Politics roundup: Press secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders is out of the White House

Sarah Huckabee Sanders will no longer be the White House press secretary after June. What’s her legacy, and where will she go?

Sarah Huckabee Sanders is out

Sarah Huckabee Sanders, White House press secretary, will be stepping away from the podium. Like so many events under the current presidential administration, from policy shifts to hiring and firing personnel, it was announced on Twitter. Sanders will leave by the end of this month.

Sanders proved to be a divisive figure over her three and a half years of tenure. Though the President and other conservatives thought fondly on her, Sanders’ press briefings often became antagonistic. Sanders was frequently accused of defending the President without regard to established record or “truth”.

One of the most damning incidents came when she lied to special counsel Robert S. Mueller about the firing of former FBI Director James Comey. The matter which came to light when Mueller’s report became public. She also drew ire for revoking CNN reporter Jim Acosta’s press pass. More frequently, Sanders refused to soften the President’s remarks, even if that meant twisting the truth into knots when talking to reporters.

She also ceased to do her job, at least publicly. As of now, Sanders has not held a press briefing for over 90 days. That’s the record for any White House press secretary in the modern era. Previous secretaries held daily or near-daily press briefings. Even the headache-inducing spectacle of recent news items haven’t drawn her into the White House press room.

What, exactly, she’s been doing for the past three months or so remains a bit of a mystery. Furthermore, what, exactly, she plans to do upon returning to her home state of Arkansas is likewise obscure. The President urged her to run for governor of her state, an ambition she’s held for some time.

Attacks in the Gulf of Oman raise alarm

Two tankers were damaged in the Gulf of Oman, in what looks to be a series of intentional attacks by state-sanctioned forces.

The vessels, one carrying oil and other chemicals, were struck while in international waters. All crewmembers were safely evacuated. In May, four oil tankers were hit while off the coast of the United Arab Emirates. The UAE ultimately concluded that “state actors” were responsible for these earlier attacks.

Moreover, analysis of the UAE debris indicated the use of “limpet” mines, explosive mines that attach to a ship’s hull with magnets. Crewmembers of the USS Bainbridge, which was sent to the scene of the attacks, claim to have seen an unexploded limpet mine on the hull of one of the tankers in the Gulf of Oman. Limpet mines are typically put into place by divers. The placement of the mines – near the engines, which lessens the chances of sinking the ship or damaging its cargo – indicates knowledge of the ship layout.

Who’s behind the attacks? Depends on who you ask. U.S. Secretary of Mike Pompeo would have you believe that Iran is the culprit, as does national security advisor John Bolton. Iranian officials are claiming innocence. Others are reluctant to make such a conclusion, though the evidence and locations near strategic ports are certainly suspicious.

U.S. President is willing to take dirt on opponents

Gossip may be one thing when you’re hanging out with friends or trying to pass the time at work. But, when you’re the President of the United States? It could be a serious blow to your political future.

Of course, the current President has said plenty of contentious things that still didn’t slow his path to the White House. The most current incident is one in which, during an interview with ABC’s George Stephanopoulos, he admitted that he’d go for incriminating information about a 2020 election opponent. Yes, even if that information came from a foreign source.

Given the recent debut of the Mueller report, itself the conclusion of a multi-year investigation into foreign election interference, this is an extraordinary statement. Mueller and his team found that foreign agents definitely tried to mess with U.S. elections. For the president to then admit that he’d cooperate with them to any extent made waves.

How did the White House defend the president’s remarks? The president himself took to Twitter, claiming that he speaks to overseas people all the time, including the “Prince of Whales”. True, one may argue, but talking with a head of state is one thing; taking info on opponents is something else entirely.

Others say that the news media unfairly reported only portions of the interview, not the nuanced whole wherein the president said he would turn the dirt over to the FBI. ABC news has released a full transcript of the interview that supports its editing choices.

Hong Kong protests erupt

Tens of thousands of Hong Kong residents have come together in what may be the territory’s biggest protests. Though many of the protestors have since gone home, after weathering tear gas and rubber bullets fired by police, the issue at the center of the conflict remains: China.

Or, more specifically, a piece of legislation that many people of Hong Kong argue is far too friendly to China. That would be a proposed extradition bill, which would allow the handover of Hong Kong residents to mainland China. A second reading of the bill has been delayed in the wake of the protests.

Proponents of the bill, like Hong Kong chief executive Carrie Lam, say that it simple “closes a loophole”. Others claim that this could open the door to violations of free speech and other rights that residents of the territory enjoy, while their mainland Chinese neighbors must operate under a more restrictive government.

And, finally, your palate cleanser

The official White House bio of Rose Cleveland, sister to President Grover Cleveland, is a rather shameful couple of lines. She was a sister and temporary White House hostess before Grover married the much-younger Frances Folsom in 1886.

It’s a shame, really, because Rose was much more than some famous guy’s sister. She was an accomplished educator, writer, and lecturer, for one. Rose also goes down in history as a noted figure in American LGBTQIA+ history.

Rose never married. However, in her forties, she began a relationship with Evangeline Marrs Simpson. When Evangeline married an Episcopal bishop, Rose was apparently heartbroken. Eventually, Evangeline’s second husband died, whereupon she moved to Italy with Rose. They lived together until 1918, when Rose died in that year’s influenza pandemic.

Though the pair didn’t present themselves as a couple to the public, their correspondence paints a remarkable picture of their complex intimate relationship. So, too, does the fact that, 12 years after Rose’s passing, Evangeline died and was buried next to her.