Pope Won't Break Bread With Bush

[sce56]

http://rawstory.com/news/2008/Pope_to_skip_White_House_dinner_0411.html

Pontiff not attending dinner in his honor, White House says

The White House has scheduled a dinner next week in honor of Pope Benedict XVI's first visit to the United States, but one guest will be conspicuously absent from the proceedings: the pope himself.

There are no competing events listed on the pope's schedule, and the White House was unable to explain Benedict's absence from the dinner.

The pontiff will be greeted by the president and first lady upon his arrival to the US Tuesday and participate in a Rose Garden appearance and Oval Office meeting with President Bush the next day. A dinner scheduled for later Wednesday night didn't make it onto the Benedict's schedule, White House spokesman Scott Stanzel said Friday.

From Friday's press briefing:

Q Just to clarify, for the pope's visit to the White House, you said that now there's a dinner in the East Room in honor of the pope?
MR. STANZEL: Yes.
Q Will the pope actually be attending that dinner?
MR. STANZEL: I don't believe so, no.
Q Okay. Thank you.
<...>
Q I'm sorry. The pope doesn't attend a dinner in his honor?
MR. STANZEL: No.
Q (Off mike.)
MR. STANZEL: He doesn't come into the building.
Q Well, then it's not a dinner for the pope, is it?
MR. STANZEL: It's in honor of his visit. There will be leaders from the Catholic community from all over the country who are in town for that visit.
Q Is there a reason the pope doesn't attend the dinner?
MR. STANZEL: I don't know. I don't have the full extent of his schedule.

[TheDebbieDee]

1. Even the head of an organization that protects child molesters

don't want to be seen with the War Criminal-in-Chief!

Asbestos suit is on and zipped!

[napi21]

4. Did you see Bill Mahar on HBO last night?

I'm a Catholic, but I have to admit, his story on the pope was really good.

I'll probably screw it up, but her's a shot:

"Ya know, if a very large corporation that included day care for thousands of children was found to have had hundreds of it's caretakers sexually abusing those children and the head of that corporation knew about it but covered it up, he'd be instantly arrested, tried and sentenced to life in prison or worse. Sooo, why not the Pope?"

[TheDebbieDee]

7. That makes complete sense to me..........

And no, I didn't see Maher but thanks for telling me that story. :)

[napi21]

2. I find this the funniest story in a LONG TIME! He managed to tell

Shrub FU without saying a word!

[Deja Q]

3. Ah, but maybe Bush was worried about the Pope breaking wind?

I mean, too much broccoli and/or spicy foods will do it every time...

[Botany]

5. OMG

4 snaps in a z formation

Q Will the pope actually be attending that dinner?
MR. STANZEL: I don't believe so, no

:rofl:

[juno jones]

6. I guess even Nazis have standards. n/t