posted on June 14, 2004 12:44:09 PM newPresident Bush had a successful trip to Italy earlier this month, but no one in America would know it based on the news coverage. Headlines all focused on the same two themes: Pope John Paul II scolded the president about prison abuse in Iraq, and Italian mobs thronged the streets to protest Mr. Bush. Neither story accurately portrays what were positive meetings at the Vatican and with Italian government officials.
While the pope did briefly refer to the Iraq war in his meeting with Mr. Bush, he did so vaguely and in the context of the need for all nations to respect human rights. He only used one sentence to refer to "deplorable events" but did not specifically discuss Abu Ghraib prison or any other aspect of the operations. In a classic example of Vatican diplomacy, John Paul II carefully avoided embarrassing Mr. Bush and did not even reiterate the pontiff's opposition to the war. He merely noted that the president is "very familiar with the position of the Holy See" — and left it at that.
John Paul II even applauded the "encouraging steps" underway in the governmental organization and reconstruction of Iraq. After the president presented the pope with the Presidential Medal of Freedom, America's highest civilian award, John Paul II exclaimed, "God bless America."
The media ignored developments that could have an impact on this year's presidential election. For example, the pope strongly endorsed Mr. Bush's "commitment to the promotion of moral values in American society, particularly with regard to respect for life and the family." This is important given that abortion and same-sex marriage are issues in the 2004 campaign. John Paul II's praise is relevant because John Kerry, a Catholic, is opposed to the church's positions against abortion and same-sex marriage. It can also be seen to correct liberal U.S. Catholic bishops, who have ignored the Vatican's order that Catholic politicians such as Mr. Kerry who support abortion should not receive sacraments in the Catholic Church.
Mr. Bush's state visit with Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi similarly was misreported. Hundreds of thousands of demonstrators were predicted, but the Italian police stated that significantly less than 10,000 actually showed up. A plan to plaster Rome with peace signs flopped, and even leftist politicians came out against the protesters after they chanted in support of a massacre of Italians in Iraq. After Mr. Bush detailed Mr. Berlusconi's leadership and commitment to the Iraq mission, the prime minister's poll numbers improved. This is an impressive sign of the president's prestige. It is not a surprise that the U.S. media failed to report it.
"The Secret Service has announced it is doubling its protection for John Kerry. You can understand why — with two positions on every issue, he has twice as many people mad at him." —Jay Leno
posted on June 14, 2004 01:22:04 PM new
Remond, you're starting to catch up to Kerry with your waffling.
Can't have it both ways.
"The Secret Service has announced it is doubling its protection for John Kerry. You can understand why — with two positions on every issue, he has twice as many people mad at him." —Jay Leno
posted on June 14, 2004 02:03:53 PM new
When the Pope and the Catholic Church start paying taxes and becoming legally and financially invested in ths nation I'll consider giving a damn what he thinks of the job our president is doing but until then - the approval of a reliious figure with a slim at best grip on the realities of life today does not mean squat to me.
I don't pay attention when he disapproves and I don't when he approves. I definitely pay attention when he attempts to use his religious position to attempt to effect the public policies of a nation formed on a seperation of the government and inferred powers such as his, and that I wholeheRartedly disapprove of.
We are not a catholic nation and our laws should not be based upon the moral view of it's church.
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If it's really "common" sense, why do so few people actually have it?
posted on June 14, 2004 04:25:55 PM new
Fenix, When it was announced that President Bush had asked the Pope to support his "consertative" political issues, weren't you among the libs that jumped on the bandwagon denouncing his request?
"The Secret Service has announced it is doubling its protection for John Kerry. You can understand why — with two positions on every issue, he has twice as many people mad at him." —Jay Leno
posted on June 14, 2004 07:47:10 PM new
Yes Bear. As I said in the post above....
I definitely pay attention when he attempts to use his religious position to attempt to effect the public policies of a nation formed on a seperation of the government and inferred powers such as his, and that I wholeheartedly disapprove of.
That also encompasses attempt to use his position as a religious figure to attempt to influence votes .... and requests for him to do that. BTW - I would also disagree with a liberal doing the same thing.
There are huge and looming issues in this country which need to be examined and dealt with. I believe that responsible people examine a candidates stance on these issues and their plan of attack then use that knowledge base to choose the candidate best suited to tackle them. Taking the word of a priest, the pope or anyone else for that matter is a cheap and lazy method and a disservice and seeking the approval of those who would encourage people to do that is just as big of a misservice.
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If it's really "common" sense, why do so few people actually have it?
[ edited by fenix03 on Jun 14, 2004 07:48 PM ]
