With pope, Bush in listening mode

[maddezmom]

Source: AP

AP still going with this pic in the story :D


U.S. President George Bush enjoys a cold drink in historic Heiligendamm, Germany, Thursday, June 7, 2007. The leaders of the G8 nations are holding their annual summit in the sea resort on June 6-8, 2007. (AP Photo/Christophe Ena)


ROME - President Bush says he'll "be in listening mode" when he meets Pope Benedict XVI for the first time on Saturday. It's a good thing, because the Pope has a lot to say.

Benedict will discuss the Iraq war and the plight of Christians in that unstable, violence-wracked country, as well as "the big ethical and social questions" of the day, said Cardinal Tarcisio Bertone, the Vatican's No. 2. This includes praise for Bush's staunch opposition to abortion.

But there's concern about the war, vigorously opposed by the late Pope John Paul II and raised on occasion by Benedict. In his Easter message, Benedict said "nothing positive comes from Iraq, torn apart by continual slaughter as the civil population flees."

Putting on his listening ears doesn't mean Bush will be silent, however, during his third papal audience at the Vatican.



Read more: http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20070609/ap_on_go_pr_wh/bush

[lurky]

1. Wow!!

That iced tea sure is foamy. ;-)

[DemBones DemBones]

2. Let's hope * HEARS when he listens, and heeds what

Pope Benedict XVI tells him. Many Christians have left Iraq, remaining Christians are being persecuted. I guess all the Jews got out before the war because I haven't heard anything about Jewish Iraqis since the pre-war story that they were leaving Iraq en masse.

Sunnis, Shi'ites, Kurds, Jews, Christians were coexisting when Hussein was in power. He had people killed, of course, but I wonder how the numbers compare to the war dead? I cannot see that we have made things better in any way.

BTW, I just read today that the American Embassy in Baghdad is going to be bigger than Vatican City.

How big is Vatican City? Huge. You've probably seen St. Peter's Basilica and that's only one building in Vatican City, though it's probably the largest. The Vatican Museums and the Sistine Chapel, the Vatican Libraries and Archives, the colleges for seminarians, the barracks for the Swiss Guards, are all there.

I cannot imagine why we need an embassy that big anywhere. I looked it up just now and the National Geographic site says Vatican City is over two thirds the size of the Mall in Washington, D.C., if you've been there or seen photos.

* and company are not planning on leaving Iraq and can you imagine what the embassy is costing us?

[TexasProgresive]

7. I remember reading a story about a rabbi who was staying

in Iraq until the eldest member of his congregation passed on-all the others had left. This was after the war. Things went very bad for Jews and Christians after Saddam was ousted. For all of prewar Iraq's evils it was a strongly secular state.

[Eugene]

3. AIDS a Topic Between Bush and the Pope

Source: Associated Press

AIDS a Topic Between Bush and the Pope

By JENNIFER LOVEN, Associated Press Writer

Saturday, June 9, 2007

(06-09) 02:49 PDT ROME, Italy (AP) --

President Bush, in his first meeting with Pope Benedict XVI,
defended his humanitarian record around the globe, telling
the papal leader on Saturday about U.S. efforts to battle
AIDS in Africa.

-snip-

The pope asked the president about his meetings with leaders
of other industrialized nations in Germany and then changed
the topic to international aid.

"I've got a very strong AIDS initiative," Bush said.

-snip-

In a pre-trip interview, Bush said: "I think His Holy Father
will be pleased to know that much of our foreign policy is
based on the admonition to whom much is given, much is
required."

-snip-

Read more: http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/n/a/2007/06/09/international/i024956D43.DTL

[calimary]

14. "...His Holy Father"???

It's "his Holiness," you ASS.

Sheesh - bush can't even refer to the Pope properly.

[DrDan]

4. and since when does junior ever ever listen to anyone . . .

pickles perhaps as she rants about the drapes . . .

or barb as she rants about the ignorant voters . . .

or the twins as they rant about how boring DC and how they plan to spice things up . . .

and Kindasleezy as she rant about the lack of shoe sales in the DC malls . . .

[LiberalFighter]

5. Bush says the most inane things possible

[TankLV]

6. The Nazi pResident meets the Nazi Pope - yawn...

bet they had PLENTY to talk about and laugh at...

BTW - nice drink there, AWOL!

[goclark]

8. Bingo! Birds of a....

[UTUSN]

9. What a lost opportunity. Shrub is LISTENING?!!1 and *THIS* is the pope who gets to talk?!!1 n/t

[thecrow]

10. One should never drink alone

...especially THIS *one....

[Orsino]

11. Is that the listening-with-his-eyes-closed mode? n/t

[CountAllVotes]

12. too bad that * did not listen to Pope John Paul II

Quote from JPII: You go to Iraq, you go without God!

It seems that Pope John Paul II was more than correct was he not? Anything contrary to this is of no relevance IMO as Benedict was John Paul II's #1 man if I remember correctly. Will Benedict have something different to say to * re: Iraq?

:dem:

[moondust]

13. Pope 'n Dope.

:headbang: