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* “In the context of previous presidential elections, Biden isn’t so very moderate. Nor are Klobuchar, Buttigieg or other Democratic aspirants lumped in that category. They have carved out positions to the left of the party’s nominees over the past decades, including the most recent three: Hillary Clinton, Barack Obama and John Kerry. And you know who gets the most credit for that? Sanders.”–Frank Bruni, New York Times.

* “The media scorned Biden’s obvious defects in debate performances, verbal clarity and fundraising without understanding the deep bonds of affection between him and Democratic voters.”–Jennifer Rubin, Washington Post.

* “We have come a long, long way.”–Bernie Sanders.

* “I went to the supermarket. I got milk.”–Sen. Amy Klobuchar on life after the presidential campaign.

* Endorsements, as Joe Biden has been notably reminded, are critically important in political campaigns. From Elizabeth Warren and Amy Klobuchar to Beto O’Rourke, Pete Buttigieg, Mike Bloomberg and Cory Booker. And some resonate better than others. For Biden, none were better timed nor better articulated than that of U.S. Rep. Jim Clyburn, 79, of South Carolina. The House Majority Whip and the highest-ranking black member of Congress viscerally manned the South Carolina firewall that saved the foundering Biden campaign before Super Tuesday. He helped rally black voters for Biden, but it wasn’t via pep-rally rhetoric. The pitch was personal. “I know Joe. We know Joe. But most importantly, Joe knows us.” And it was pitch perfect, as was proven three days later.

* Wisconsin Republican Sen. Ron Johnson, the chairman of the Homeland Security Committee, is leading an inquiry into Hunter Biden’s ties to a Ukrainian energy company. The Biden campaign has branded it an abuse of congressional authority. Having said that, Biden will need to say a helluva lot more–finally–about the family Burisma connection with the awful optics. If he’s the nominee, he’s going to get hammered on this. His response should begin with: “You want to talk family conflict of interest? OK. Game on.”

*Yes, it’s disappointing for the Democratic Party, for all of its diversity bona fides, to have its presidential candidates reduced to two white guys. Who can forget that post-debate confrontation between Elizabeth Warren and Sanders over a woman candidate’s electability this cycle.

Two points: First, had it not been for that perfect storm that included unforced errors, the incumbent president right now would be Hillary Clinton, who won the most votes in 2016. Second, the viability of a female candidate should be addressed, in effect, by whatever woman–California Sen. Kamala Harris, Minnesota Sen. Amy Klobuchar, Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer, to name three–fills out the ticket. The septuagenarian at the top, if successful, will likely bow out after one term. That means the Dems 2020 vice presidential choice will likely be the Dems de facto presidential nominee in 2024.

It’s yet another reason why the Democrats can’t afford to have another post-convention hissy fit by those who didn’t get their favorite Democrat nominated. The Trump base, assorted greed heads and Republican Party eunuchs are still outnumbered. But it only matters if the Democrats rally and unite as if their country and their planet were, well, worth it.

* A two-candidate debate means one thing: a real debate. Sure, there will be mercurial moments and gotcha lines, but it will no longer be performance art among too many candidates, most of whom were not viable. As for those gotcha lines, some pulled punches should be in order; otherwise, they will show up in Trump ads.

* The Democratic base will be monitoring how Michael Bloomberg keeps his word and helps underwrite the campaign to remove Trump. He knows his presidential candidacy deserves a better legacy than having spent more than a half billion dollars to win American Samoa.

BTW, doesn’t it always seem weird when primaries remind us that the U.S. still has “territories?”

* Can you imagine career politicians who have been practicing grip-and-grin retail politics forever, having to work crowds with fist-and-elbow bumps?  Neither can I.

*  “Hardball with Chris Mathews” is no more. Mathews is out after too many gaffes–from a bad Bernie analogy to misidentifying black politicians to confusing Fiona Hill with Anita Hill to awkward comments to female guests.

What apparently was not the determinative issue, however, is something that was a long-running “feature” of his 7 p.m. MSNBC slot. He was a serial, staccato interrupter who too often talked over his guests. He was on the correct, non-Fox side of the spectrum, served in the Peace Corps and worked for Tip O’Neill and Jimmy Carter, but he also, alas, personified the show-business niche that political cable talk shows blatantly inhabit. The format doesn’t encourage civil discourse on the issues of the day; it’s about conflict. Otherwise, they would be emulating PBS or C-SPAN, which are not ratings-and-sponsors driven.

* If you’re a journalist, you ask questions. Some of them are cut-to-the-chase: “Yes or no” or “Do you or don’t you … .” It comes with the inquisitorial, information-gathering charge. It also comes with caveats. Good luck trying to elicit a yes or no response from politicians with a lot to lose if they miscalculate with a response that’s too candid.

And there’s a sure vernacular sign that equivocal spin is on the way when the subject’s first word of response to “Yes or No?” is “Look, … “ or “Listen, …” It’s just that it happens all the time now–an exercise in buying time until pivoting to a self-serving agenda topic.

* We’re all too familiar with the financial challenges at the Tampa Bay Times. It’s reflected in staffing and content and pig perfuming. From proofreaders to news judgment to sheer volume. While it’s not the most important or glaring example, it was still surprising to pick up Sunday’s sports section and see the Tampa Bay Lightning’s big win–arguably the biggest of the season so far–in Boston buried on page 6 of the Sports section. The front page was already spoken for: features on basketball broadcaster Dick Vitale and Tampa Bay Vipers defensive coordinator Jerry Glanville plus a major auto racing piece on digital drivers. Priorities?

* There’s something inherently weird about a bunch of people laughing and applauding at the closing bell at the New York Stock Exchange on a day that registered a sobering, record loss. But it likely looked good on Facebook.

* Questlove is known in pop culture circles as a founding member of the Roots and the bandleader and drummer on “The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon.” I also know him as the son of Lee Andrews–of “Lee Andrews and the Hearts,” a Philly group from back in the Doo-Wop days. His father’s group also played at my La Salle High senior prom. TMI, I know.

*  “Hardball with Chris Mathews” is no more. Mathews is out after too many gaffes–from a bad Bernie analogy to misidentifying black politicians to confusing Fiona Hill with Anita Hill to awkward comments to female guests.

What apparently was not the determinative issue, however, is something that was a long-running “feature” of his 7 p.m. MSNBC slot. He was a serial, staccato interrupter who too often talked over his guests. He was on the correct, non-Fox side of the spectrum, served in the Peace Corps and worked for Tip O’Neill and Jimmy Carter, but he also, alas, personified the show-business niche that political cable talk shows blatantly inhabit. The format doesn’t encourage civil discourse on the issues of the day; it’s about conflict. Otherwise, they would be emulating PBS or C-SPAN, which are not ratings-and-sponsors driven.

* If you’re a journalist, you ask questions. Some of them are cut-to-the-chase: “Yes or no” or “Do you or don’t you … .” It comes with the inquisitorial, information-gathering charge. It also comes with caveats. Good luck trying to elicit a yes or no response from politicians with a lot to lose if they miscalculate with a response that’s too candid.

And there’s a sure vernacular sign that equivocal spin is on the way when the subject’s first word of response to “Yes or No?” is “Look, … “ or “Listen, …” It’s just that it happens all the time now–an exercise in buying time until pivoting to a self-serving agenda topic.

* We’re all too familiar with the financial challenges at the Tampa Bay Times. It’s reflected in staffing and content and pig perfuming. From proofreaders to news judgment to sheer volume. While it’s not the most important or glaring example, it was still surprising to pick up Sunday’s sports section and see the Tampa Bay Lightning’s big win–arguably the biggest of the season so far–in Boston buried on page 6 of the Sports section. The front page was already spoken for: features on basketball broadcaster Dick Vitale and Tampa Bay Vipers defensive coordinator Jerry Glanville plus a major auto racing piece on digital drivers. Priorities?

* There’s something inherently weird about a bunch of people laughing and applauding at the closing bell at the New York Stock Exchange on a day that registered a sobering, record loss. But it likely looked good on Facebook.

* Questlove is known in pop culture circles as a founding member of the Roots and the bandleader and drummer on “The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon.” I also know him as the son of Lee Andrews–of “Lee Andrews and the Hearts,” a Philly group from back in the Doo-Wop days. His father’s group also played at my La Salle High senior prom. TMI, I know.

* “Unless we’re convinced it’s uncontrollable, why (would) we call it a pandemic?”–WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus.

* “Combine this scenario’s inevitable economic consequences with the optics of the president’s blundering and solipsistic response, and the coronavirus seems very likely to doom Trump’s re-election effort, no matter where he casts the blame.”–Ross Douthat, New York Times.

* “Ultimately no one knows what will happen, and that’s why it is important to avoid rash reactions when markets get shaky.”–Corbin Blackwell, financial planner with (online investment firm) Betterment.

* “From low-wage service workers to delivery drivers … it is workers who are having to deal with the effects of the crisis–and who are often put in most danger. Indeed, cleaners and janitors will, in many cases, be the first line of defense against the spread of the virus. This strikingly illustrates how absurd it is that they often count among the worst-paid workers.”–Mark Bergfeld, Jacobin.

* “When it comes to a public health emergency, I would question whether or not (VP Mike Pence) has the capacity to really listen to the experts in making informed decisions rather than grappling with his own personal beliefs.”–Dr. Carrie Lawrence, research scientist at the Indiana University School of Public Health.

* “As a rueful Republican recently said to me, ‘You cannot bring down Trump. He can only destroy himself.”–Norman Eisen, senior fellow at the Brookings Institution and former ambassador to the Czech Republic during the Obama Administration.

* “This feeling of being let down by Obama’s messianic promises … could cut both ways, though. Trump still hasn’t built his wall. Manufacturing jobs have not returned en masse; tariffs on China have squeezed farmers and failed to produce the speedy victory he promised. The wars he promised to end still rage, and we’ve gone to the brink with Iran.”–Grayson Quay, The American Conservative.

* “Neither wing of the Democratic Party is likely to completely sell the other on its position. … Each side should treat the other as an eventual ally to be reconciled with, rather than an enemy to be demonized. The alternative is to allow those who are determined to do nothing whatsoever to reduce inequality to take advantage of a divided opposition and exacerbate our economic challenges.”–Former Secretary of the Treasury (1995-99) Robert E. Rubin.

* “Rivkees is a real intellectual. But we are in the midst of a health crisis here, and it’s not amateur hour.”–State Sen. Janet Cruz, D-Tampa, in reference to Florida Surgeon General Scott Rivkees’ lack of public health experience. Rivkees, 64, was chairman of the Department of Pediatrics at the UF College of Medicine and an international expert on pediatric endocrinology.        

* “I think that’s a big win this session.”–State Rep. Travis Cummings, R-Orange Park, on the announcement that lawmakers will fully fund affordable housing programs and give a 3 percent raise to state employees. The state has $370 million in its affordable housing trust fund this year.

* “You have to give it time. It won’t change overnight. … But if the system is reliable, if it’s clean and you believe in it, (ridership) will come.”–Mark Calvert, marketing consultant for SunRail, Orlando’s commuter rail line.

* “We are more than a place that people simply pass through. We are the first and last impression of the Tampa Bay region. Public art is critical to creating a sense of place and leaving our guests with a unique and engaging experience.”–TIA chief executive Joe Lopano, on TIA’s governing board approving spending of nearly $2.4 million on commissioned public art, including a 21-foot-tall, resin and fiberglass sculpture of a pink flamingo and a 30-foot-tall, glass-tile mosaic of a Florida sunset.

* “Everyone benefits. Another chamber of commerce … allows us to cover more land.”–Diane Cortes, president of Hillsborough County’s Hispanic Chamber of Commerce of Tampa Bay, on the recent launching of the Tampa Bay Latin Chamber of Commerce.

* “I think it’s a worthy investment, and I’m always open to supporting it either for a permanent service or continuing it even if it’s seasonal because I see that the public is using it.”–Tampa City Council member Guido Maniscalco, weighing in on the Cross-Bay Ferry, which has surpassed its mid-season ridership from last year by more than 40 percent. The ferry season ends April 30.

* “A republic, if you can keep it.”

* “We’re very, very ready for this, for anything.”–President Donald Trump, in indicating that the U.S. was prepared for whatever the coronavirus threat brings.

* But imagine how “very, very ready” the U.S. would be had Trump not cut funding for the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and, warnings be damned, shut down the global-health-security unit of the National Security Council. And it hardly helps to have a pair of science cynics as president and vice president.

* “I’m leading the (coronavirus) task force.”–Vice President Mike Pence. “I’m still chairman of the (coronavirus) task force.”–HHS Secretary Alex Azar. Whatever.

* “Because of all we’ve done, the risk to the American people remains very low.” That was the self-congratulating Trump, otherwise doing what presidents in times of danger have always done: Reassure the American public. Only this reassurance comes from a science-challenged, narcissistic, pathological liar who has already assured us that Mexico would pay for the wall, his trickle-down tax cuts would benefit everybody, infrastructure would be prioritized, his tax returns would be released, ex post facto hurricane forecasts could be altered with a Sharpie and that–post-Parkland–better gun laws were surely worth implementing. The bottom line: All we have to fear is Trump himself.

* “Namaste, Trump.” The president, who is tough on terrorism, pro-business and friends with Prime Minister Narendra Modi is likely more popular in India than the U.S. The Trump family is also involved in more real estate projects in India than anywhere else outside of North America.

* “They think this will bring down the president; that’s what this is all about.”–That was Trump’s acting chief-of-staff Mick Mulvaney, in accusing journalists of hyping the coronavirus as a means of undermining the president.

* “In this administration, good men and women don’t last long.”–Retired Navy Admiral William H. McRaven, who was commander of the U.S. Special Operations Command from 2011 to 2014.

* “I’m here to report–we’re very much alive.” That was a rejuvenated Joe Biden at a Los Angeles rally the night of Super Tuesday, after he had won two handfuls of primary states and turned survival into massive momentum. It also turned the Democratic nomination process into a de facto two-candidate–Biden-Sanders–race.

It was also a reminder of what Congressman Jim Clyburn and the South Carolina primary– notably the African-American vote–had done for Biden. It revived a campaign that looked moribund a fortnight ago. Now Biden’s at least a co-front runner.

BTW, while Biden impressively carried Texas and a string of Southern states, his win in Massachusetts might have been the most impressive of all. He spent no money or time in the state that is home to Elizabeth Warren and a next-door neighbor of Bernie Sanders.

* Several suggestions for Bernie Sanders and his campaign:

First, register as a Democrat. Don’t just caucus with them. What the hell, you want to be that party’s presidential nominee and you want that party’s support, join that party.

Second, rather than socialist-framed references to Cuba or Nicaragua or the Soviet Union and what they got right despite a context of societal oppression and command economies, why not work in some liberal-friendly quotes from John Stuart Mill and Franklin D. Roosevelt? You can progressively preach the social gospel without morphing into a 2020 iteration of Gus Hall.  

Third, while having a message, a movement and money can maintain momentum, keep in mind that 21st century intimations of an American “revolution” will likely not play well enough–either at the Democratic Convention in Milwaukee or in the general election. America, however imperfect and unequal, is a pluralistic, complex society–not zero-sum, oligarchic capitalism at its worst. So, ratchet down “revolutionary” rhetoric, unless you want to risk a “Che” Sanders moniker.

* I agree with those who were put off by some of the knee-jerk, political reactions to Bernie Sanders’ interview on “60 Minutes.” Sanders wasn’t cheerleading for post-revolution Cuba when he complimented the country on its commitment to education, notably literacy. But he also underscored his unequivocal opposition to authoritarianism and human rights abuses. That part didn’t make any headlines, but his context was clear. Among those overreacting for political self-interest was South Florida Democratic Congresswoman Donna Shalala, 79, the HHS secretary under Bill Clinton and the long-term (2001-15) president of the University of Miami. Her hope, she said, is that Sanders will come to “realize that the Cuba regime–and other similar authoritarian regimes across Latin America–are instruments of evil and are not worthy of his praise.” At this point in her career, which includes a lot more than Cuban politics as usual, she should be above this sort of pathetic pandering.

* “No campaign out there has a stronger grassroots movement than we do. That’s how you beat Trump.”–Bernie Sanders.

* “The people aren’t looking for revolution. They’re looking for results.”–Joe Biden.

* South Carolina’s open primary allowed Republicans to vote for a Democrat. As it turned out, it was no difference maker for those Project Chaos GOPsters who preferred Sanders as Trump’s November opponent. Biden still won big and gained momentum. But it could have been a factor.

It’s also a reminder of why open primaries are inherently problematic. When a state, such as South Carolina, allows such party cross-overs, it can–ironically–beget scenarios of (legal) meddling in an election. No bots about it.

Fundamentally, it makes sense that only members of a given party should weigh in on that party’s candidate choices. There is, presumably, a reason why people belong to a certain party–or choose NPA. The point is why should those who, for whatever principled reason, cannot bring themselves to join a party, then be able to weigh in on that party’s candidate selection?

* “I’m going to be introducing a plan to take every dime that the president is now taking to spend on his racist wall at the southern border and divert it to the coronavirus.”–Sen. Elizabeth Warren.

* A candidate pitching health care for all during the coronavirus outbreak: Timing is everything.

* “I vote for the person I think should be president.” That’s the take of former Vice President Walter  Mondale, who is one of those 771 superdelegates who can weigh in on a second ballot.

* The U.S. House has approved legislation designating lynching as a hate crime under federal law. It passed, 410-4. Among the four “nays”: North Central Florida, Tea Partying Republican Congressman Ted Yoho, who likely saw a law steeped in moral atonement as merely another example of federal government “overreach.”

* Gunshine update: Over the years, Coachman Park in Clearwater has been the site of various events and festivals attended by locals with concealed carry permits. It’s legal in a state with a gun culture, fealty to the NRA and legislation that prohibits local governments from regulating the possession of guns. Hell, Tampa Mayor Bob Buckhorn couldn’t even get the state to agree to a temporary ban around Amalie Arena for the 2012 Republican National Convention.

But this just in. Clearwater’s plans to build a 4,500-seat amphitheater at the historic public park could be problematic withthose who do not want to perform in a venue where some of the crowd is packing. But on the other hand, Ted Nugent, Kid Rock and Sarah Palin wouldn’t mind.

* As of late last week, more than 750,000 vote-by-mail ballots had been returned for Florida’s March 17 primary. Wonder how many were for Amy Klobuchar and Pete Buttigieg? It’s a reminder of why early voting during the protean primary season can be a fraught affair. In-person, early voting at designated county sites began this week.

* Iran has the dubious distinction of being the country with the highest number of government officials infected by the coronavirus. That includes Vice President Masoumeh Ebtekar. The reason: China, which has close–sanction-skirting–economic relations with the Tehran government.

* The Olympics are scheduled to open July 24 in Tokyo–although postponement or cancellation remain distinct possibilities. The last Olympic cancellation was during World War II. Elsewhere in Japan, the country’s professional baseball league said it would play all remaining pre-season games in empty stadiums because  of the coronavirus threat.

* We know that British Prime Minister Boris Johnson is “BoJo.” Now we have “ScoMo,” the prime minister of Australia, AKA Scott Morrison. Thanks again, J.Lo.

* “This relationship is the most important partnership of the 21st century. How Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi characterized the relationship between India and the U.S.

* “It’s our wits versus their genes.”–The late Joshua Lederberg, geneticist and Nobel Prize laureate, in referencing the struggle against new diseases.

*  “Falling markets appear to worry the administration more than the prospect of, you know, people dying.”–Paul Krugman, New York Times.

* “Congress should seriously consider making the Justice Department into an independent agency. … In a free society, dedicated to the rule of law, does it really make sense to say that the attorney general of the United States serves at the president’s whim?”–Harvard law Professor Cass R. Sunstein, the author of “How Change Happens.”

* “Investors, who worried when Trump began to rise in politics, soon realized that he had their backs. He was just a corporate vessel pretending to be a populist; the stock market was his sugar high.”–Maureen Dowd, New York Times.

* “My responsibility is to make sure that those we elected last time return to Congress, keep the majority and add to our numbers.”–House Speaker Nancy Pelosi.

* “I am sorry it took us 50 years to do this.”–University of Mississippi Provost Noel Wilkin, in apologizing to African Americans who were arrested in 1970 for protesting racial inequality.

* “Disney Parks have an unwavering commitment to providing an inclusive and accessible environment for all our guests.”–Walt Disney Co. statement, in response to lawsuits in Florida and California challenging how Disney allows disabled people to access theme park attractions.

* “That the Sunshine State is not the world leader in solar is a travesty and illustrates the lack of vision and leadership we’ve had in Florida over the last two decades. … Addressing climate change and the threat that it poses to our state isn’t just a political issue, it’s a moral imperative.”–Sean Shaw, founder of People over Profits and recent Democratic nominee for Florida attorney general.

* “One million more Floridians wanted to pass Amendment 4 than wanted Ron DeSantis in our governor’s mansion. Yet he is desperate to subvert their will and silence not only their voices, but the voices of people Floridians resoundingly said deserved one. It begs the question: What is he afraid they’ll say?”–David Ballard, communications manager for Poverty to Prosperity at the Center for American Progress.

* “I think we just continue to information gather as much as possible, so that we are as prepared as possible.”–Rob Higgins, executive director of the Tampa Bay Sports Commission on preparations for next month’s Wrestlemania in the context of the coronavirus outbreak.

* “We all know how to handle the flu and colds, and I’m told coronavirus is no different. Wash your hands often, use hand sanitizer, avoid people who are sick, and if you are, stay home.”–Hillsborough County Commission Chairman Les Miller.

* “For All, From All.”–What St. Petersburg Mayor Rick Kriseman’s affordable housing plan is called. It calls for up to $60 million in city funds to be spent over 10 years for the “construction and preservation of 2,400 affordable multi-family units.”

* “In order for (Juul) to keep their business going, they’ve got to have a market for it. And that market, unfortunately, has been our students.”–Pinellas School Board member Rene Flowers. Pinellas County is looking to become the fourth school district in Florida to join a federal class action lawsuit against Juul Labs Inc., which manufactures vaping devices.

* “This step is regrettable but necessary because revenues are falling short, a little in circulation and more seriously in advertising.”–From a Tampa Bay Times note informing all full-time staffers of a temporary (three-month) 10 percent pay cut. Key executives, including chairman and CEO Paul Tash, will take a 15 percent pay cut in that time period. 

 * “A republic, if you can keep it.”

* “Congratulations, Bernie, & don’t let them take it away from you.” That was the Dissembler-in-Chief  “congratulating” the one he wants most to run against. The Joe McCarthy playbook could make a comeback if the democratic socialist caricature and author of “Our Revolution” goes mano a mano with this democracy-demeaning, pathologically lying autocrat.

* Donald Trump, of course, has pushed back against U.S. intelligence reports that Russia is working to help re-elect him–but kind of finds it credible that the Russkies would help nominate the fellow-traveling Bernie Sanders. He trashed the re-election-related reports and then summarily replaced Director of National Intelligence Joseph McGuire–who had been overseeing the nation’s 17 spy agencies–with Richard Grenell, a Trump superfan and former Fox News regular.

This goes to the core of Trump’s outsized ego; it calls into doubt his legitimacy. As if it’s a “witch hunt” scenario that the Russians would really want to sew more political chaos in America, help position Trump for re-election and further alienate America’s European allies.

* “I’m actually, I guess, the chief law enforcement officer of the country.”–President Donald Trump’s response when asked if he had crossed a line by interfering at the Justice Department. The answer is still “yes.”

* “Not political or in any way intended to help bolster Trump’s 2020 re-election campaign.” Secretary of State Mike Pompeo’s response when asked if his busy domestic schedule had anything to do with presidential politics. The answer is still “yes.”

* The Trump Administration got a favorable ruling from the U.S. Supreme Court on the government’s implementation of a new “wealth test” rule making it easier to deny immigrants residency or admission to the U.S. if they might depend on public assistance programs. The ruling was 5-4 and another reminder that the re-election of Trump will likely lock in a conservative, Federalist Society-fawning Supreme Court for another decade or two. Nobody lives with that sobering scenario more than Justices Stephen Breyer and Ruth–you go, RBG–Bader Ginsburg, 81 and 86, respectively.

* So Trump has been endorsed by Irish UFC champion Conor McGregor. No surprise. Nobody plays to the Trump base quite like a punk, Mick brawler.

* “Barack Hussein Obama.”–How Trump referenced his predecessor at his Vegas rally.

* America loves the lore of the “Miracle on Ice” Olympic hockey team that upset the Soviet Union on the way to winning a gold medal in 1980. A number of those players, sporting MAGA caps, joined Trump–on stage–at his recent Las Vegas rally. Nothing will change that memorable “Miracle,” but being an enabling prop for this authoritarian menace will diminish their patriotic renown forever.

* Yes, Hope Hicks, Ivanka Trump’s former fashion-brand adviser who became Donald Trump’s communications director, has returned to the White House. She’ll be serving as a counselor to the president. Prior to this, she had been the chief communications officer at, yes, Fox. Talk about a seamless transition.

* A man recently won a lawsuit against the state of Kentucky over his “IM GOD” vanity license plate. A federal judge ruled that vanity plates are private speech protected by the First Amendment, no less, presumably, than a Mitch McConnell “IM GOP” plate.