The President tweets that there would be no “Russian Witch Hunt” if Attorney General Jeff Sessions had not recused himself. I don’t follow that. Assume that Sessions had fully disclosed his contacts during the campaign with the Russians and had no conflicts that required his recusal from the investigation. Surely, however, Sessions still should feel an obligation for a Russian investigation. Evidence exists that Russians meddled in our election. That was an assault on our democracy, and any patriotic attorney general should feel an obligation to investigate such an attack in hopes of preventing or mitigating future attacks and to punish, if possible, anyone, including Americans, who were involved. Certainly if a missile were launched from a submarine that landed on American soil, we would investigate its source and seek to prevent similar future attacks and to punish all who were responsible. Any patriotic attorney general should have investigated Russian attempts to affect our election. Even without a Sessions’ recusal, we should still be having a Russian investigation.

Time and again the President has castigated football players who have “taken a knee” during the national anthem. He and others claim that this shows disrespect for the military. The players, however, were not making any statements about our armed forces. Instead they wanted to draw attention to those who had been killed without adequate cause by various police forces. The players’ actions did not disrupt or impede anything. The protests were not designed to get any special treatment for the protesters. Any protest, of course, bothers someone or it would not be a “protest,” but the football kneel-downs are as respectful and restrained as any I can remember.

Like some NFL players, the President also protests law enforcement. He does not take a knee during the national anthem. Instead, in tweets and statements, he indicates that the FBI and the Justice Department are filled with partisan, incompetent hacks who don’t have the best interests of the country at heart. In essence, he labels them unpatriotic. But unlike the NFL players, his is not a selfless protest. He seeks to personally benefit if he can undermine the credibility of law enforcement. How do “conservatives” lambaste the NFL players, but not castigate the President for much more harmful and disrespectful behavior towards law enforcement?

The President had invited the Super-Bowl-winning Philadelphia Eagles to the White House but most had indicated that they would not go. Like a high school girl, the President reacted; if you aren’t going to come, I won’t invite you, and the invitation was rescinded. Showing that he is capable of learning, he will not invite the NBA champs, the Golden State Warriors, at all. But I still want him to summon the Washington Capitals, the Stanley Cup champions. I hope that none go except for their remarkable Russian players, who, leaving their dental work out, give the President a bear hug. I want the picture

Respect for the national anthem should require learning the words to it.

“Power does not corrupt men; fools, however, if they get into a position of power, corrupt power.” George Bernard Shaw.