In 2008 ,Pepperdine Law Professor Doug Kmiec, a life-long Republican,  former head of OLC under Reagan, and steadfast opponent of abortion, endorsed Barrack Obama. He was pilloried by conservatives. I suppose as a reward for his support, the President appointed him as Ambassador to Malta. His tenure there was not a good one, and he was criticized by the State Department Office of Inspector General for spending too much time on his religious duties, and not enough on being an ambassador. The New Republic sums it up:

And yet, in April, halfway through the standard three-year term, Kmiec found himself stung by an unfavorable government audit issued by the Office of the Inspector General (OIG). Nine days later, Kmiec submitted a doleful resignation letter to Hillary Clinton, lamenting, “You and the President are being deprived of the intelligent insight of much of your Embassy’s work.” …

In the annals of diplomatic misbehavior, Kmiec’s is rather an unusual case. Even the critical OIG report notes that embassy morale was good, he was respected by the Maltese and his staff, and had “achieved some policy successes.” The problem, it seems, was that Kmiec may have taken the job a little too seriously. According to the OIG report, America’s man in Malta spent several hours a day holed up in his residence, penning speeches and lofty essays on religion for American and Maltese publications, believing he was promoting Obama’s interfaith initiatives. This irked officials back in Washington: His diplomatic schedule was “uncharacteristically light,” the OIG report noted, and “his unconventional approach” had created friction with his colleagues, not only in Washington, but at the embassy, who bristled at being asked to spend “an inordinate amount of time” editing papers and obtaining clearance for them.

Since he has returned, I’ve followed his curious posts on Facebook and Twitter. He consistently refers to himself in the third person as Ambassador, and posts these odd videos and photos of himself in his Ambassadorial role. But a few months ago, it got really weird. He started posting images promoting himself as Vice President in 2016.

At first I thought it may be some kind of joke, but it wasn’t. Then on October 6, 2013, he announced his “decision to run for vice presidency in 2016,” and noted that he had a “steering committee.”

The picture of him at the inaugural podium was taken at the National Constitution Center  in Philadelphia. You can see George H.W. and Barbara Bush, Nancy Reagan, and Jimmy Carter in the backdrop. I have a similar picture.

Then came this surreal video with some eerie voices touting Kmiec as an “independent voice” in 2014. He is apparently also running for Congress in 2014 before being Hillary’s VP. (I don’t know how many campaign finance laws were ignored here). As best as I can tell he photoshopped Hillary into the picture of him and Obama. Or she photobombed.

At the bottom it says “Breaking News: Kmiec NOT deferring Congressional bid to 2016: test race for Hillary in 2014.” Like a fake news headline. Yeah, no clue.

Then on January 15 came this lengthy jeremiad on Facebook declaring that he is pursuing the VP, and also running for Congress. Here is the beginning (it scrolls on for a while).

Thanks to my many friends who have asked me whether I intend to seek public office,

Yes, I am.

After a lifetime of supporting Democratic and Republican candidates, I am taking up the challenges that confront our nation directly.

Specifically, and some will no doubt say, quixotically, I am pursuing the vice presidency of United States,but if all goes well that possibility Will turn on the judgment of Pres. Hillary Clinton.

Of course public office should not be about titles and so I’m really just looking for a spot to do good in my last years while I still have energy and excitement of the ideas of social justice especially as they are now so well articulated by Pope Francis.

I suspect that if I emulate with sincerity the holy father’s sense of joy and humility possibilities of helping Mrs. Clinton, my former boss of State Department, will become readily apparent. If not, however there is much to do in particular, I am presently seeking a seat in Congress from the California 26th Congressional District.

And you can help:

This Saturday and Sunday, Jan 18 And 19, I need your help gathering signatures. We will begin saturday at 10:30 am at 1:30 pm Sunday from in front of SAMs club in Oxnard off Rose. Email if you can help.

If you would like to help with a small contribution, please email me back and I’ll tell you how to get that donation to our campaign consistently with the campaign regulations that apply. Your support of anynkind or amount is most welcome since it is with the work and small donations of many that we will see whether or not “Mr. Smith can still go to Washington” with his idealism intact and enough energy to meet the real needs so many face

This story got picked up by the Times of Malta.

Douglas Kmiec, US ambassador to Malta from 2009 to 2011, has announced he is pursuing the vice presidency of the United States, backing Hillary Clinton.

He had resigned his Malta post after a US State Department report rebuked him for spending too much time writing on subjects such as abortion and his Catholic beliefs to the detriment of American diplomacy.

And Politico couldn’t resist.

Does anyone know what the heck is going on? This is all somewhat surreal.