This is a going to be a LONG slog. I’ve seen the speech text, and its length combined with Francis’ slow delivery and thick accent will make this a slow go.
Settle in, people.
4.
Elizabelle
Always finding the resources to move forward, and to do so with dignity. Offer us a way of seeing an imperfect reality… Pope namechecks Lincoln, MLK, Dorothy Day, and Thomas Merton.
Dianne Feinstein and Al Franken seated next to each other.
150th anniversary of A Lincoln assassination, the guardian of liberty — and he quotes a bit of G’burg address. Speaks of love of the common good.
5.
Betty Cracker
Not Doris Day, surely? I must’ve misheard, LOL!
6.
guachi
Thomas Merton? Google searches for Thomas Merton must be going through the roof now.
@Betty Cracker: Dorothy Day. 20th century social activist. But you knew that!
9.
Elizabelle
@germy shoemangler: I’m enjoying that they’re locked in for a long speech, and might have had a tad much coffee or whatever …
I think Francis should keep them there at least as long as for a Mass. We are all told that is a form of sacrifice …
10.
JPL
Does Boehner has two hankies. Hopefully he is not using the same one for his eyes and nose. yuck
11.
Elizabelle
The voice of faith is the voice of eternity and love.
Um, not in this country. It’s a braying voice that divides, in popular culture. (Colbert spoke of that in rawstory link; people assume Christians are rightwing … )
12.
JPL
@Elizabelle: He spoke to many in the audience when he mentioned religious extremism and fundamentalism, being a danger to all.
13.
Elizabelle
Speaks of MLK march and his Dream speech, much applause from a chamber half of which is good with tearing apart voting rights legislation …
14.
debbie
I’m not able to watch the speech, but I am enjoying Glenn Beck’s railing at Obama for only inviting “liberal” Catholics to the White House.
15.
Elizabelle
@JPL: I was probably looking at the NYTimes website and missed that. They’ve got a picture of Bibi up there, with editorial about middle east options. Kind of funny.
Whose speech was more happily anticipated?
Could not find a speech transcript; thought they might link on NYT fp.
This is why I might need an intervention. Had the unseemly thought of whether it would be all right to have a papal speech drinking game. Had some spicy V8 juice, had some vodka . . . Decided on “Every time he says something that the audience applauds but ignores or actively fights against in daily life.” I might be in the bag by the top of the hour.
ETA:
Pope Francis: “Let us remember the Golden Rule.”
From the rear of the audience: “You lie!”
25.
Elizabelle
The Golden Rule gets a lot of applause. Well, all right then.
26.
Elizabelle
And he has not even gotten to climate change yet …
The pope is a political position – he’s elected, not descended from clouds.
33.
Elizabelle
Kennedy and Roberts looking grim as Pope speaks of [prisoners] chance of redemption. Ginsburg looking highly amused. Roberts’ hands clasped tightly in his lap.
He failed the “visible in mirrors” test at the security check.
35.
Betty
The Pope is really bringing it. And in such a heartfelt way that it is difficult for those who oppose him not look very small.
36.
Elizabelle
Shot of Paul Ryan, watching this studiously. Hand up to mouth, maybe for some privacy. Looking especially Munsterish from CSpan angle.
37.
Elizabelle
Bernie, fidgeting. Now Charles Rangel and some dude in a bolo tie.
38.
Elizabelle
Climate change! Courageous and responsible effort to redirect our steps …. caused by human activity. I am convinced we can make a difference. I am sure.
The only thing I took away from my years in Protestant Sunday School, and the only things I taught my kids from my churchgoing days. The only thing you need to understand, literally, is the Golden Rule as a guide to life.
44.
Elizabelle
and, at the same time, protecting Nature. we have the freedom to limit and __ technology; intelligent development and put technology at the service of another type of progress, more human, more social.
Now: for Thomas Merton (who is one of Andrew Sullivan’s faves, I think) …
46.
Steeplejack
“[Business] can be a fruitful source of prosperity from the area in which each operates, especially if it assists the creation of jobs as an essential part of its service to the common good.”
[Applause]
Okay, I’m drinking straight from the bottle now.
47.
Elizabelle
Love his emphasis on dialogue. That would be a drinking game word. Also courage.
48.
boatboy_srq
@Betty: Strikes me as the polite version of Jesus in the temple with the money-changers. A gentle chiding vs. a violent explusion.
From this perspective of dialogue, I would like to recognize the efforts made in recent months to help overcome historic differences linked to painful episodes of the past. It is my duty to build bridges and to help all men and women, in any way possible, to do the same. When countries which have been at odds resume the path of dialogue – a dialogue which may have been interrupted for the most legitimate of reasons – new opportunities open up for all. This has required, and requires, courage and daring, which is not the same as irresponsibility. A good political leader is one who, with the interests of all in mind, seizes the moment in a spirit of openness and pragmatism. A good political leader always opts to initiate processes rather than possessing spaces.
He’s referring to the agreement with Iran.
PS: And with Cuba.
50.
Elizabelle
A good political leader is one who — with the interests of all in mind — seizes the moment …. always hopes to initiate processes rather than possessing space (?) …. to minimize, to end, in the long term, the many armed conflicts …
@Cervantes: Good to see you still with us! Indeed. Iran, could also be “get past the polarization, nudniks.”
53.
Elizabelle
@Cervantes: How far through the speech? Still haven’t clicked the link …
54.
Elizabelle
Congress acting like kids in the principal’s office.
55.
boatboy_srq
@Elizabelle: Applause? Wow. Applause from the Drill Baby Drill crowd. Starting to think I need to join Steeplejack: the coffee is just not strong enough…
Marriage and the family … beauty of family life. Well, Congress can get behind that. Standing ovation. Now, talking of the young as the most vulnerable. Countless opportunities beckon, but too many caught in hopeless maze of violence, abuse and despair. Their probs are ours. (Applause.)
59.
Elizabelle
He’s kept it within an hour, and the speech will read well too. Ends with “Dream.” God bless America.
60.
Elizabelle
Most applauding, some woman out in audience already texting on her cell.
61.
Elizabelle
Quick exit out side door.
62.
Elizabelle
switched to MSNBC. Tweety: a form of Catholicism almost near Marxism. Now he’s saying most didn’t buy all of Francis’s message and dividing up people along political lines and proclivities. Only one maybe down with whole speech was Bob Casey of PA.
Williams: what an interesting pageant.
Back to CSpan.
63.
Steeplejack
Thank God he stopped before my liver gave out.
64.
Just One More Canuck
@the Conster: it would be irresponsible not to speculate
65.
Elizabelle
@Steeplejack: Yeah. Turned out to be kind of short and sweetish, and more interesting than any church service I’ve attended.
Because it’s all performance art donchano. I bet he’d have said the same thing after attending Jesus Christ Superstar.
67.
Elizabelle
@boatboy_srq: Yup. MSNBC was quick to bring the whole thing down to earth. Why I fled. Would rather think and listen to CSpan’s nonbabble than move on to whatever MSNBC wants to sell us next.
Williams said “pageant” not meanly, but it was telling.
68.
BGK
Is it unchristian to hope for some form of violent gastric distress to strike Tweety and “Chopper” Williams, simultaneously, and without an opportunity to dash to the toilet?
One thing as predictable about Matthews as the Sun rising in the morning is that he has his handful of bullet points and what he perceives as cuite/clever catchphrases worked out beforehand and damn the torpedoes, full speed ahead, he’s going to voice them repeatedly regardless of whether or not they fit, are germane or even accurate.
70.
Germy Shoemangler
Watched it on ABC. After the speech, George Steph turned to Jon Karl, who made it sound like the Pope was calling out Obama for not cooperating with congress. Karl did it subtly, but that was the impression he tried to give.
I couldn’t get far reading the prepared remarks because they crashed my iPad, but what was the response to his statements about it being Congress’s job to “satisfy the common need” and referring to those who reduce everything to good or evil and righteous or sinner?
72.
Elizabelle
The Pope out waving from the Capitol balcony. It’s a huge enthusiastic crowd, who watched the words on Jumbotron and are blissfully not watching cable news right now.
Sustained applause and cheers.
Pope speaking through translator. Asks for crowd’s good wishes and “God bless America.”
Two talking heads on NBC, Andrea #1 and Andrea #2 (neither was Mrs. Greenspan), were talking cryptically about whether the Pope had succeeded in uniting the divided Congress. WTF?!
Tweety: a form of Catholicism almost near Marxism.
I’m really enjoying the number of people who’re just flabbergasted to discover that being Pope doesn’t come with a card-carrying Tea Party Movement conservative status. But, but… religion is supposed to be about shaming sluts and gheys! What is this deviation from protocol?
Never mind that pretty much everything the Pope’s said has been standard Catholic doctrine for a long time – albeit a part of Catholic doctrine that the Bill Donahues of the world have done their very best to ignore.
86.
catbirdman
Francis totally punked Congress, with his statement about caring for life from its earliest stages then immediately shifting to abolishing…the death penalty! Half of the applause was clearly from those anticipating a full-stop call for banning abortion, which is why the clapping stopped so abruptly when he called for a ban on state-sanctioned killing of people. Classic.
87.
Elizabelle
Pope now heads to St. Patricks in the city, built 1794, for lunch for the homeless and 60 parishioners. Think St. Patricks is on Capitol Hill? And then is Catholic Charities another stop? Not sure …
Then 4:00 p departure from Joint Base Andrews. (And when did they start calling it that? A while, I’d guess, but I’m local and never pay attention …)
88.
retr2327
@catclub:
Well, that gives a whole new meaning to “Sur le pont D’Avignon, on y danse,” etc.
@catbirdman: A bit of a papal rhetorical device, it seems. He did a similar thing near the end, talking about how families were under attach, etc., which sounded like an attack on gay marriage, but then morphed into an argument to help ensure that all children have equal opportunity.
The neat thing about this trick is that it gives a little something to everyone: those who want to find the anti-abortion message and the anti-gay marriage message can point to those sections, while he pivots off them to advance different agendas at the same time.
93.
gelfling545
@BGK: Yes. Francis would invite them to use his toilet.
Then 4:00 p departure from Joint Base Andrews. (And when did they start calling it that? A while, I’d guess, but I’m local and never pay attention …)
I’m not sure either. I’m local too, drive past Andrews every day to/from work, and pretty much everybody I know just calls it ‘Andrews.’ I don’t watch any TV news, so I’d have missed any name change there.
Pope Urges Congress to Act, on Agenda Tilting to Left
By PETER BAKER and JIM YARDLEY 51 minutes ago
Speaking to lawmakers on Thursday, Pope Francis issued a call to action on issues largely favored by liberals, including a critique of the excesses of capitalism and a defense of immigration.
Wingnut tears, shall be out in force. Best examples today, please.
96.
Elizabelle
@low-tech cyclist: Would have liked to go to Andrews open house last Saturday, but had other commitments. It’s a great show. Was perfect weather, too.
I’m really enjoying the number of people who’re just flabbergasted to discover that being Pope doesn’t come with a card-carrying Tea Party Movement conservative status
If you’re used to seeing and hearing the leadership of the USCCB, it would be easy to get that impression about the Catholic hierarchy in general, and mistakenly assume that it applies to this Pope (as it did to his predecessor).
98.
Elizabelle
@burnspbesq: that’s been going on for a long time too, hasn’t it?
I remember anecdote about JFK campaign: asked by aide: you only have time to meet with one group. Is it the bishops or the nuns?
JFK went with the nuns, cuz “the bishops vote Republican anyway.”
Maybe apocryphal.
PS: it’s the leadership that drives a lot of Catholics away from the Church, not so much the individual parish priests. IMHO, anyway. When the bishops decided Obamacare was a threat to religious liberty: done, done, done.
WASHINGTON—Gathering together outside the House chamber to trade ideas Tuesday, the nation’s lawmakers reportedly brainstormed complimentary things they could say about poor people when they meet with Pope Francis later this week. “This guy’s really interested in the poor, so we should have something nice to say, like, I don’t know, how they’re salt-of-the-earth people or how they’re humble or something like that,” said Speaker of the House John Boehner (R-OH), one of several dozen representatives who stood around struggling for nearly half an hour to come up with any positive associations they felt toward the country’s impoverished population. “Boy, this is hard. The bottom line is that we can’t say anything that will come back to bite us later, like implying that they’re in need of assistance or that they deserve better. Let’s just scrape together a sentence or two vaguely praising them and then we can move on to something much more comfortable, like abortion.” At press time, Boehner was frustratedly shaking his head after realizing he and his colleagues would likely have to come up with something positive to say about peace, as well.
One of my hopes for this Papacy, which has yet to be realized (and may not be), is that Frankie will get himself a big-ass broom and sweep away most of the leadership of the Church in this country. The Dolan generation has a lot to answer for, including but not limited to failure to deal appropriately with clerical sex abuse.
My fantasy is that after serving an appropriate sentence for obstruction of justice and witness tampering, Dolan ends up like Fr. Spellacy at the end of “True Confessions.”
101.
Elizabelle
@burnspbesq: I know of what you speak. Great book and good film. That lonely desert outpost, looking at a sandy cemetery.
From your lips. Agree thoroughly.
102.
PIGL
@SFAW: And the cuddly, tormented, pig’s-blood swilling kind, either.
In my case, that was exactly the motive – not the only one, but one of the last straws. So, you handed out that flier during election season admitting that health care was a human right, but now that you actually have a chance to support it, you’re inventing an abortion loophole because you’d rather preserve that cozy relationship with Republicans and One Percenters? Sorry, but that’s bullshit.
104.
Paul in KY
@Elizabelle: Some of that applause, no doubt, was for this Golden Rule; He who has the gold makes the rules.
Yeah, true. I guess the shock is because they’re used to a wink-wink-nudge-nudge relationship with the hierarchy, which might pay lip service to the whole spectrum of Catholic teachings, but would only really go after Democrats. This guy actually says and means it.
106.
Elizabelle
@Chris: Yes indeed. And I got so sick of the bishops going after Democratic candidates. Abortion over all other topics. Uh. No.
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Elizabelle
I knew you’d come through for us, Ms. Cracker.
germy shoemangler
I’m enjoying the reaction shots in the crowd.
Trentrunner
I hope Biden and Boehner have comfortable seats.
This is a going to be a LONG slog. I’ve seen the speech text, and its length combined with Francis’ slow delivery and thick accent will make this a slow go.
Settle in, people.
Elizabelle
Always finding the resources to move forward, and to do so with dignity. Offer us a way of seeing an imperfect reality… Pope namechecks Lincoln, MLK, Dorothy Day, and Thomas Merton.
Dianne Feinstein and Al Franken seated next to each other.
150th anniversary of A Lincoln assassination, the guardian of liberty — and he quotes a bit of G’burg address. Speaks of love of the common good.
Betty Cracker
Not Doris Day, surely? I must’ve misheard, LOL!
guachi
Thomas Merton? Google searches for Thomas Merton must be going through the roof now.
Elizabelle
@Trentrunner: Ooh, text — do you have a link?
Elizabelle
@Betty Cracker: Dorothy Day. 20th century social activist. But you knew that!
Elizabelle
@germy shoemangler: I’m enjoying that they’re locked in for a long speech, and might have had a tad much coffee or whatever …
I think Francis should keep them there at least as long as for a Mass. We are all told that is a form of sacrifice …
JPL
Does Boehner has two hankies. Hopefully he is not using the same one for his eyes and nose. yuck
Elizabelle
The voice of faith is the voice of eternity and love.
Um, not in this country. It’s a braying voice that divides, in popular culture. (Colbert spoke of that in rawstory link; people assume Christians are rightwing … )
JPL
@Elizabelle: He spoke to many in the audience when he mentioned religious extremism and fundamentalism, being a danger to all.
Elizabelle
Speaks of MLK march and his Dream speech, much applause from a chamber half of which is good with tearing apart voting rights legislation …
debbie
I’m not able to watch the speech, but I am enjoying Glenn Beck’s railing at Obama for only inviting “liberal” Catholics to the White House.
Elizabelle
@JPL: I was probably looking at the NYTimes website and missed that. They’ve got a picture of Bibi up there, with editorial about middle east options. Kind of funny.
Whose speech was more happily anticipated?
Could not find a speech transcript; thought they might link on NYT fp.
debbie
@Elizabelle:
If only he’d point out that religious freedom isn’t the freedom to discriminate against others! Is that too much to ask?
shell
Has any Republican senator shouting out ‘You lie!’ yet?
Betty
What an antidote to Trumpism, Cruzism, etc. Who says this guy is not a politician?
Elizabelle
Good point about not judging the past by the criteria of the present.
When the stranger appears in our midst, we must not repeat the [errors] of the past.
Oatler.
Republicans remind me of John Cleese’s character in “Life of Brian” critique of the Sermon On the Mount: “What Jesus blatantly fails to realize is…”
Elizabelle
@debbie: You are speaking of Beck, or the Pope, or both? Guessing Beck …
Elizabelle
Now speaking of those traveling north for greater opportunity. We must not be taken aback by the numbers but rather view them as persons.
Chris
Spanish is the prettiest language in the world, for my money. That translates into delightful accents when native Spanish speakers go to English.
Steeplejack
@Elizabelle:
This is why I might need an intervention. Had the unseemly thought of whether it would be all right to have a papal speech drinking game. Had some spicy V8 juice, had some vodka . . . Decided on “Every time he says something that the audience applauds but ignores or actively fights against in daily life.” I might be in the bag by the top of the hour.
ETA:
Pope Francis: “Let us remember the Golden Rule.”
From the rear of the audience: “You lie!”
Elizabelle
The Golden Rule gets a lot of applause. Well, all right then.
Elizabelle
And he has not even gotten to climate change yet …
Cervantes
@Elizabelle:
You can find his prepared remarks here.
Elizabelle
@Steeplejack: Yup. Severe cognitive dissonance.
Elizabelle
Human life at every stage of its development. Finally. Something Republicans can be real enthusiastic about.
Now: global abolition of death penalty. A yelp and some startled applause. Now, silence.
the Conster
@shell:
Is Huckabee there?
Elizabelle
@Cervantes: Thank you! Will read it after the fact. Missing a lot …
the Conster
@Betty:
The pope is a political position – he’s elected, not descended from clouds.
Elizabelle
Kennedy and Roberts looking grim as Pope speaks of [prisoners] chance of redemption. Ginsburg looking highly amused. Roberts’ hands clasped tightly in his lap.
Morzer
@the Conster:
He failed the “visible in mirrors” test at the security check.
Betty
The Pope is really bringing it. And in such a heartfelt way that it is difficult for those who oppose him not look very small.
Elizabelle
Shot of Paul Ryan, watching this studiously. Hand up to mouth, maybe for some privacy. Looking especially Munsterish from CSpan angle.
Elizabelle
Bernie, fidgeting. Now Charles Rangel and some dude in a bolo tie.
Elizabelle
Climate change! Courageous and responsible effort to redirect our steps …. caused by human activity. I am convinced we can make a difference. I am sure.
Applause.
JPL
@Cervantes: Thank you so much.
NotMax
@Elizabelle
Certain members no doubt heard it as the Rule of Gold.
Hawes
Francis is pretty close to giving Bernie Sanders’ inaugural address here.
Cervantes
@Elizabelle:
@JPL:
You’re quite welcome.
I’m off for the day. Have a great one.
the Conster
@Elizabelle:
The only thing I took away from my years in Protestant Sunday School, and the only things I taught my kids from my churchgoing days. The only thing you need to understand, literally, is the Golden Rule as a guide to life.
Elizabelle
and, at the same time, protecting Nature. we have the freedom to limit and __ technology; intelligent development and put technology at the service of another type of progress, more human, more social.
I love this dude.
Elizabelle
@the Conster: Agreed re the Golden Rule.
Now: for Thomas Merton (who is one of Andrew Sullivan’s faves, I think) …
Steeplejack
“[Business] can be a fruitful source of prosperity from the area in which each operates, especially if it assists the creation of jobs as an essential part of its service to the common good.”
[Applause]
Okay, I’m drinking straight from the bottle now.
Elizabelle
Love his emphasis on dialogue. That would be a drinking game word. Also courage.
boatboy_srq
@Betty: Strikes me as the polite version of Jesus in the temple with the money-changers. A gentle chiding vs. a violent explusion.
Cervantes
@Elizabelle:
As in:
He’s referring to the agreement with Iran.
PS: And with Cuba.
Elizabelle
A good political leader is one who — with the interests of all in mind — seizes the moment …. always hopes to initiate processes rather than possessing space (?) …. to minimize, to end, in the long term, the many armed conflicts …
the Conster
@Morzer:
He’s a vampire?
Elizabelle
@Cervantes: Good to see you still with us! Indeed. Iran, could also be “get past the polarization, nudniks.”
Elizabelle
@Cervantes: How far through the speech? Still haven’t clicked the link …
Elizabelle
Congress acting like kids in the principal’s office.
boatboy_srq
@Elizabelle: Applause? Wow. Applause from the Drill Baby Drill crowd. Starting to think I need to join Steeplejack: the coffee is just not strong enough…
low-tech cyclist
@guachi:
Yeppers. :)
Fortunately, I read The Seven-Storey Mountain >40 years ago, and have a few of his other books as well, so I won’t be one of them.
Cervantes
@Elizabelle:
Almost at the end: three paragraphs to go.
And now I really have to run.
Elizabelle
Marriage and the family … beauty of family life. Well, Congress can get behind that. Standing ovation. Now, talking of the young as the most vulnerable. Countless opportunities beckon, but too many caught in hopeless maze of violence, abuse and despair. Their probs are ours. (Applause.)
Elizabelle
He’s kept it within an hour, and the speech will read well too. Ends with “Dream.” God bless America.
Elizabelle
Most applauding, some woman out in audience already texting on her cell.
Elizabelle
Quick exit out side door.
Elizabelle
switched to MSNBC. Tweety: a form of Catholicism almost near Marxism. Now he’s saying most didn’t buy all of Francis’s message and dividing up people along political lines and proclivities. Only one maybe down with whole speech was Bob Casey of PA.
Williams: what an interesting pageant.
Back to CSpan.
Steeplejack
Thank God he stopped before my liver gave out.
Just One More Canuck
@the Conster: it would be irresponsible not to speculate
Elizabelle
@Steeplejack: Yeah. Turned out to be kind of short and sweetish, and more interesting than any church service I’ve attended.
boatboy_srq
@Elizabelle:
Because it’s all performance art donchano. I bet he’d have said the same thing after attending Jesus Christ Superstar.
Elizabelle
@boatboy_srq: Yup. MSNBC was quick to bring the whole thing down to earth. Why I fled. Would rather think and listen to CSpan’s nonbabble than move on to whatever MSNBC wants to sell us next.
Williams said “pageant” not meanly, but it was telling.
BGK
Is it unchristian to hope for some form of violent gastric distress to strike Tweety and “Chopper” Williams, simultaneously, and without an opportunity to dash to the toilet?
NotMax
@Elizabelle
One thing as predictable about Matthews as the Sun rising in the morning is that he has his handful of bullet points and what he perceives as cuite/clever catchphrases worked out beforehand and damn the torpedoes, full speed ahead, he’s going to voice them repeatedly regardless of whether or not they fit, are germane or even accurate.
Germy Shoemangler
Watched it on ABC. After the speech, George Steph turned to Jon Karl, who made it sound like the Pope was calling out Obama for not cooperating with congress. Karl did it subtly, but that was the impression he tried to give.
Debbie
@Elizabelle:
I couldn’t get far reading the prepared remarks because they crashed my iPad, but what was the response to his statements about it being Congress’s job to “satisfy the common need” and referring to those who reduce everything to good or evil and righteous or sinner?
Elizabelle
The Pope out waving from the Capitol balcony. It’s a huge enthusiastic crowd, who watched the words on Jumbotron and are blissfully not watching cable news right now.
Sustained applause and cheers.
Pope speaking through translator. Asks for crowd’s good wishes and “God bless America.”
Elizabelle
@Debbie: Silence would be my guess.
Will be fun to watch the speech again tonight, with text at the side.
Steeplejack
@Germy Shoemangler:
Two talking heads on NBC, Andrea #1 and Andrea #2 (neither was Mrs. Greenspan), were talking cryptically about whether the Pope had succeeded in uniting the divided Congress. WTF?!
Elizabelle
@Germy Shoemangler: uhhh. No words.
It’s a luxury to have C-Span.
Elizabelle
Gorgeous day. Think you could see clear to Virginia from the Capitol balcony. With binoculars …
jayboat
Boehner blubbering into his hanky on the side is a wonderful touch.
So, all those folks outside stood there for ? hours ? for 20 seconds of a guy in white amongst a sea of suits to say Dog bless America?
Call me cynical.
eta- I know they were watching the speech on jumbotrons. Still cynical.
catclub
@Cervantes:
It is if you are called a pontiff.
Bobby Thomson
@Elizabelle: I’m a little slow. I just realized why Casey flipped on Iran. I wonder if the pope lobbied him personally?
Mike in NC
Most members of Congress believe in the Prosperity Gospel.
Elizabelle
Borowitz, snarking, but it’s the truth!
Elizabelle
@catclub: drum roll
SFAW
@the Conster:
Are you suggesting he’s not?
Steeplejack
@catclub:
Bugs Bunny: “What a pontoon!”
Chris
@Elizabelle:
I’m really enjoying the number of people who’re just flabbergasted to discover that being Pope doesn’t come with a card-carrying Tea Party Movement conservative status. But, but… religion is supposed to be about shaming sluts and gheys! What is this deviation from protocol?
Never mind that pretty much everything the Pope’s said has been standard Catholic doctrine for a long time – albeit a part of Catholic doctrine that the Bill Donahues of the world have done their very best to ignore.
catbirdman
Francis totally punked Congress, with his statement about caring for life from its earliest stages then immediately shifting to abolishing…the death penalty! Half of the applause was clearly from those anticipating a full-stop call for banning abortion, which is why the clapping stopped so abruptly when he called for a ban on state-sanctioned killing of people. Classic.
Elizabelle
Pope now heads to St. Patricks in the city, built 1794, for lunch for the homeless and 60 parishioners. Think St. Patricks is on Capitol Hill? And then is Catholic Charities another stop? Not sure …
Then 4:00 p departure from Joint Base Andrews. (And when did they start calling it that? A while, I’d guess, but I’m local and never pay attention …)
retr2327
@catclub:
Well, that gives a whole new meaning to “Sur le pont D’Avignon, on y danse,” etc.
Steeplejack
@Elizabelle:
Rimshot.
Elizabelle
@catbirdman: I loved that. So well done. Ergo, the yelp.
Thought it was from an abolition supporter, but maybe it was a yelp of shock. Very audible.
Elizabelle
@Steeplejack: Yesh! That be it!
retr2327
@catbirdman: A bit of a papal rhetorical device, it seems. He did a similar thing near the end, talking about how families were under attach, etc., which sounded like an attack on gay marriage, but then morphed into an argument to help ensure that all children have equal opportunity.
The neat thing about this trick is that it gives a little something to everyone: those who want to find the anti-abortion message and the anti-gay marriage message can point to those sections, while he pivots off them to advance different agendas at the same time.
gelfling545
@BGK: Yes. Francis would invite them to use his toilet.
low-tech cyclist
@Elizabelle:
I’m not sure either. I’m local too, drive past Andrews every day to/from work, and pretty much everybody I know just calls it ‘Andrews.’ I don’t watch any TV news, so I’d have missed any name change there.
Just checked – Wikipedia says it happened in 2009.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Joint_Base_Andrews
Elizabelle
NYTimes top story blurb, just now:
Wingnut tears, shall be out in force. Best examples today, please.
Elizabelle
@low-tech cyclist: Would have liked to go to Andrews open house last Saturday, but had other commitments. It’s a great show. Was perfect weather, too.
burnspbesq
@Chris:
If you’re used to seeing and hearing the leadership of the USCCB, it would be easy to get that impression about the Catholic hierarchy in general, and mistakenly assume that it applies to this Pope (as it did to his predecessor).
Elizabelle
@burnspbesq: that’s been going on for a long time too, hasn’t it?
I remember anecdote about JFK campaign: asked by aide: you only have time to meet with one group. Is it the bishops or the nuns?
JFK went with the nuns, cuz “the bishops vote Republican anyway.”
Maybe apocryphal.
PS: it’s the leadership that drives a lot of Catholics away from the Church, not so much the individual parish priests. IMHO, anyway. When the bishops decided Obamacare was a threat to religious liberty: done, done, done.
low-tech cyclist
The Onion:
burnspbesq
@Elizabelle:
One of my hopes for this Papacy, which has yet to be realized (and may not be), is that Frankie will get himself a big-ass broom and sweep away most of the leadership of the Church in this country. The Dolan generation has a lot to answer for, including but not limited to failure to deal appropriately with clerical sex abuse.
My fantasy is that after serving an appropriate sentence for obstruction of justice and witness tampering, Dolan ends up like Fr. Spellacy at the end of “True Confessions.”
Elizabelle
@burnspbesq: I know of what you speak. Great book and good film. That lonely desert outpost, looking at a sandy cemetery.
From your lips. Agree thoroughly.
PIGL
@SFAW: And the cuddly, tormented, pig’s-blood swilling kind, either.
Chris
@Elizabelle:
In my case, that was exactly the motive – not the only one, but one of the last straws. So, you handed out that flier during election season admitting that health care was a human right, but now that you actually have a chance to support it, you’re inventing an abortion loophole because you’d rather preserve that cozy relationship with Republicans and One Percenters? Sorry, but that’s bullshit.
Paul in KY
@Elizabelle: Some of that applause, no doubt, was for this Golden Rule; He who has the gold makes the rules.
Chris
@burnspbesq:
Yeah, true. I guess the shock is because they’re used to a wink-wink-nudge-nudge relationship with the hierarchy, which might pay lip service to the whole spectrum of Catholic teachings, but would only really go after Democrats. This guy actually says and means it.
Elizabelle
@Chris: Yes indeed. And I got so sick of the bishops going after Democratic candidates. Abortion over all other topics. Uh. No.