A Wolcott Howler!

If you need a "pick-me-up" today, we got one for you.

It peels back the curtain for a glimpse, a fleeting glimpse, of the Washington insiders, the Tim Russert/Golden Calf worship, Sally Quinn, the always-apocalyptic Bill Donohue, Jon "Jesus Saves, And I Write About It" Meacham, and more.

A hearty H/T to Barry Crimmins, for pointing to this gem from James Wolcott;

Think Twice Before Joining the Buffet Line

The tempest in a chalice began when Quinn, co-creator of the Washington Post's On Faith website (an accident waiting to happen), paid memorial tribute to Tim Russert and went a bit overboard with the best of intentions, telling her readers...

At Tim's funeral mass...communion was offered. I had only taken communion once in my life, at an evangelical church. It was soon after I had started "On Faith"; and I wanted to see what it was like. Oddly I had a slightly nauseated sensation after I took it, knowing that in some way it represented the body and blood of Jesus Christ. Last Wednesday I was determined to take it for Tim, transubstantiation notwithstanding. I'm so glad I did. It made me feel closer to him. And it was worth it just to imagine how he would have loved it.

Leonard Pinth Garnell would be so proud.

Go read Wolcott's Think Twice Before Joining the Buffet Line ... It will make your day!


Bonus Riffs

Remembering Russert - What media eulogies remember--and forget

The Canonization of Saint Russert: The media overdo the death of a journalist

We've Gone Well Past The 15-Minutes Thing ...

Developing Story - MSNBC Making Pitches To Become Eulogy Channel

Hagee Going Emily Litella On Us ...

Never Mind!

Stumblin' Bumblin' John McCain's endorser, the Reverend John Hagee is going all "Emily Litella" today, sending a letter of apology to the Catholic League, backtracking from his comments that the Catholic Church is the "Great Whore"

McCain Backer John Hagee Apologizes to Catholics

“Out of a desire to advance greater unity among Catholics and Evangelicals in promoting the common good, I want to express my deep regret for any comments that Catholics have found hurtful,” Hagee wrote, according to an advanced copy of the letter reviewed by Washington Wire. “After engaging in constructive dialogue with Catholic friends and leaders, I now have an improved understanding of the Catholic Church, its relation to the Jewish faith, and the history of anti-Catholicism.”

In the letter, addressed to Bill Donohue, president of the Catholic League and one of Hagee’s biggest critics, Hagee pledges “a greater level of compassion and respect for my Catholic brothers and sisters in Christ.”

Josh Marshall, over on TPM has a question, with Hagee's new-found remorse;

Can we now get him to explain the part about God using Muslim terrorists to create bloodbaths in our streets because the US supports a two-state solution in Israel-Palestine?

And Matt, over at Think Progress asks "Hagee Promises ‘Greater Compassion And Respect’ For Catholics; Will He Do The Same For Gay Community?"

Hmmm ... I wonder if Hagee had to write that letter with SB McCain, or one of his lobbyist staffers, standing behind him, twisting his arm?

I'm sure the Zigzag Express people wouldn't be looking to build up some markers, for when they start lobbing Jeremiah Wright bombs at Obama ... That they can point to the Elmer Gantryesque repentance of Hagee to push back with ...

Don't go out for popcorn on this movie.

It was just last month, Hagee pulled a Chinatown, and went "My Sister-My Daughter" over his comments blaming gays for Hurricane Katrina;

Hagee backs off comment connecting gays with Katrina

Hagee Reneges On Retraction Of His Katrina Comments: ‘God Always Punishes Unconfessed Sin’

Oh yes, this is going to a such a fun-filled general election campaign ...

Know Thy Pope

I'm having a hard time finding it, but I could have sworn I heard someone - recently - refer to Pope Benedict as "The Vatican's Cheney".

It's quite likely this post will draw the wrath of the perpetual fuming smokestack, Catholic League President Bill Donohue, but hey, it might slip under the radar.

Donohue is, very likely, going to be going without sleep for about the next week (which could make him more dangerous), with the Head Honcho in-country ... So many comments to swat down ... So many critics to bully ...

Why would The Commander Guy be rolling out the red carpet for the Pope?

I mean, he would be doing this for Kim Jong Il, or Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, or any other monstrous criminal (Okay, I know he let's Cheney in the office every day)?

While, at first, I thought it odd, perhaps a blatant, feeble attempt to grab some approval ratings.

After all, getting your snapshot next to the man in PopeWear isn't bad for business ... Newspapers across the country will lap that up like Happy Soup!

Perhaps, his staff, to break up the day, of the lamest-of-lame President, trying to make him feel relevant, threw it on the schedule.

But then it hit me ...

Pope Benedict is Bush's kind of guy!

While The Commander Guy has his piddly, poltical scandals to lord over, PB is the Babe Ruth of ruthless, hardcore, monolithic stonewalling.

This guy wrote the book - literally!

Prefect of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith (1981–2005)

In his capacity as Prefect, Ratzinger's 2001 letter “Crimen Sollicitationis” which clarified the confidentiality of internal Church investigations into accusations made against priests of certain crimes, including sexual abuse, became a target of controversy during the sex abuse scandal.[14] While bishops hold the secrecy pertained only internally, and did not preclude investigation by civil law enforcement, the letter was often seen as promoting a coverup.[15]

This refers to the "Crimen sollicitationis", which, in a nutshell, was the Vatican's way of telling their corps, especially regarding sex scandals, to "shut the fuck up, or else!"

Where do you think that got that line from in 'The Godfather', when Don Corleone chastises Sonny with "Never tell anyone outside the Family what you're thinking again!".

"British documentary alleges pope linked to "child abuse cover-up"

Before becoming head of the church, the then cardinal Joseph Ratzinger enforced church doctrinal orthodoxy, including a "secret Vatican decree which seemed to shelter the perpetrators and silence the victims of abuse", the Panorama programme said.

This was the 1962 document Crimen Sollicitationis, which told top churchmen how to deal with priests who "solicit or provoke the penitent toward impure and obscene matters", according to a translation from Latin on the BBC website.

It imposed an oath of secrecy on victims, witnesses and those probing abuse claims and said that anyone breaking this would be excommunicated, the BBC said.

Boy, doesn't that just make your heart swell with spiritual inspiration, how they really hit the nail-on-the-head, spreading the teachings of Jesus Christ like that?

I think that's one of my favorite passages in The Bible, when JC, witnessing repugnant, immoral child abuse, tells his apostles to keep it on the QT.

What do they call these guys - Princes of the Church?

So, as the MSM takes a breather from the campaign (or, in another light, rearms itself to bash one or the other candidates), splashing the Papal "Up Yours" tour across our pages and screens (maybe even pulling in Peggy Noonan, to have her do her version of Je T'aime Moi Non Plus, [Note: This is the great rendition, of Serge Gainsbourg and Brigitte Bardot] live, on television, for the new Pope, though, a little piece of her heart will be singing it for Ronnie), here's a little tip for you;

Get To Know Thy Pope!

He's a thug, he had a direct hand in perpetuating (in case you need clarification, that means, scores-of-hundreds, possibly thousands of young children, mostly boys, were sexual abused) the Priest Pedophile Scandal, when he, and a vast many others, could have, just as easily, put a stop to it.

If you want to say "Forgive Them Lord, They Know Not What They Do", that's not exactly accurate.

And that, sure as hell, is one helluva of a test for someone's faith ...


Bonus Pope Riffs

BBC: Warm US welcome for Pope Benedict; Pope Benedict XVI has received an unprecedented presidential greeting from George W Bush after arriving for his first official visit to the US.

The Boston Globe was on top of the Pedophile Priest story from the get-go, and you can go here and you can go here to check out a ton of material on the scandal.

ABC's Brian Ross: Then-Cardinal Ratzinger's Hand Slap - Then-Cardinal Ratzinger Became Upset When Asked About Sex Abuse in the Church

YouTube: Boston Clergy Abuse Scandal - Geoghan Documents Released

Barry Crimmins: Child Abuse - Mea Maxima Culpa

Vatican Discounts "Bonfire Pope"; Says Flames "Not Hunched Over Enough"; Late Pontiff's Bend Was Measured "Religiously"; Never Used Contingency "Roller Skate Gloves"

News In Brief - OJ, Vatican Said To Sign Deal, Merge Hunts