The President, the Pope and the Media

Well, Jay...this is just the next step of Bush's "Faith Based Initiatives," which are a way to give street money to churches to pump up base turnout. Not that these inititatives can't do good things, but helping the poor wasn't why Bush wanted to do them.

7 years later, you're shocked that Bush is exploiting the Pope's visit?

Well, better late than never, Jay.

Interesting post Mr. Jay Carney. But do you think Catholics are really that shallow that they'd vote for the Republicans just because Bush put out a nice spread for the Pope? Tweety, maybe. But not the rest of us.

Maybe Bush just digs the concept of holding the Primary infallible.

Shortly after Bush’s 2001 inauguration:

Every other White House office was up and running. The faith-based initiative still operated out of the nearly vacant transition offices.

Three days later, a Tuesday, Karl Rove summoned [Don] Willett [a former Bush aide from Texas who initially shepharded the program] to his office to announce that the entire faith-based initiative would be rolled out the following Monday. Willett asked just how — without a director, staff, office, or plan — the president could do that. Rove looked at him, took a deep breath, and said, “I don’t know. Just get me a f—ing faith-based thing. Got it?” Willett was shown the door.

I appreciate the post, Jay.

Unfortunately, most of the stenographers from the media will simply regurgitate what the White House tells them.

Funny how reporters are so turned off by the president being a gracious host to the pope but don't seem to mind when Jimmy Carter consults with terrorist organizations.

I'm impressed. I didn't know you could be a Protestant Evangelical Bible-Thumper and a Papist running dog. But Bush has pulled it off.

Okay Mr. Albany... who is the Catholic church at war with that Pres. Bush is attempting to broker negotiations with?

GOod post.

Embrace the cynicism, Jay, it's a valuable attribute in your profession.

Now apply some of it to McCain, SVP?

Jay, one of your best ever posts.

How is this a good post? What the hell does this have to do with anything?

I think I remember a little something in the constitution about a separation of church and state. I also think I remember a few stories over the past few years about priests molesting children. I also believe that Pope Benedict was a Nazi.

Religion is a way to control people. You are just allowing it to happen by giving any credit to this story.

Sweet Allah forbid we assume anything of merit about 43 beyond what they spew on Boston Legal as lefty loon "facts".

So if this is purely political why is the TradMed doing Bush's, and in effect McBush's, job for him? Can you answer that one, Jay? Are you indeed confirming that you guys are McBush's base?

Jay is calling out Bush for his political use of religion.

If I ran the world, politicians would only be allowed to bring up their faith in the kind of forum attended by both Obama and HRC last Sunday, where the two were asked tough questions.

It turns my stomach when some public official just says "Trust me, I'm a Christian".

What this nation really needs IS Jihad Joe Klein, Skippy O'Bonger, Linda Horsewhips Thomason, and Bruce Springstuck telling actual Americans how to conduct foreign policy and international defense.

Then make Jiminy Crater the Special U.N. General Secretary for the Involuntary Immolation of Israel.

I'm just quoting Reverend Wrong here.

= MASS ABORTIONS ACCOMPLISHED =

and let's not forget pope razzi's butting in during the 2004 election -- advising to deny communion to catholic politicians (john kerry) who support abortion rights.

you can bet a similar message is going out this trip.

It turns my stomach when some public official just says "Trust me, I'm a Christian".

...

REVEREND WRONG HAS LEFT THE TAX BREAK.

lsumarkb - You wrote: "I think I remember a little something in the constitution about a separation of church and state."

Conservatives do not believe that a separation between church and state exists. The concept of separation is one of the most liberal aspects of our Constitution because it liberated us from the potential tyranny of organized religion.

The energetic response that you see from Jay Carney is due to the fact that he does not believe that his Republican Party would behave in such a way. The problem for Jay Carney is that he is a Republican that is in deep denial about what his party has become over these past few decades.

If only there were somebody on this board who could demonstrate for him precisely what the Republican Party stands for...

Cue QuestionHillary...

Thanks, Jay.

Damn you make sense sometimes.

Understatement of the century.

Neither leader expressly mentioned areas -- the death penalty, the war in Iraq, and harsh CIA interrogation methods -- in which the Bush administration and the Vatican do not see eye to eye.

Jay says: "I have no doubt that Pope Benedict XVI is a wise and decent man and a compelling spiritual leader."

Uh, why don't you have any doubts about the guy? He hasn't been Pope long enough to how whether or not he's wise or decent or a compelling spiritual leader.

Jay-

I appreciate your cynicism regarding your compadres in the media. A question: What would happen to you if you expressed such cynicism in one of your television appearances? Do you fear that you would not be invited back?

The other thing I found bizarre about the day's activity schedule was that they were going to have a lunch at the White House in the Pope's honor, but the Pope wasn't going to be there. Huh?

"There's no question that the president's faith is real, that it's authentic, that it's genuine, and there's no question that it's calculated . . . George [W.] Bush doesn't know when he's operating out of a genuine sense of his own faith, or when it's calculated . . ."
-- Doug Wead, George H.W. Bush 1988 campaign religion adviser

"I have no doubt that Pope Benedict XVI is a wise and decent man and a compelling spiritual leader."

Based on what? Your personal love, friendship and special bond with the Pope? Or based on his work as Cardinal to hide the facts of the Church's child abuse scandal?

Excuse me while I cringe, groan and gag...

Hear, hear.

I think McCain made a big mistake seeking out the Hagee endorsement and not more clearly repudiating his anti-Catholic views. On the one hand McCain appeared to reject them saying "[w]e've had a dignified campaign, and I repudiate any comments that are made, including Pastor Hagee's, if they are anti-Catholic or offensive to Catholics". But on the other hand, he hedged saying "I will say that he [Hagee] said that his words were taken out of context, he defends his position." Remember, we're talking about a guy who blamed the Holocaust on the Catholics. (Hagee also has some shall we say colorful views about other groups too.)

Source:
http://mediamatters.org/items/200803230004?f=h_latest

The other thing I found bizarre about the day's activity schedule was that they were going to have a lunch at the White House in the Pope's honor, but the Pope wasn't going to be there.

He'll be there in spirit.

"The problem for Jay Carney is that he is a Republican that is in deep denial about what his party has become over these past few decades."

I don't know if Jay 'the US Atty scandal doesn't exist' Carney is a Republican, but he is Washington bureau chief of a center-right periodical, which he essentially admitted Time was at YKOS.

. And I think it's an important and wonderful thing when the Pope visits the United States, meets with the President and performs mass in America. It's a big deal.

Why?

I was raised Catholic, and I can see why it's an event for Catholics and the media when the pope comes to town. I can see why the president would meet with him. But why is it "wonderful"? If you're not Catholic, who cares where and if this person says mass?

"The other thing I found bizarre about the day's activity schedule was that they were going to have a lunch at the White House in the Pope's honor, but the Pope wasn't going to be there. Huh?"

My inside sources (anonymous, of course) tell me that the Pope hates hot dogs.

I wonder if the Pope reminded Bush that their God does not like killing.

" If you're not Catholic, who cares where and if this person says mass?"

If you're not Catholic, you might be wondering why the Pope isn't arrested for conspiracy to cover up massive number of cases of child rape.

I am a practicing Catholic, and I'd like to see the guy locked up. Apparently so does every other Catholic because I just learned we all behave and vote the same way, ( and we're swingers, at least with our votes.)

"The coming election, like so many before it, could well hinge on how Catholics break -- this time in states like Ohio, Pennsylvania, Colorado and New Mexico."

So why are Mike Allen and Ed Henry acting like Republican enablers?

If I was the pope, I'd worry that Bush would bring my numbers down.

Acid J wins the thread.

Meh. Not feeling it. Meetings with heads of state are always filled with hyperbole. Chumming it up with the Pope is just as potentially dangerous politically as it would be helpful. I think this post is a miss.

But it's a good reminder to us of where we stand today -- every single act of a politician can be, and usually is, scrutinized up and down to try to figure out the real meaning underneath. And more often than not it's our own prejudices that color how we interpret those acts. So the decision we make about what a pol is "really" doing tends to say far more about us than about them, and therefore adds little or no value to the debate. It's the perennial trap that journalists -- and thinking people in general -- need always to keep in mind, and avoid if they can.

Jay, Thank you! I don't mind your giving the benefit of the doubt to the relatively new Pope. After all, the last 2 Popes have been opposed to bush's warmongering, & many have been against capital punishment. But it is great to see you calling out the MSM for their submission to bush's lies. It was also helpful to have you name the syncophants. We know it is everyone @ Faux, but the more of these stenographers that get publically named/shamed, the better.

Keep digging, Jay. I'm sure that you'll find that Bush "looked into the Pope's heart" at some point and found a man he could deal with. Wait. That was that other guy...

AcidJ: COTD

"Religious" leaders telling the Bushes what to do with their time is not that unusual. In the mid 90's when the Unification Church was being found guilty by the highest courts in Japan of swindling hundreds of millions from widows - when the UC was getting its richly deserved bad press, Poppy came to Japan to help the number one money of the right the last 25 year with his image problem there. People in one town bowed to Moon because he could tell a President of the USA what to do with his time.

This is how Moon aid, Bo Hi Pak, described it in his book:

http://www.tparents.org/Library/Unification/Books/Tims2/Tims2-60.htm

New York, New York - January 2, 1996

On the day after the 29th True God's Day, Dr. Pak speaks at an International Leadership Conference. Following Father's instructions, he recounts a detailed report of his year in Japan as a missionary, including his Day of Hope tour and the historical five-city tour of True Mother and President and Mrs. Bush. ….

Mother Was Number One

Last fall Father organized Mother's tour of Japan accompanied by Barbara and George Bush. Can you imagine a U.S. president, whether an incumbent or a former president, doing anything in a secondary position? They are always number one. A U.S. president is always number one. But this time who was number one? Mother was number one. Their respect for Mother and Father was incredible. [...]

The Japanese people are proud of their accomplishments. They are afraid of nothing. They are not going to bow down to anybody, except one country, the United States, because for 50 years Japan has come under the U.S. defense program, the nuclear umbrella. [...]

Then George and Barbara Bush spoke, supporting Mother's idea for true family and world peace. The audience could not deny that they were George and Barbara Bush. [...]

Never in history has a U.S. president traveled to more than two cities in Japan. This time George and Barbara Bush traveled to five cities. No U.S. president has ever set foot on the island of Hokkaido. George and Barbara Bush went to Hokkaido. The citizens of Hokkaido bowed down to Father and Mother, because Father and Mother brought an American president to Hokkaido, the northern island. No president of the United States ever went to Kyushu, the southern island. Then George and Barbara Bush went to Fukuoka, the capital of Kyushu. The people of Kyushu were flabbergasted at Father and Mother's power to tell a U.S. president what to do and plan his schedule. Incredible. This completely changed the attitude of the Japanese government and media toward the Unification community.

If you're not Catholic, you might be wondering why the Pope isn't arrested for conspiracy to cover up massive number of cases of child rape.

http://tinyurl.com/4uaesa

The U.S. Justice Department has told a Texas court that a lawsuit accusing Pope Benedict XVI of conspiring to cover up the sexual molestation of three boys by a seminarian should be dismissed because the pontiff enjoys immunity as head of state of the Holy See.

Keep digging, Jay. I'm sure that you'll find that Bush "looked into the Pope's heart" at some point and found a man he could deal with. Wait. That was that other guy...

Ga see this?

From the WP Glenn Kessler c-span interview

http://www.btcnews.com/btcnews/1752

[A]t his very first meeting with Putin, Putin told [Bush] a story about a cross that he had blessed in Israel that used to belong to his grandmother. People that are aware of this conversation at the State Department feel that the President got played by Putin. There is no cross. There was just some KGB story that he made up. But it had a real impact on President Bush. That’s when he walked out and said, ‘I looked into his soul and decided this is the guy I can work with.’ And for the longest time in the first term, if you talked to then National Security Adviser Rice, she always painted the relationship with Russia in very rosy terms. …”

"But hyping the relationship ... is pure political exploitation. The Pope is no doubt aware of this, but he is blameless in his complicity."

You misspelled "shameless". The Pope is shameless in his complicity.

So why didn't chickengeorge's bestest buddy not want to have dinner with him?