A LADY SHOULDN'T DISTRACT FROM A MAN'S BIG MOMENT

So Hillary Clinton is expected to make her presidential run official on Sunday, and she's already being accused of unladylike behavior, according to Amy Chozick and Maggie Haberman of The New York Times:

Many factors played into the timing of Mrs. Clinton’s announcement. Senator Marco Rubio of Florida, whom Mrs. Clinton’s advisers are watching closely as a potential opponent, staked a claim on Monday as his announcement date. Mrs. Clinton’s announcement on Sunday will certainly draw attention from Mr. Rubio’s entry into the race and could well eclipse it.

And while the move could invite criticism as unsportsmanlike, her campaign is betting that Democrats will applaud the show of force against a Republican. (Others involved insisted the date was selected before Mr. Rubio scheduled his event, but said that the juxtaposition was an added bonus.)

"Unsportsmanlike"? Seriously? Eight thousand Republicans are running for president, only two of whom have officially announced their candidacies, which means that some of the rest are likely to have conflicting (or nearly conflicting) announcements, yet Hillary is being a mean old witch by having her announcement the day before Rubio's? Would this be "unsportsmanlike" coming from a man? Or coming from a Republican? Or from a Clinton-hater? Between this and Rand Paul's how-dare-you-make-me-uncomfortable interview snits, I have to ask: Was politics legally recategorized as beanbag when I wasn't looking?

And if Lincoln Chafee were to sneak his official announcement in at exactly the same time as Clinton's, by video from some living room in Providence, would that be considered rude -- or cheeky? I'm betting the latter.

It's already being reported that the the Clinton campaign kickoff "won't be a big, sparkly event like senators Ted Cruz's or Rand Paul's campaign announcements." So she's having a modest little shindig (because she doesn't exactly need to get her name in the papers) and she's being, in effect, an opening act to Rubio, who'll almost certainly have a much flashier announcement. That's rude? How?

Oh, I'm sorry: the poor dears in the press have to cover two announcements in two days and generate two sets of hot takes on What It All Means at the same time. My heart bleeds.

There are plenty of reasons to criticize Hillary Clinton. This is not one of them.