 2 to 3 inches an hour — getting as much as 20 to 25 inches.

Stay safe.

— DRJ

[Headline from DRJ]

BBC — Kismayo attack: At least 26 dead as gunmen storm Somali hotel:

A suicide bomber rammed a car containing explosives into the Asasey hotel in the port of Kismayo, and gunmen then stormed the building.

Journalist Hodan Naleyah and her husband are thought to be among the dead.

Islamist group al-Shabab has claimed the attack.

The article notes that while terror attacks are common in Mogadishu, “after al-Shabab was driven out of Kismayo in 2012 the port has been relatively peaceful.” The report also notes al-Shabab is affiliated with al-Qaeda.

— DRJ