There have been some bizarre criticisms here, but going after the Vatican meeting is callous...

[HerbChestnut]

At best. It shows a complete unwillingness to see the other candidate in a positive light, which goes beyond just supporting your candidate. No rational human being could twist Bernie's meeting with the Vatican into something negative.

[Lizzie Poppet]

1. "No rational human being"

Well, there's your problem: cultists aren't rational.

[beam me up scottie]

2. They can try but it might not work out like they planned...

[itsrobert]

3. It reminds me of MItt trying to get Statesmanship cred by going to England

that didn't end well.

[nadinbrzezinski]

4. Since you went there

do you think Sanders will reveal the existence of Her Majesty's Service, MI-6? Really.

Now that was comedic, and that is the major reason it did not go well, I suspect the Swiss Guard will not be part of the conversation, thought the SS team will likely have to figure out, as they always do, how to work with the Swiss Guard.

At this point I am really starting to feel extremely sorry for you guys.

[NWCorona]

5. Talk about a blunder!

[nadinbrzezinski]

13. They are counting on us not remembering beyond two days ago

And no the Queen Mother was not pleased.

[NWCorona]

15. They ripped him a huge one!

This Vatican stuff is such nonsense!

[nadinbrzezinski]

37. No it is not nonesense

I know why they are doing this. There is real worry that they are about to get trounced in NY, and how this might help Sanders with the voters.

Also, we stopped talking of Bill's pretty racist statement.

[NWCorona]

38. Yup

But I think this will come back and bite them. Some nasty threads were started today.

[nadinbrzezinski]

44. Well DU is truly a teacup

it used to matter a lot more. Realistically it no longer does. So it's become a testing ground for talking points. Those who are swatted this fiercely will not make it though.

[nichomachus]

7. No worse than Hillary trying to pretend she had ever taken the subway

She's a phony and a fraud in just about everything she does.

[seabeyond]

6. Except telling national TV you are meeting with the Pope. You think?

[NWCorona]

16. What if he does meet the Pope

[seabeyond]

23. He isn't. The Pope said no. No intentions of giving Sanders an audience. Let alone a "meeting".

[NWCorona]

27. That's not what I asked

[seabeyond]

30. So? Sanders supporters do this a lot. Not what is, but but but, what if. He is not seeing the Pope.

He lied. He knew he was lying. On national tv.

[NWCorona]

40. I don't see it that way

[seabeyond]

42. Of course you don't.

[NWCorona]

46. Yup!

I'm glad we can come to an agreement

[geek tragedy]

8. This is not a place of worship, and candidates are not deities.

It is perfectly reasonable to criticize decisions politicians make during an election.

This isn't a "meeting with the Vatican" btw. He's attending a conference.

[nadinbrzezinski]

14. Which is being held at Vatical City, a... stay with me, a sovereign state.

Democrat Sanders, 'big fan of pope,' to attend Vatican conference

http://www.reuters.com/article/us-usa-election-sanders-vatican-idUSKCN0X516C

This really got under your skin.

[geek tragedy]

17. a meeting at the Vatican is not the same thing as a meeting WITH the Vatican.

A meeting in New York is not the same thing as a meeting with Bill D's administration or Andy Cuomo's for that matter.

[nadinbrzezinski]

21. Again, stay with me, this is being held in VATICAN CITY

with one of their top research institutions, You might be more familiar with the Observatorio Romano, but for some silly reason, going to back to Jesus actually, (or more specifically the first popes), the idea of social justice has been part of at least the ideology of teh church.

They have failed to do this at times... see that whole thing called the Middle Ages, but they do. This is very close to Pope Francis's ideology, to serve the poor. This really got under your skin. It really did, and I am beyond feeling sorry for you at this point.

And this is my read as well,

U.S. Democratic presidential candidate Bernie Sanders will speak at an event in the Vatican next week, likely broadening his appeal to Catholic voters ahead of crucial nominating contests in a series of Northeastern states.

Like Pope Francis, Sanders has made economic inequality and the plight of the working class a central tenet of his message. Sanders' April 15 visit to Vatican City, where he will give an economic address at a conference, will come just days before Democrats in New York vote in their state primary.

The trip may help the U.S. senator amplify the anti-corporate line of attack he has employed against Democratic rival Hillary Clinton as he tries to keep his insurgent campaign for the Nov. 8 presidential election alive.

http://www.reuters.com/article/us-usa-election-idUSKCN0X51Q6

And please do correct Reuters as well.

[geek tragedy]

24. where on their programme does it indicate he's speaking at this event?

You will be surprised to learn that journalists sometimes make mistakes.

There have been about 7 different versions of this story released today by the press.

Here's the Catholic news agency's account:

http://ncronline.org/news/politics/bernie-sanders-set-attend-vatican-conference-john-paul-ii-encyclical

The Vatican conference on Centesimus annus will be a small gathering of roughly 30 scholars. It is not open to the public. Pope Francis is not expected to attend, though Cardinal Oscar Rodriguez Maradiaga, head of the pope's Council of Cardinals, will open speak at the conference's opening.

The remainder of the conference will situate around the presentation of five papers. Presenters include Sachs and each of the Latin American presidents, in addition to Fr. Bryan Hehir, of the Harvard University John F. Kennedy School of Government, and José Casanova, senior fellow at the Berkley Center for Religion, Peace and World Affairs, in Washington, D.C.

Asked if Sanders might address the conference as well, Sanchez said, "I think that he needs to have the same possibility as the other political leaders." He clarified that it would have to be within the context of Centesimus annus.



According to the conference booklet, the symposium will explore two major issues: What changes have occurred in the world -- economically, politically and culturally -- in the last 25 years? And how has Catholic social teaching engaged the world during the time, and how might it best do so in coming decades?

"How ought we to think about the cultural situation today and what realities call for further reflection within Catholic social thought today to better understand the situation of ordinary people, especially the poor and marginalized?" it asked.

At least one conference attendee who spoke on background said they anticipated a "generic academic conference" but are now "queasy" how Sanders' presence, and the political overtones accompanying him, might distort a more academic reflection on the interrelationships between markets and morality.

"It's just tricky to navigate those issues, and I don't know that a politician -- any politician, not Sanders in particular -- is well equipped to navigate them in a subtle and nuanced way," the attendee said.

[nadinbrzezinski]

25. Don't tell me

tell Reuters

https://reuters.zendesk.com/anonymous_requests/new

[geek tragedy]

26. Reuters jumped the gun.

The Vatican conference on Centesimus annus will be a small gathering of roughly 30 scholars. It is not open to the public. Pope Francis is not expected to attend, though Cardinal Oscar Rodriguez Maradiaga, head of the pope's Council of Cardinals, will open speak at the conference's opening.

The remainder of the conference will situate around the presentation of five papers. Presenters include Sachs and each of the Latin American presidents, in addition to Fr. Bryan Hehir, of the Harvard University John F. Kennedy School of Government, and José Casanova, senior fellow at the Berkley Center for Religion, Peace and World Affairs, in Washington, D.C.

Asked if Sanders might address the conference as well, Sanchez said, "I think that he needs to have the same possibility as the other political leaders." He clarified that it would have to be within the context of Centesimus annus.

According to the conference booklet, the symposium will explore two major issues: What changes have occurred in the world -- economically, politically and culturally -- in the last 25 years? And how has Catholic social teaching engaged the world during the time, and how might it best do so in coming decades?

"How ought we to think about the cultural situation today and what realities call for further reflection within Catholic social thought today to better understand the situation of ordinary people, especially the poor and marginalized?" it asked.

At least one conference attendee who spoke on background said they anticipated a "generic academic conference" but are now "queasy" how Sanders' presence, and the political overtones accompanying him, might distort a more academic reflection on the interrelationships between markets and morality.

"It's just tricky to navigate those issues, and I don't know that a politician -- any politician, not Sanders in particular -- is well equipped to navigate them in a subtle and nuanced way," the attendee said.

http://ncronline.org/news/politics/bernie-sanders-set-attend-vatican-conference-john-paul-ii-encyclical

[nadinbrzezinski]

29. Once again

TELL REUTERS

I even gave you the fucking web form

https://reuters.zendesk.com/anonymous_requests/new

[geek tragedy]

31. Tedious, nt

[nadinbrzezinski]

33. Correct Reuters

[nadinbrzezinski]

32. And you missed this

The chancellor told CNN that Sanders' attendance "does not signify any support for the campaign," and that the academy sought to establish a dialogue between North and South America by inviting a U.S. politician.

"I don't know what is the problem," he told NCR. "We have two presidents from Latin America, and we don't have a problem. And we have a problem because we invited one candidate to the White House of your country? It's a little impossible to understand."

[geek tragedy]

34. is he submitting an academic paper?

He has a week to whip one up.

[nadinbrzezinski]

36. Once again

tell reuters

[riderinthestorm]

47. A chance to directly dialogue with 30 of the worlds top scholars on this?

Bernie the human must be ecstatic and has told Bernie the candidate to sit down.



He truly lives his ideals.

I had no idea it was this intimate of a gathering. Now I know why its a must-go thing for him.

[nadinbrzezinski]

48. And two south american Presidents who led populist revolutions of their own

I know.

[riderinthestorm]

52. Its just win win for him. I can't see any downside.

Whatever hours he may lose campaigning in NY, will be more than made up in the positive press he's getting now and then.

[nadinbrzezinski]

55. This is an optics problem why they are trying to mudd the water

yes, HRC will not be in Hong kong raising 2700 a pop, but her CFO will... same moment in time. The optics suck.... if you are a Clinton supporter

[riderinthestorm]

56. I believe she's at Clooney's $350k/person fundraiser instead that night

So much better. ..



I predict Hillary will be helping at a soup kitchen that day. Watch for carefully staged "charitable " photo ops...

[nadinbrzezinski]

58. Hmm, maybe an actual shelter

I feel for the Secret Service detail.

[vintx]

60. Wow, nice.

And no wonder they didn't invite Clinton

[nadinbrzezinski]

61. They wanted somebody from North America

And the list contains zero neo-liberals.

[nichomachus]

9. Callous is the Clintons' middle name

Along with corruption

[TheBlackAdder]

10. The posts cast images of exploding heads, as ids, egos and super-egos collide in a mental vapor!

[NWCorona]

11. This is such a bad look for team Hillary to be doing this

Right before NY! So many Catholics there.

[questionseverything]

39. i am not Catholic but i still respect the Pope

as US citizens i would think we all should be proud bernie is invited to speak on a "moral" economy

look at her supporters on this page...just hating

<shrugs>

[NWCorona]

43. I'm not either but the Pope has made some important moves

The hate is something else.

[KittyWampus]

12. He's not "meeting with the Vatican" and he lied about meeting w/Pope Francis.

#t=14

[nadinbrzezinski]

18. Slowly where do you suppose this mythical vatican

mentioned in this Reuters headline actually exists at:

Democrat Sanders, 'big fan of pope,' to attend Vatican conference

http://www.reuters.com/article/us-usa-election-sanders-vatican-idUSKCN0X516C

Perhaps you are not aware of this, but this mythical place is this magical kingdom

https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/d/d6/St_Peter's_Square,_Vatican_City_-_April_2007.jpg

[Armstead]

20. So typical of some here to parse and ignore the larger picture

Maybe he shuold have stopped and said -- No, it's not determined that I am going to meet with the pope..... But you don't know that's not true or discussions have been going on about that.

But in a larger sense, you totally ignore his obviously heartfelt explanation of what he admires about the Pope, and the need for an economy with a more moral basis.

To some here, political bickering is all that counts. Memes are all that count.

[DisgustipatedinCA]

50. Sorry, but Team Sanders isn't the entity that looks like a bunch of desperate, lying bozos.

That would be another candidate.

[Mudcat]

19. Hey, watch your tone & have some compassion...

... for those folks whose favorite candidate's poll numbers are going down the tubes almost daily.

[quickesst]

22. "It shows a complete unwillingness to see the other candidate in a positive light"

Read the replies in this thread from your fellow Bernie supporters, then say that again with a straight face.

[reformist2]

28. Their strategy is to attack EVERYTHING Bernie does that's different from Hillary. It's insane.

[nadinbrzezinski]

35. It is almost pavlovian

if Sanders supporters said that Sanders is the devil himself, they would attack that statement.

[jillan]

41. It's been really pathetic watching certain people go after Bernie harder than they did when Boehner

invited the Pope to speak to Congress.

[DisgustipatedinCA]

45. It's all good. The more they say, the more buffoonish they look.

This is one of those Chinese thumbcuff kind of things--the more they work at it, the worse they look. Let's mix our metaphors and give them all the rope they require.

[riderinthestorm]

49. Agreed. Great OP nt

[The Velveteen Ocelot]

51. It's just envy. Hillary would never be invited to a conference on economic justice

so they just have to piss on Bernie's campfire.

[Csainvestor]

53. the media wants to destroy and disqualify Bernie

and they will do it by any means necessary.

[LWolf]

54. It's just one more step further into destructive stupidity. nt

[Jitter65]

57. As though "callous" is new to this place? nt

[RazBerryBeret]

59. almost comical.

whether he meets with the pope, regardless of who invited him.. he is speaking about poverty/wealth and morality. Something he has spent his entire career working on; I am very proud he has this opportunity. I can't think of anyone else better versed in speaking about this subject, it's great that an American Politician was invited. let's lighten up a bit. Maybe say congrats?

[dr60omg]

62. Thank you.

[Kittycat]

63. They would be wiser to just ignore it and not say a thing.

But insulting the Vatican, Catholics, and sander's supporters. Good call. They haven't learned that it's only political if you make it political. Hillary's message doesn't align, Bernie's does - so now they want to piss on Bernie for it, and the Vatican in the process. Way to go!

Keep up the work