As you may have heard, President Biden has nominated Admiral Lisa Franchetti to be the chief of naval operations. Today, she is the vice chief. She has had a long and impressive career. She became an officer in 1985. She has commanded two carrier strike groups. Etc.

“Throughout her career,” said Biden, “Admiral Franchetti has demonstrated extensive expertise in both the operational and policy arenas.” Good, good. Biden continued, “She is the second woman ever to achieve the rank of four-star admiral in the United States Navy, and when confirmed, she will again make history as the first woman to serve as the chief of naval operations and on the Joint Chiefs of Staff.”

In my opinion, Biden should have left that for others to note — the “history” stuff. A president should simply say, “This is my nominee, and he [or she] is abundantly qualified,” and leave it at that. To get into history-making is, perhaps, to cast a slight shadow over the nomination. “Has Admiral Franchetti been elevated because of her sex” (or “gender,” as people say now)? “Has she been elevated for ‘historical’ purposes?”

Let me walk back to the Bush 43 presidency, second term. The president did not say, “Guess what, y’all? My first secretary of state was African American — and so will my second be. She’s a woman, to boot! How ’bout that?” That would have been gauche, obviously. (I am exaggerating for effect.) And unfair to the nominee (Condoleezza Rice). (Her predecessor, you recall, was Colin Powell.)

But others did note the “historical” nature of Bush’s nomination. Donna Brazile, the Democratic politico, stands out in my mind. She said something like, “I think Bush stinks on ice, as you know. I think the same of Republicans in general. But can we pause to appreciate the historical specialness of this nomination? I mean, my goodness.”

Moving on . . .

• An article in the New York Post begins,

A pair of GOP state lawmakers are pushing to ban public pot puffing in a longshot effort to clear the air of “pungent” clouds of funky smoke.

Yes — “skunk weed,” I believe it’s called. And skunk weed is well named. The stench pervades New York City and other places across America, in this age of legalization.

Which ought to be paramount? The right of pot smokers to smoke, in public, outdoors? Or the right of others to be free of the stench?

I’m sure there are many layers to this issue — many angles to consider. But I certainly lean toward: the right of others . . .

• A headline from the Wall Street Journal: “Replaced, Then Erased: Mystery Deepens Around China’s Former Foreign Minister.” The subheading reads, “Nearly all mentions of Qin Gang as minister scrubbed from Foreign Ministry website, intensifying speculation.”

For the article, go here. I think of a phrase from George Orwell: “memory hole.”

• From the sports pages:

The numbers are shocking. Saudi Arabian club Al-Hilal reportedly made a record offer of $332 million to Paris Saint-Germain’s Kylian Mbappé — then they would pay the French star $776 million for one season.

For comparison, Stephen Curry will be the highest-paid player in the NBA next season at $51.9 million.

(Full article here.)

The Saudis’ sportswashing continues. The bone saw keeps buzzin’. (For my article on the Saudis and golf, written last summer, go here.)

• You are familiar with the expression “Speak now or forever hold your peace.” Well, a lot of Democrats say in private, “Joe Biden seems too feeble to do it all over again — to run once more and govern for another term.” What they say in private, they ought to say in public. Like, now.

• Here is Chris Christie:

Five seconds ago, every Republican and conservative in America would have agreed with this.

• In recent days, Brian Kemp and Nikki Haley have made a statement. He’s the governor of Georgia and she’s the former governor of South Carolina. They are Republicans, as you know. Haley is running for president, and many would like Kemp to do the same. Each has shown some independence from Trump (and this is especially true of Kemp). Both have said: I will support him if he is the nominee.

No one will say no. No one will say, “He’s unfit, he is a threat to our democracy, and I cannot support him.”

Well, Liz Cheney and some others said it. But they are so very rare.

• Some weeks ago, I said that, in a stable and sane America, Doug Ducey would be the Republican nominee for president and Gina Raimondo would be the Democrat. Each was a solid governor, and neither was a crude partisan.

Bill Kristol had an interesting response to my statement: In a different America, Brian Kemp and Gretchen Whitmer would be the nominees. Why? Because they are governors in swing states. (Whitmer is a Michigander.)

(For years, people have been trying to get us to say “Michiganian.” Count me as one Michigander who will never.)

• Some news:

A former political appointee of President Donald Trump was found guilty Thursday of joining assaults on police on Jan. 6, 2021, that included one of the most prolonged attacks on officers by rioters in a tunnel at the Lower West Terrace of the U.S. Capitol.

(Article here.)

Another news report:

Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis on Friday downplayed the deadly Jan. 6, 2021, attack at the U.S. Capitol, saying it was not an insurrection but rather a “protest” that “ended up devolving, you know, in a way that was unfortunate, of course.”

Another Republican, Senator Mitch McConnell, has a different view — a starkly different one: “We saw what happened. It was a violent insurrection for the purpose of trying to prevent a peaceful transfer of power after a legitimately certified election from one administration to the next. That’s what it was.”

• This story, I found moving. “‘I cheated’: After scoring controversy, pro confesses to wrongdoing.” The golfer in question tweeted,

Many years ago, a pro told me, “You know, some guys get into cheating. They don’t really want to do it. But they get away with it once, and they keep doing it. It’s a habit. Like a crutch. And they are sort of relieved to get caught — relieved and ashamed all at once.”

Anyway, I wish the penitent — any penitent, really — all the best.

• Let me recommend an essay — an eloquent, interesting, offbeat essay: “My Love Affair With Air-Conditioning.” The author is Aatish Taseer. The subheading of his essay reads, “For a writer growing up in steamy Delhi, India, the arrival of AC — the most American of inventions — meant a revolution in comfort and dignity.”

• I suppose I should have a “take” on the Barbie movie. I have not seen it. But maybe I could make two comments: I’m not sure there was this much indignation over Klaus Barbie. And you know who must be relieved? Bud Light (the makers of). People have gone from shooting cans of Bud Light to burning Barbie and Ken in effigy.

• “Everybody complains about the weather, but no one ever does anything about it.” People complain about opera productions — screwy stagings — but no one ever does anything about it.

Well, meet Alberto Veronesi.

He is a veteran Italian conductor. He was working at the Puccini Festival in Torre del Lago. And he did not like a production of La bohème — at all. So, conducting it, he wore a blindfold. That was his protest. He could not bear to look at the stage.

He was fired for his action. But I say, “Bravo, Maestro.” A little civil disobedience — musical disobedience — can be refreshing.

• Tony Bennett has passed away at 96. I saw him on the streets of New York a few times — smiling beneficently. When I think of his sound, I think first of this song (“Fly Me to the Moon,” by Bart Harmon).

• The fire department in a village was asking for volunteers. I loved their pitch:

Have a good one, my friends. Thanks for joining me. Later on.

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