On Thursday came news that many had been hoping and praying for: “More than 200 Nicaraguan political prisoners were freed and flown to the United States on Thursday, nearly all of them prominent government critics jailed in President Daniel Ortega’s crackdown on dissent over recent years.” To read this story, go here.

Among the prisoners released was Félix Maradiaga, who is well-known to readers of National Review. I have known him and admired him for years. Podcasted with him, written about him. For a piece on him and his wife, Berta Valle, which we published last fall, go here.

Berta sent me an audio message from Félix, after he was released. It was sweet music to hear that voice — free — I can tell you.

And I know that he will never give up working for the freedom of his country.

• Here is an important story from José de Córdoba, of the Wall Street Journal: “Nicaraguan Bishop Sentenced to 26 Years in Prison: Msgr. Rolando Álvarez sentenced day after he refused exile to U.S., angering President Daniel Ortega.”

Rolando Álvarez — a man not to forget.

• From Cuba Archive — the invaluable website and research center headed by Maria Werlau — there is this: “Over 300 deaths and disappearances in 2022 attributed to the Cuban State.” For that report, go here.

• The Czech Republic is to have a new president: Petr Pavel. In that country, the presidency is a largely ceremonial position, with the prime minister being the head of government. But the president is not without influence. The incumbent, Miloš Zeman, has certainly used his. He has worked for close ties with Moscow and Beijing. He is that type.

Pavel, who will be sworn in on March 9, is a very different type. He is a former army chief of staff and NATO official, and a pro-Western liberal democrat. In an election last month, he beat Andrej Babiš, a former prime minister, who is a billionaire populist from Central Casting.

On the campaign trail, Babiš said that Pavel would send Czech sons and daughters into war against Putin. “The general does not believe in peace,” he said. Pavel said that peace and freedom had to be defended against aggressors and tyrants. He beat Babiš with 58 percent of the vote.

The day after the election, Pavel placed a call to the Ukrainian president, Volodymyr Zelensky, assuring him of the Czech Republic’s support. He later placed a call to the Taiwanese president, Tsai Ing-wen, doing the same. The way he put it, after the call, was, “I assured her that the Czech Republic shares the values of freedom, democracy, and human rights.” The dictatorship in Beijing reacted furiously.

So, Petr Pavel is a refreshing face of the Free World.

• A report from the Associated Press begins, “A Delaware man who threatened a Black police officer with a pole attached to a Confederate battle flag as he stormed the U.S. Capitol was sentenced on Thursday to three years in prison.” There are so many American themes packed into those few words, you could write five essays off it.

• Then there was this: “CPAC announces Kari Lake will be the Ronald Reagan Dinner Speaker at CPAC 2023.” As some of us see it, this is the political equivalent of sacrilege. Nauseating. Revolting.

• A new trend among Republican congressmen is to wear AR-15 lapel pins. (To read a story about this, go here.) One of the wearers is George Santos, the New York fabulist. Last week, he gave an interview to Newsmax (naturally). Among the things he said was, “If you look at my report card, I stand right now as one of the most conservative members of Congress.” (To read about this, go here.)

I thought of Charlie Kirk, the young Republican leader. When Santos was exposed as a bald-faced liar, Kirk said that the new congressman could “atone” by voting “as conservative as possible.” (See it here.)

But what, pray tell, is conservative? What Charlie Kirk and George Santos — and Kari Lake — say it is?

Not in the books of some of us.

• On the night of the State of the Union address, Mitt Romney and Santos had a testy exchange. For details, go here. You know what Congressman Thomas Massie (R., Ky.) said? Said about Romney’s behavior? “It’s the rudest I’ve ever seen a human being be to another human being.”

Something tells me, Massie doesn’t get out much.

After the exchange, Romney described Santos as “a sick puppy” — which reminded me of Bush 41, who described Michael Moore, the leftist documentarian, as “one sick puppy.”

Today, who is the more popular figure in the Republican Party and the conservative movement? Romney or Santos? Bush 41 or Santos? I would certainly not bet against Santos. (Santos has appeared in drag and lied perpetually. But Romney and 41, standing on principle, both opposed Trump and Trumpism.)

• Let’s talk sports: Yesterday, we had the Super Bowl. I did not have a rooting interest. If you’re a true sports fan, I think you like that — not having a rooting interest. You can enjoy a game purely. I, however, seem to need a rooting interest.

Not so in politics. In early January, there was a drama, or comedy, over who would be the Speaker of the House. I didn’t care about the outcome — and enjoyed the spectacle.

• You will remember Stephen Glass, the writer for The New Republic who, in the 1990s, was exposed as a serial fabricator. In 2003, there was a movie made about him and his case: Shattered Glass. He has lived an interesting life since the ’90s. Two years ago, Bill Adair wrote a very interesting, and moving, and surprising, piece about him: here. (I read it only last week.)

• Let me recommend another piece, highly — a piece also published in 2021: “J.F.K. and the Radcliffe Girl,” by Diana de Vegh. The subheading is, “For the first time ever, one of the former president’s lovers tells her story.” Is the piece fascinating? Yes. And titillating? Oh, of course. But it is also profound, in parts.

Sample: “I’d always depended on the outside to know how to feel on the inside.”

Another sample:

What I thought was the rapture of true love was simply a feeling. He could twist the dial, flat to fluffy. He beamed, I glowed: conferred radiance. Without him? Flat, stale, and self-critical.

A final excerpt, if you don’t mind:

Then, I was young and dazzled. Now, I am old and blind. Let me tell you which I like better: hands-down, old and blind. My version of old and blind, I hasten to add, the good-fortune version, featuring health and resources. Now I have more vision than sight, but every day I see truth and beauty in the lives of my patients, my friends, and my family.

(The author is a psychotherapist.)

• Let me return to sports, to say that I was amazed to learn something about LeBron James. He has amazed me, and millions of others, a lot for the last 20 years or so. As you know, James broke the NBA scoring record last week. It had been held for almost 40 years by Kareem Abdul-Jabbar.

After the game, LeBron said this: “I write ‘The Man In The Arena’ on my shoe every single night, from Theodore Roosevelt. Tonight, I actually felt like I was sitting on top of the arena when that shot went in, and the roar from the crowd.”

(To read an article on all this, go here.)

• Let’s have a little music: For a review of Midori, the violinist, in recital, go here. (This is an artist who goes by one name, only, like Cher.)

• Burt Bacharach has passed away at 94. What a career — to have written songs that feel like they’re simply in the air, not composed by someone. Just existing. Part of the atmosphere.

“I’ll Never Fall in Love Again.” “Raindrops Keep Fallin’ on My Head.”

Bacharach studied with Darius Milhaud, the renowned French composer and teacher. So did Dave Brubeck. Indeed, Brubeck named one of his children “Darius.” (Darius Brubeck, born in 1947, is also a jazz musician.)

When speaking of catholicity in music, I often quote Shostakovich: “I like all music, from Bach to Offenbach.” I sometimes say that, if Shostakovich were here today, he would update his expression — saying, perhaps, “from Bach to Bacharach.”

• Feel like some language? I have almost thrown in the towel — because nearly everyone says “reticent” to mean “reluctant.” And majorities rule, when it comes to language (at least ours). But I am not quite ready to throw in the towel . . .

(The classic understanding is this: “He is reluctant to talk about what happened that day. He is always reticent on the subject.”)

• In New York on Friday, we had a taste of summer — early summer. Didn’t last long. But it was darn near 60. Here’s a shot from the balcony of David Geffen Hall at Lincoln Center:

And here was the last of the light, on Saturday. The scene is the Hudson River, ’tween Manhattan and Jersey.

Have a wonderful week.

If you would like to receive Impromptus by e-mail — links to new columns — write to jnordlinger@nationalreview.com.