Bushes, Clinton Attend Pope's Funeral (* booed!)

[kskiska]

VATICAN CITY - President Bush joined throngs of the faithful on Friday in paying final respects to Pope John Paul II, the pontiff whose stands on abortion and other social issues meshed with his but who criticized both him and his father for waging war with Iraq.

(snip)

Bush was close to the front of the section reserved for world leaders, who are being seated in alphabetical order — in French. The United States in French is Etats-Unis. A parallel section will seat Catholic leaders.

Bush sat on the aisle in the second row, next to his wife, Laura. Beside them were French President Jacques Chirac and his wife, Bernadette. The two presidents shook hands.

When Bush's face appeared on giant screen TVs showing the ceremony, many in the crowds outside St. Peter's Square booed and whistled.

more…
http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&cid=544&ncid=693&e=2&u=/ap/20050408/ap_on_go_pr_wh/bush_pope

[Career Prole]

1. Why French?

"Bush was close to the front of the section reserved for world leaders, who are being seated in alphabetical order — in French. The United States in French is Etats-Unis..."

Why was French used? Anyone know?

[autorank]

3. Traditionally, French was the language of diplomacy. Vatican's big

on tradition.

[Merlin]

5. Until only about 30 years ago, French was the language of diplomacy.

Not sure when the tradition began, but I am sure it had been around for many centuries.

[Hobarticus]

6. Interesting question....

Here's what about.com had to say:

In many countries, French plays an important role, either as an administrative, commercial, or international language or simply due to a significant French-speaking population: Algeria, Andorra, Argentina, Brazil, Cambodia, Cape Verde, Dominica (French patois), Egypt, Greece, Grenada (French patois), Guinea-Bissau, India, Italy (Valle d'Aosta), Laos, Lebanon, Mauritania, Mauritius, Morocco, Poland, Syria, Trinidad and Tobago, Tunisia, United Kingdom (Channel Islands), United States (Louisiana, New England), Vatican City, and Vietnam.

[Career Prole]

8. Thanks to all! I knew it couldn't have been to get the Chimp

closer to the front than the "U" section!

[ima_sinnic]

14. weird that Quebec was left off of that list

... or rather, Canada (Quebec)

[Princess Turandot]

11. Apparently it helped keep some less than friendly world leaders

from sitting close to each other. Last night, someone said that the French names of the various countries worked out for the best. I think it had something in part to do with Afghanistan & Syria but wouldn't swear to that.

[Felix Mala]

13. Note that many terms from diplomacy & spying are from French:

Communique
Espionage
Surveillance
Reconnoiter
Detente
Attache
Chargé d’Affaires
Intelligence
Agent Provocateur

[Merlin]

2. Wonder if we'll see that on the network news.

Probably not.

[Felix Mala]

4. He's a dork in any language...

[Sequoia]

7. Bush wanted to stay out of the limelight.

Really, all these world leaders and he thinks Italians really want to see him after one of their journalist was shot on purpose. Who wants a limelight, I'd rather have a spot light!

[mcscajun]

35. I think he just wanted a row of folks in front of him for "cover"

Chickenshit that he is.

[pissed_American]

43. "I'd rather have a spot light!"

Or a laser sight.

[dandrhesse]

9. When my mom told me about *kneeling in front of the Pope's casket, she

said she could scarce take it in it was so blasphemous to have that "creature" acting "holy" and paying homage to the man he defied in going to war in Iraq. I said * was lucky he wasn't struck dead on the spot.

[geomon666]

16. My kingdom for a pretzel n/t

[maxrandb]

10. WTFO??

"the pontiff whose stands on abortion and other social issues meshed with his (Bush)"

What effing "other social issues" are they effing talking about, and who in the effing hell wrote that effing sentence?

Serious, what were those social issues that Chimpy and the Pope were so meshed together on?

-Tax cuts for the wealthy?
-Clear-cutting of forest?
-Destruction of Environmental Protections?
-Giving the death penalty to juveniles?
-Giving the death penalty to women?
-Abusing detainees?
-Destroying economic protection for the least among us?
-Limited liability of butchering doctors or pharmaceutical companies?

I'm so sick of these effers trying to show how much Bush and the Pope were so alike. These sick "moral values" effers.

Next we'll be shocked to learn that just like Bush, the Pope had two "frat mattress" daughters that were videotaped shaking their money-makers in a drunken stupor.

Family values, social values MY ASS!!!

Bush is like the Pope about as much as Ted Bundy is like Jesus.

Sorry, but that just pi$$ed me off.
-

[Seabiscuit]

17. The only other social issues they "meshed" on were:

1. Gay marriage

2. Terri Schiavo's feeding tube.

[dmr]

18. Convienent Christianity

Bush* will capitialize on what he wants from this photo op, and ignore what he doesn't. None of which is moral, just or Christian.

Bush* is a man of self-rightous Convienence.

[Career Prole]

20. No apology necessary.

Anyone who isn't stunned by the hypocrisy of the painfully forced "twinning" of the chimp and the Pope is incredibly unaware of the character of one man or the other (or both).

[dandrhesse]

44. My dad watches FOX news and my mom told me the funniest thing

happened the other day, she said that O'Reilly was talking to a priest or catholic layperson that was a historian and was saying how much bush respected the Pope and the guest said "Oh really, then can you explain to me why bush went to war in Iraq after the Pope specifically told him not to?" My mom said she has never seen O'Reilly at a loss for words before, she said it was hysterical as he went uh...uh... well thank you so much for being on with us today...uh...

[wallwriter]

12. So glad he got booed

Absolutely shameless use of this death for political purposes.

[Fleshdancer]

15. this is why he doesn't leave the US very often

he's detested beyond our borders.

[ignatius 2]

37. And detested by many inside our borders, its just that they get booted

out of any "open" discussions by King Georgies henchmen.

[commander bunnypants]

19. Best news all day

Go Italia

CB

[daleo]

21. People booed Bush at the pope's funeral

Really, could anything be clearer than that?

[truthisfreedom]

33. i wonder if Italians whistle when they don't like someone too?

i'm not familiar with crowd customs in Europe. does anyone know if whistling is a positive thing there?

[NYC]

41. Whistling is a negative thing.

To express disapproval.

I found Russian and Spanish whistling as disapproval, but didn't find a link re Italy. (I'm on dial up, so I give up.)

[daleo]

45. I think whistling as disapproval is standard in Europe.

But I mostly have become aware of this through watching international hockey games, and Italy is not exactly a power in the hockey world, so I can't be 100% sure in this case.

[Moderator]

22. kick to combine

[doxieone]

23. Bush Jeered by Vatican Crowd

http://www.thestar.com/NASApp/cs/ContentServer?pagename=thestar/Layout/Article_Type1&c=Article&cid=1112953574682&call_pageid=968332188492&col=968705899037&DPL=IvsNDS%2f7ChAX&tacodalogin=yes

Bush jeered by Vatican crowd
Many Italians still angry over killing of security official in Iraq



VATICAN CITY (AP) — U.S. President George W. Bush joined throngs of the faithful today in paying final respects to Pope John Paul, the pontiff whose stands on abortion and other social issues meshed with his but who criticized both him and his father, former president George H.W. Bush, for waging war with Iraq.

Not only was Bush Jr. the first U.S. president to attend a papal funeral, he also headed a delegation to the three-hour funeral mass that included his father and former president Bill Clinton.

snip

[Joey Liberal]

24. This must be a first

Is Bush the first U.S. President to get booed at a funeral? LOL.

[JoFerret]

25. Good news - reality breaks out all over

<<When the president's face appeared on giant screen TVs showing the ceremony, many in the crowd outside St. Peter's Square booed and whistled.>>

President Bush sat on the aisle in the second row, next to his wife, Laura. Beside them were French President Jacques Chirac and his wife, Bernadette. The two presidents shook hands. When Bush's face appeared on giant screen TVs showing the ceremony, many in the crowds outside St. Peter's Square booed and whistled.

http://www.outsidethebeltway.com/archives/9994

[livvy]

26. Who could possibly be more deserving? Good for them! n/t

[deadparrot]

27. I wish I could have seen the f*cker's face. nt

[NNN0LHI]

34. Here you go

[deadparrot]

36. Lord, but they make an attractive couple.

'kay, so I'm being mean. He's killed and destroyed the lives of tens (possibly hundreds) of thousands of people...I'm allowed to be bitchy and petty.

Who's the guy in front who's laughing?

[NNN0LHI]

39. I am not sure n/t

[BuddhaGirl]

40. Isn't that King Juan Carlos of Spain?

eom

[burrowowl]

46. Juan Carlos is

an Opus Dei. Yuk!
Is he thinking Opus Dei is going to put another Opus Dei type in the Papacy?!

[RUMMYisFROSTED]

38. Jacqueline Pickles Onassis

[leftchick]

28. Front Page NYT??

Nope, another wonderful foreign source for truth.

In ameriKa it is Heil bush**...

[rzemanfl]

29. Well, I can see why the gubmint is making folks get one of them

passport things to go to that country! Them nasty hockey playin louts. They hate our freedom! I was kind and genruz for our leader to suk up to them Papists the way he did, them Eye-ties oughter be grateful.

[rodeodance]

30. that ok by me

......When the president's face appeared on giant screen TVs showing the ceremony, many in the crowd outside St. Peter's Square booed and whistled. Bush rode to Vatican City in a limousine displaying two flags, the customary American flag on the right fender and, as a tribute to the Pope, the white-and-yellow Vatican banner on the left.

On Thursday, Bush offered fresh regrets to Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi over last month's shooting death of an Italian intelligence officer in Iraq by U.S. troops, his spokesman, Scott McClellan, said. Bush stayed out of public view on Thursday, meeting privately with Italian leaders and U.S. Catholic leaders in town for the funeral. ......

[rodeodance]

31. wrong decision by TV crew to put Bush up on the screens.

[NYC]

42. Maybe not.

What's wrong with a little truth?

[NashVegas]

32. dupe

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=102&topic_id=1380123

[Matriot]

47. That's not all the Pope thought about Bush

In 2003 he questioned whether or not Bush was the anti-christ. I'm surprised the newspapers don't bring that issue up again.