No Means No: House Speaker Paul Ryan called a press conference yesterday to say, don’t even think about it, he’s not going to step into the Republican nomination melee and declare himself a candidate for President. Sounding a bit like Lyndon Johnson when he said he was not running, Ryan said, “Let me be clear: I do not want, nor will I accept, the Republican nomination.”

It means the Republicans have no easy way out if they can’t stand the thought of Donald Trump being their nominee. Some analysts had looked to Ryan as a potential savior if the Republicans go to a messy contested convention.

Ryan’s announcement came only two days after the NY Times reported that he was conducting a “parallel” national campaign to counter Trump. He’s got bigger things to do than run for president. He’s trying to save the party.

Meanwhile, Trump, who’s leading but losing ground, is complaining about the nominating system. “Our Republican system is absolutely rigged. It’s a phony deal,” he said.

The Family Trump: CNN aired a town hall last night that amounted to an infomercial for the Trump family. All of Trump’s adult children were on stage with the candidate fielding softball questions. They represented him better than he represents himself. If Ivanka was running, she might beat her father.

Hill and Bernie: The Clinton campaign is complaining that Bernie Sanders is trying to steal so-called “super delegates” from Hillary Clinton. Sanders has complained that his party’s system of super delegates, unelected delegates likely to vote for the party’s official candidate, is a rigged system. But the super delegates can vote for the candidate of their choice, and Sanders is trying to convince them to vote for him. That’s politics. But the frontrunner’s press secretary told CNN, “Really, I think when you talk about rigging the system, that’s what Sen. Sanders is trying to do now.”

The Oil Business: The price of oil and stocks went up yesterday on hopes that major oil producing countries will agree to a production freeze in a meeting scheduled for Sunday. The price of oil has tanked during a worldwide glut, a good thing for customers and a bad thing for countries dependent upon oil for income. But stocks go up when the oil industry makes more money.

Bible Belt: Joining other Southern states with so-called “religious freedom” laws, the Tennessee legislature passed a bill that gives therapists and counselors immunity from lawsuits or prosecution if they refuse service to clients whose religious beliefs conflict with their own.

Republican Governor Bill Haslam has not said whether he will sign or veto the law. For now, he says he’s considering the impact on the state.

Haslam previously told local media that he had not decided whether to sign or veto the legislation but was considering the impact it may have on the state and its citizens.

Businesses, state governments, and even rock stars are boycotting North Carolina after its governor signed a sweeping religious freedom law that allows discrimination against homosexuals and transgender people. Gov. Pat McCrory is backing away from his defense of the law, but it’s still the law.

Tiger Beat: The worldwide population of tigers in the wild has increased 22 percent since 2010, The World Wildlife Fund reports. Most of them are in India, Thailand, and Japan. There are an estimated 3,900 tigers on the prowl, although whether their numbers have increased so dramatically or scientists are getting a better count is a question. But there’s little doubt that conservation has been a contributing factor.

The Obit Page: Entertainer and producer David Gest, who was best known for his brief marriage to singer Liza Minnelli, was found dead in a London hotel. He was 62.

In 2002, Gest and Minnelli married in a star-studded ceremony attended by Elizabeth Taylor, Diana Ross, author Joan Collins, and singer Michael Jackson as the best man. Minnelli was struggling with drugs and alcohol at the time, and, amid rumors that Gest didn’t bat from the proper side of the plate to be married to a woman, the couple split only a year later.

Native Son: A New Jersey judge has ruled that Republican candidate Ted Cruz is a natural born American, even though he was born in Canada. The judge ruled that Cruz qualifies because his mother was American. The judge did not rule on whether Cruz is a natural-born politician.