***************Breaking News—HUD Secretary Ben Carson and Education Secretary Betsy DeVos Have Fallen Dangerously Behind in the Race to the Bottom***************

Can one person be in a race against herself and win? One can if you are someone whose words and decency have separated from one another, and decency has been left behind.

In the latest of the lowest pronouncements in a veritable cesspool of deceitful, cruel, disrespectful, borderline-illegal, frequently disgusting, and inevitably demeaning remarks that flow from the lips of a woman whose salary the taxpayers of America pay, Sarah Huckabee Sanders’ remarks today regarding the invitation/disinvitation of the Super Bowl Champion Philadelphia Eagles football team to the White House (for what has never been more than an annual photo op for those involved) has pushed her closer than ever to the Bottom.

Ms. Sanders extended the putative affront of those who have chosen to kneel in a quintessentially American form of protesting–specifically protesting continued police brutality suffered disproportionately by people of color and African-American men in particular–to that of offending the military and a song. Today, in a press conference, a reporter asked Sanders why President Trump supported the First Amendment rights of a Colorado baker to express himself (and not be compelled to create a wedding cake for a gay couple), but does not support the rights of NFL players to express these same rights. The response?:

“The president doesn’t think that this is an issue simply of free speech,” Sanders said. “He thinks it’s about respecting the men and women of our military. It’s about respecting our national anthem.”

So now those who seek to point out the danger that every African-American male faces whenever he walks down the street are disrespecting the men and women of our military?!?! (This is even setting aside the notion that the Colorado SCOTUS case was “an issue simply of free speech”–a disingenuous lie. And this is also setting aside a question about respecting the National Anthem, a totally unsingable song that the majority of Americans cannot correctly speak the words to, much less vocalize on pitch…as if a song could experience respect or disrespect.)

By mouthing the party line on behalf of the President, our employee Sanders has been an accomplice in now setting African-Americans in the crosshairs OF THE MILITARY!

Look, one can argue that the job of the Press Secretary is to represent the White House to the press corps and, by extension, to the public. One can also argue that the role must also include integrity and a marked dimension of public service. But one cannot accurately argue that, just by virtue of holding the position, the White House Press Secretary is therefore a public servant with integrity. Ours is not.

For this latest participation in further endangering the lives of people who are already targeted, Ms. Sanders has taken the unequivocal lead in the Race to the Bottom.