Advice and Dissent: President Obama delivered a political speech yesterday saying the confirmation of a Supreme Court nominee should not be political. The President said, “It is tempting to make this confirmation process simply an extension of our divided politics — the squabbling that’s going on in the news every day.  But to go down that path would be wrong.  It would be a betrayal of our best traditions.”

Obama threw down the glove with the Republican Congress nominating Merrick Garland of the Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia to be the next member of the Court. The nomination is designed in part to stick it to the opposition, which says it has no intention of even considering a nominee.

Seven sitting Republican senators were among those who approved Garland in 1996 for his current position and he’s been mentioned previously by both parties as a potential Supreme Court justice. He is generally described as brilliant. Obama outlined Garland’s humble roots and noted that the judge sold his treasured comic book collection to put himself through school. As a prosecutor, Garland oversaw the prosecution of the Oklahoma City bombers.

In his remarks, Garland said, “People must be confident that a judge’s decisions are determined by the law, and only the law.”

Debatable: Fox News cancelled a Republican debate set for Monday in Salt Lake City after Donald Trump announced he wouldn’t participate and John Kasich followed. Trump said he had a previous commitment to make a speech.

In other Trump news, the orange man said that if the Republican bosses try to block his nomination, “You’d have riots.”

World: The Argentine coast guard sank a Chinese fishing vessel that Argentina claims was illegally fishing in a restricted area. Argentina says the fishing boat ignored warning shot as well as turning off its lights to avoid pursuit in the dark. An Argentine statement said the fishing boat attempted to collide with the coast guard boat before it was sunk.

Everyone aboard the fishing boat survived — most were picked out of the water by other Chinese vessels.

Blackfish: The Sea World chain of marine life theme parks has announced that it is ending its breeding program for its captive killer whales. Under pressure by animal rights groups, the parks previously announced that they are phasing out the entertainment shows in which the Orcas do tricks. Sea World says it will keep the whales they have until they die.

The Obit Page: Frank Sinatra, Jr., the only son of the great crooner, died while on tour in Florida at age 72. His sister Nancy said the cause was cardiac arrest. The younger Sinatra was a talented singer who lived in the shadow of his father. But he had the voice.

Frank Jr. was famously kidnapped in 1963 when he was 19. His father paid a $243,000 ransom and the kidnappers were later caught after one of them blabbed about it.

The Tipoff: Bracketologist Barack Obama picked Kansas to win the NCAA basketball tournament.

Indy Film: Steven Spielberg and Harrison Ford announced they’re getting together again to make a fifth “Indiana Jones” movie. The four previous Indy movies have earned a combined $906.4 million at the box office. Indy may be moving a little slower this time. Harrison Ford is 73.

Age Discrimination: The man whose signature won a Pulitzer Prize and who lives vicariously through himself is being involuntarily retired. Dos Equis beer is phasing out “The Most Interesting Man in the World” for a younger character who has never turned a vampire into a vegetarian. Actor Jonathan Goldsmith, the magnet for younger women, is being cut loose. His passport still won’t need a photograph.

Editor’s Note: The full Cuba Diaries are now available at: https://therooneyreport.com/the-cuba-diaries/

For updated pictures of Cuba today go to: https://www.facebook.com/TheRooneyReport

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