Russert just announced on "Today" that Bush will go to funeral

[DARE to HOPE]

Just heard him say it, and how things have changed since JFK ran as a R Catholic.

[GCP]

1. Are they going to shut down Rome for the little coward?

I just started a thread on this in GD Politics.

[DoYouEverWonder]

2. So Bush didn't go to the Olympics

because of the havoc it would have caused with all his extra security that he demands, but it's okay to screw up the Pope's funeral?

[Catchawave]

24. I replied to you in Politics....

...this is definitely BushCo at it's worse. Selfish idiots. Why does everything have to be about HIM?

[Donailin]

28. Jeeze, now that you mention it

the event will revolve around security for Bush. And will folks protest his appearance? And will he avoid them? This will be interesting, Italians (and I'm one of em) are fiesty and prone to pulling no punches.

We'll see.

[Norbert]

3. Why don't he just stay home and sell his Social Security scam

Heck, there was a half million Italian people protesting his war of aggression and he wasn't even there. Imagine what will happen when Chimpy shows up and they can't select their audience.

[Gunit_Sangh]

4. Cuz his SS scam is tanking

that's why.

[BlueManDude]

7. His appearnace at the Pope's funeral is meant to help him sell his SS scam

[lancdem]

8. Yep

Rove hopes some of the Pope's popularity rubs off on Chimpy.

[BlueManDude]

29. and the inevitable Reagan worship that will also emerge won't hurt

[Goldeneye]

5. I suppose the Italians

will be subdued out of respect for the pope, but man Italy is not a good place for monkeyboy to go. We just shot up one of their journalists, and the people there have always been against the war.

[jedr]

6. as if the Europeans are going to great him with open arms!

Maybe Rove has finally"jumped the shark"....this will cause demonstrations all over Europe I hope the "anti-Christ" thing comes out in the European press...He needs a taste of his own medicine

[flygal]

9. Didn't he get the message that the Pope didn't care for his war

[underpants]

10. The campaign continues

For some reason Catholics are buying into W. I wonder what Bob Jones thinks of this....oh that's right the ends justify the means.

[jedr]

13. only on abortion......

and even there is a 50/50 split....doesn't take much for Catholics to realize that they are lumped in with the Jews as not true belivers...but if you can glean even a few votes...everything is politicize by these people...can't they just give the Pope some heart-felt respect?

[lancdem]

11. James Wolcott predicted this Friday

Said Bush would break precedent and attend the funeral to boost his poll numbers.

http://www.jameswolcott.com

[Walt Starr]

12. EXCELLENT!

There will be no way to hide the fact that he'll be a pipsqueak amongst giants.

There will be NO special considerations for the bastard. He'll be treated no differently than any ther dignitary attending and there is NO way he'll be able to interject or get his ass up front as that is reserved for the College of Cardinals.

He'll look the fool he is!

[lancdem]

14. And this move is so blatantly political

[underpants]

16. I can't wait for W having to sit there and be preached to about war..

and the poor.

[Bridget Burke]

17. With such a long ceremony, how can he remember not to smirk?

He definitely gets pissed off when he's not the center of attention.

[underpants]

21. What do you think? Picture from THIS MORNING

U.S. President Bush, left, shakes the hand of Rev. Luis Leon after morning services St. John's Church Sunday, April 3, 2005 in Washington. Bush led the nation in mourning Pope John Paul II on Saturday, saying his quarter century as head of the Roman Catholic Church and his lifetime of dedication to freedom and values made him a 'hero for the ages.' (AP Photo/Charles Dharapak)

[Straight Shooter]

26. The caption of the photo says bush "led the nation in mourning"

I beg to differ! We do not need this warmongering, lying, deceitful creature to "lead" those who are genuinely saddened by the passing of the Pope.

Notice the photographer, Dharapak. He is the number one "make bush look holy" photographer. He has been responsible for all the halo pics of bush. Wait and see. He'll go to Rome with bush. We'll be inundated with images of saints around bush.

God help us.

(I hope Italy goes into a total uproar over bush invading the funeral. And that's what it is, just another invasion by the boy king.)

[LibDemAlways]

30. What an opportunistic asshole this idiot is.

He never shows up at a church unless he can make a photo op out of it. Now he's going to interfere with the Pope's funeral. The Vatican ought to tell him to stay away.

When Bill Clinton was President he often attended church quietly and without fanfare. One time when he was in the LA area he slipped into a church in Malibu for a Sunday service so unobtrusively that one churchgoer was startled when she turned around to pass the collection plate and saw him sitting there. She wrote a letter to the editor of the local paper recounting the experience - the only press coverage it received.

[TahitiNut]

15. Tim Russert - White House Press Orifice

:puke:

[0007]

23. You got that one right. "Tim Russert - White House Press Orifice"

I think junior will back off of the idea of going to Rome.

[alcuno]

18. Just another politician bowing and scraping before the Pope.

They all do it.

[LibDemAlways]

19. I realize the Vatican will let the bastard in,

but I sure as hell would love to see him seething as they lead him to a seat in the last row behind a pillar.

[Malva Zebrina]

20. That is truly disgusting grandstanding

The Pope told Bush, in effect, thanks for the medal, but I have told you three times that invading Iraq was immoral and that it is an unjust war.

Now, a fascist warmonger, is going to arrive at the holy funeral, with all his fascist accoutrements,ie snipers, SS men galore, closing off of streets and etc., demanding the hoards of mourners gathered, as is the custom there when a pope dies, get out of HIS way.

[apple_ridge]

22. It's particularly interesting if the following article has any merit.

http://www.counterpunch.org/madsen04222003.html

Of course, if the pope actually believed that he certainly didn't do anything to address the issue.

[Kansas Wyatt]

25. Will his SS Jackboots come along to remove those without loyalty cards?

[Toucano]

27. How many funerals of fallen soldiers has he attended?

Zero? Correct!

He can't go to one, he says, because it would be unfair to all the others.

Following that logic, if he goes to the Pope's funeral, shouldn't he have to go the the funerals of all the other religious leaders in the world?

[MissWaverly]

31. Since George is not Catholic and ignored Pope's advice

This cannot be seen as anything but self aggrandizement and an security burden to the Itallians at a time they are trying to mourn the loss of the Pope. He said the U.S. would cooperate in the investigation of the shooting of the Itallian journalist and then the Itallian investigators were denied access to the car. Now he's over there totally involved. The Itallians are not going to be impressed, and I as a Catholic am not impressed.