The 2016 presidential race is so far down in the dumps that it counted as good news Tuesday when a leading candidate found out she's likely not going to get charged with a crime. Hooray for Hillary Clinton.
Meanwhile, her leading opponent was still blaming the media (surprise!) for publicizing the blatant anti-Semitism behind a message he sent out on social media over the weekend. Good job, Donald Trump.
America deserves better than these kinds of questionable behaviors by the two presumptive presidential nominees. And yet, these events will change little in the 2016 race.
Hillary Clinton is guilty of questionable behavior and hiding the full truth from the American people during the federal government's investigation of her use of a personal email server to handle classified information. But she didn't do enough wrong to merit being charged with a crime, FBI Director James Comey said.
That's the right call, and Clinton's supporters will breathe a sigh of relief. However, Republicans and Trump will continue to seize on her bad judgment and the low level of trust many Americans have in Clinton.
But bad judgment could be Trump's middle name, based on the months-long string of mean-spirited, often off-based attacks he's directed at his GOP opponents and, now, Hillary Clinton.
His use of a tweet that featured a six-pointed star on top of cash and the words "most corrupt candidate ever" about Clinton was essentially lifted from anti-Semitic sources.
Trump lamely claimed his message showed a "sheriff's" star. Oh, really? So he was implying that sheriffs are corrupt? Or maybe that sheriffs support Clinton? What utter nonsense for another guy mistrusted by many Americans.
Finally, Bill Clinton briefly brought all sides together in condemning him for his short meeting with Attorney General Loretta Lynch at a Phoenix airport. Clinton's actions were unseemly and stupid, given that Lynch's office oversees the FBI.
Voters still have to endure four more months of this dispiriting campaign before they select the next president. Maybe the last few days will represent the low point of this summer.
But probably not.
Editorial on 07/07/2016