Michelle Obama’s conspicuous absence from Jimmy Carter’s state funeral raised eyebrows. Now Washington is all atwitter over the breaking news that she will not be attending Donald Trump’s inauguration.

Speculation abounds: Some reports suggest her abiding contempt for Trump has her avoiding him at all costs because she’s fed up pretending for protocol. Others whisper that she and Barack are heading for divorce, rendering joint public appearances pointless.

Michelle boycotting Trump

If this holds, it would make a mockery of Michelle’s famous motto: “When they go low, we go high.” After all, you can bet Laura Bush, Hillary Clinton, and even Jill Biden share her disdain for Trump. Yet, fulfilled their patriotic duty by attending.

Frankly, you can’t respect the presidency only when your candidate wins. Tradition dictates that, when it comes to foreign policy, partisan politics ends at the water’s edge. Likewise, when it comes to the presidency, partisan politics should end on Election Day.

Trump won! All Americans should accord him the respect that office commands. This means former first ladies attending events like state funerals and inaugurations, championship teams making ceremonial visits to the White House, and entertainers performing there when invited. Simply put: It’s perfectly American for Taylor Swift to forbid candidate Trump from using her music at a campaign rally; but it’s un-American for her to forbid President Trump from using her music at a White House event.

Michelle divorcing Barack

If this holds, as shocking as it would be, I wouldn’t be the least bit surprised. As the cliché goes, nobody knows what goes on in a marriage.

In this case, however, the divorce of another celebrated political couple can inform our speculation. Because I can recall all too well Clinton era comparisons between the seemingly tortured marriage of Bill and Hillary and the blissful union of Al and Tipper Gore. Yet, Tipper left, while Hillary stayed.

Similar comparisons arose during Trump’s first term between the tortured marriage of Donald and Melania and the blissful union of their predecessors, Barack and Michelle Obama. History may not repeat, but it often rhymes. Thus, Michelle leaving while Melania stays would seem like poetic fate.

But, as devastating as divorce might be, I hope Michelle is AWOL because she’s pining over the loss of her marriage, not sulking over the loss of a presidential election.