Vice President Mike Pence visited Memphis this week, touring the National Civil Rights Museum and attending a sermon that referenced one of the V.P.'s spiritual preoccupations: the sin of homosexuality. According to recent studies, about 4.5 percent of Americans now identify as LGBT.
The week continued with the impeachment trial of President Donald Trump in the U.S. Senate, where Tennessee's senators have struck contrasting tones. Marsha Blackburn has been widely criticized for her unceremonious behavior during the proceedings, or "multi-tasking" as she describes her actions. Lamar Alexander, however, has opted for a more decorous if unpredictible approach. Political analyst Otis Sanford says Alexander's vote could pave the way for more witnesses and additional evidence, simply because the senior senator is not running for reelection.
