Melania mystifies, distracts from Donald?

While struggling to make sense of government (including legislative) efforts to address the economic crisis brought on by our utter dependence on imported stuff, from petroleum products to essential foodstuff, and while keeping track as best I can of what is really going on with Trump and Netanyahu and the on-again off-again savage war vs. Iran and Gaza and Lebanon, here comes Melania Trump in a suprise press conference denying allegations of any sexual relationship with either the “disgraceful” Epstein or Maxwell, and even calling for Congress to give a hearing to victims of Mr. Epstein’s crimes. This, a few days after Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche said the Epstein Files should not be part of anything going forward.” It is said that Trump knew nothing about it and Fox News and the rest of media are baffled: Why now? And then again, why not now. Something’s coming down, malamang?

Melania Trump’s surprise Epstein statement prompts bafflement
The Guardian

Melania Trump’s surprise statement denying she had any relationship with Jeffrey Epstein sparked confusion about why she had chosen to speak out, and whether Donald Trump knew that the first lady was planning to draw attention to a subject he has called for the public to move on from.

Even normally well-sourced correspondents for rightwing outlets were at a loss to explain why Melania Trump felt the need to issue the seemingly out-of-the-blue statement about her relationship with Epstein, the late sex offender who socialized with her husband for nearly two decades, or his accomplice Ghislaine Maxwell.

The Fox News senior White House correspondent Jacqui Heinrich said that she and her team were baffled.

“We’ve been trying to understand why she made it today, if there was something that she is reacting to that might already be in the news that has upset her, or if there’s a story that’s yet to come out, that’s about to drop that she wanted to get ahead of,” Heinrich told Fox viewers. “Because it did feel like it came out of left field for us. … I’ve called every contact in my phone, including the president, and not gotten any answers.”

The New York Post, which, like Fox, is owned by Rupert Murdoch and often acts like an arm of the Trump White House communications team, was also puzzled. “It’s unclear why the first lady chose to hold the press event at a time when the White House is trying to move on from the Epstein saga that has been a drag on her husband’s second term,” the New York tabloid reported.

Marc Beckman, a senior adviser to the first lady, told the Post only that she “spoke out now because enough is enough”.

“The lies must stop,” Beckman added in his cryptic statement. “It is time for the public and media to focus on her incredible achievements as first lady, the lives she has positively impacted, and her commitment to our nation.” Read on