Remember the huge mileage the Republicans got out of their pet bishops refusing to give John Kerry communion wafers because he’s pro-choice? Googling “kerry communion bishop” garners about 138,000 hits. It was nearly as big a deal as the “Swift Boat” slanders, in part because it wasn’t just a bunch of fringeoid right-wing racist dorks, but respected Princes of the Church, going after Kerry on this.
So let’s see if, now that we have as the GOP front-runner a Catholic guy who married his cousin, then bought an annulment so he could marry one of his mistresses, then wriggled out of THAT marriage to wed another, even younger mistress, we have anywhere near the same amount of media tsk-tsking about Rudy Giuliani’s being a “bad Catholic.”
I won’t hold my breath. There’s been nothing on TV about it as far as I know. In fact, so far, and only because I’ve been actively looking, I’ve seen this and this and this — and the last piece starts out by talking up what a good defender of the faith Mister Three Wives has been. None of the anti-Kerry pieces ever did that. (In fact, the article has this suggestive sentence: “Several of the bishops who declared in 2004 that they would deny communion to Mr. Kerry declined requests for interviews about Mr. Giuliani.” The excuse given was that it’s allegedly harder since 2004 for churches to get involved in American politics — which is bogus; Joseph Ratzinger has no problem telling American Catholic politicians what to do — he did so less than two months ago.)
Related posts:
- Sotomayor Filibuster Threat: You Can Help Expose GOP Hypocrisy
- Obama, Gates, and the Thin Blue Line
- Harsh Immigration Provision in Senate Health Care Bill Denounced by Catholic Bishops
- Midnight in the Garden of Trash and Hypocrisy: South Carolina Gets
SmuttySmuttier - Rep. Anthony Weiner tests the bar on hypocrisy for the GOP (updated at end of post)
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Phoenix Woman!
FITZ
The GOP. The party of family values.
Won’t happen.. Repubs can do no wrong because they pay for MSM’s tax breaks. Actually I’m proud of the pups today. Lots of blessing of the words. There was holy S…, holy f… and holy whatever..
Come on, it’s okay (anything is) if you’re a Republican.
As a Democrat I support Rudy for the Republican nomination.
From below:
SadieSue @ 157
I’m repeating it because it felt good to do something against the powers-that-be, even if it had no bearing on today’s news.
Freddy and Rudy. What a pair.
If (PLEASE, NO!!!) Rudy becomes president, can we call his wife “The Third Lady”?
Hi PW.
Republicans are evil liars who don’t care about the constitution or about Americans.
Oklahoma kiddo @ 6
You funny ;-)
So compare what they’ll do to an Obama, with a Muslim father AND stepfather (and a wealthy avant-garde mother!), with a past that includes admitted drug use and is still a smoker–with only two years of national experience–
with how they’ll gush over (and ignore the problems of) say, a Fred Thompson.
Hmm, I know a few catholics and priests who have been outspoken about their willingness to deny communion to someone like Guliani.
Perhaps your invective is better directed at media outlets not covering statements from Bishops or priests, directed towards Guliani.
SadieSue @ 7
What a great job by YOU!!!! Congrats.
How could anyone vote against the hero of 9/11?
Oklahoma kiddo @ 6
I’m telling Gore you said that.
Snark, I loved your letter..
SadieSue @ 7
Like the caller, I’d like to know what Fuckhead said.
ccmask @ 16
;0)
Wilson to be on CNN’s AC tonight at 10 EDT.
EPU’d:
Has anyone on the Blogosphere proposed a course of action whereby those of us who are outraged can most effectively protest Bush’s abominable commutation of Scooter Libby’s prison sentence?
I have already e-mailed my Congresswoman and posted a comment on a Democratic Party blog. The White House is not accepting comments. I’m working on a letter to the editor of my local paper. What should we be doing to bring more public attention to the Bush Administration’s utter corruption and contempt for our system of justice? Has anyone organized any form of collective action?
Rudy has a long, long history of BDSM relationships… the pay for play variations continued during his administrations… most notably during the first term when Rudy was shutting down every sex-oriented business in NYC which HE deemed to so. (The majority were mom and pop video shops with a porn section.)
Rudy has behaved in the insanely peccable way narcissists love to.
It took Rudy several years to release the “story” about how he met “Judy” — which is just that.
Subbie Wudy wuv his big busty domme Judy! Which is why he makes pee in his pants humiliating claims that Judy saved the city from the mass poisoning he denies affects the first responders and tens of thousands of NY’ers (including me) — and pwomises his bitch goddess mistwess that she will sit in on cabinet meetings.
By the way… Rudy gained his, um, interest in crossdressing in the years between his runs against David Dinkins. His teacher was a most creative pay for play domme who grew SO damn bored of Wudy pwancing awound in his bespoke sheep suit (”Am I a good little lambie?”) that she announced a Girl’s Night Out. Which made his widdle excuse for a soul SPARKLE — except he begged her to pwease, pwease, pwease keep him from leaving her apartment dressed THAT way.
So she made him go to Tiffany. Buy two large boxes of stationary. And hand write her a letter of apology and self-abasement.
Which he loved, loved, loved.
Gee, I was just beginning to think that we could save the Constitution without a popular uprising. I was even hoping for a Gore/Dean administration. (God, imagine having Howard Dean in the White House for 16 years)
Now, as I predicted in 2001, Bush needs only the flimsiest excuses for declaring martial law, and it seems we are far closer to this than anyone could have imagined a decade ago.
USA/RIP
Actually, Matthews did give this a hearing a few weeks ago on Hardball. He had some dude I never saw before from a Catholic group I never heard of who was giving Guiliani a hard time about this. It wasn’t Donahue and I don’t think the guy was from the Catholic League.
As expected, Matthews gave the Guiliani critic a hard time.
http://www.crooksandliars.com/…..w-passion/
But no, other than this, not much attention given by the MSM to Rudy’s Catholic problems.
woid @ 10
Think about the kind of woman who would marry Rudy Gulliani. Or Fred Thompson. Or…
Everythingseemssoneat @ 15
Exactly…His brave, resolute lisp and steadfast moral elasticity a bulwark against the encroaching swarthy hordes hidden in the concrete dust clouds…
I’m so angry I’m only gonna watch part of Idol.
MSNBC covered the Libby pardon/commutation like a real network, and Olbermann says that tomorrow night he is going to call for the resignations for Bush and Cheney!
It was a delight to watch.
very brief drive-by from Al The Spook:
My dad is responding to the vancomycin, but he also has the crap (the drug resistant bacteria) in his nasal passages, apparently from a stint in a nursing home in california three years ago. Bottom line, he will apparently live (too mean to die, IMHO) but will be coming home under full vancomycin protocol. My home is about to turn into a hospital ward; I am NOT pleased. Still, it’s for the best. The say that once the VCM gets someone clear of this crud, they stay clear pretty much for good.
On the outrage du jour, I am still processing. But, IMHO, this round of Polonium on the Potomac goes to the Co-President and the Shadow Administration. Chimpy and BC,LLP may have just discovered that some folks don’t care for being “the help”. I’ll have a somewhat better analysis on ROARM by tomorrow evening. But two things stand out now:
1) Chimpy could NOT allow scooter to go to the big house. Why? Scoots would have flipped. That means Chimpy is VULNERABLE.
2) Is there someone out there, right now, who perhaps is not pleased by this turn of events? Someone who might perhaps have an unfinished case against, say, Cheney? Hmmm. Who could that be? And if my hypothesis is correct, this “commutation” was extorted out of chimpy, not granted willingly. If so, he and the Appointed Administration will want to hit back.
So, I don’t think Co-President Cheney has all that much room to breathe easy, myself….
(lurching poof…..)
Suite Rudy Blue Eyes,
It’s getting to the point where you’re no fun anymore.
wigwam @ 29
I agree, can’t wait to watch KO tomorrow.
I’m having visions of a special session of congress called on July 4, INDEPENDENCE DAY.
It. Is. Time.
Everythingseemssoneat @ 15
huh??? Did guiliani have something to do with 9/11??? Sh*t, I must have missed that.
So reading between the lines.
I take it there was no great rapproachment and fence mending with Vladimir Putin.
Chimpy would rather his Scooter Libby Criminal Relief Act story be in the news than whatever the hell happened with the Russian President.
-GSD
neurophius @ 21
I’m with you, any news yet on what we can collectively do?
Alfred Kelgarries @ 30
I hope your dad feels good and not in pain, and that he gets better.
Alfred, Thanks for the post. Take care of yourself too!. I hope that your analysis is right..
I’m pretty sure Pelosi and Reid will straighten this whole mess out.
Alfred Kelgarries @ 29
AK. Not Fair.
You can’t tantalize us like that and then go poof.
(Hope your dad pulls through with some ease in the process for you)
Sorry, bishops: that’s not fucking good enough.
I was thinking about the ‘no communion for Kerry’ gang over the weekend. But as the CBN guy on ‘Meet The Press’ noted, the wingnut fundies will line up and vote for Rudy, because he’s Mr 9/11 Terrah Guy.
Loo Hoo. @ 25
Loo Hoo! It’s dinner time…don’t make me lose my appetite again.
You missed a real whirlwind pissed-off blogomania this afternoon.
Loo Hoo. @ 25
Bizarre. Isn’t it?
9/11 survivor (sort of) @ 21
How intriguingly suggestive.
GSD @ 34
So are we speculating that Vlad told the Chimp that if bombs or anything else explosive fall on Iran, that the same may fall here? Too bad, I’m sure HoJo and little Billy Kristol and Dickie Perle and Wolfie will all be crying now when they find out they can’t have another invasion.
darkblack @ 43
The sound of mental gears turning quicker and quicker echo through the Darblack corridors of the mind.
-GSD
RevDeb @ 32
I’d like to see a decent turnout on the Mall, just to make the point that 1776 wasn’t a one-time deal.
pseudonymous in nc @ 47
I wish I lived close enough to go. Maybe they will have one here.
“Several of the bishops who declared in 2004 that they would deny communion to Mr. Kerry declined requests for interviews about Mr. Giuliani.” The excuse given was that it’s allegedly harder since 2004 for churches to get involved in American politics — which is bogus; Joseph Ratzinger has no problem telling American Catholic politicians what to do
How did that fuckin Rove get a Republican Pope elected?
I think I need to litter the lawn with upside down flags on Wed.
(it’s supposed to rain which makes it even better)
Alfred Kelgarries @ 29
Thanks, AK! Missing your comments! I agree, Fitz is emboldened, shoulda let sleeping dogs lie…!!! Ciao!!!
…and if Hillary gets elected, will she be any different than Rudy? I’m starting not to care.
Alfred Kelgarries @ 29
Hi Al,
Be very careful; the local hospital killed my father nine years ago when he got VRE.
Their drug of choice against VRE was chloramphenicol, which as I understand it kills off the gram-negative bacteria in the gut leaving a opening for the gram-positive claustridium-difficile, which can be deadly if not caught early. In my dad’s case, it wasn’t and the outcome was fatal.
Wigwam
Alfred Kelgarries @ 29
Re your comment, I think folks in the CIA might not be real happy seeing Scoots walk.
As for vanc, it will clear the MRSA which I assume your father has although it might be something else. However, it doesn’t guarantee re-infection down the road.
Hey Alfred -
Your blog is freaking me out. It’s like reading a blog by a…a… a spook.
Yeesh
Bush has once again shoved everyones face in shit.
More and more people on the inside are going to ratfuck the administration.
I bet there are some mighty fired up CIA folks these days. Not to mention DOJ, JAG, NASA and FEMA and EPA……..
Bush is consigning himself to the asheap.
However, will the Republic survive long enough to see this trash-heap kicked to the curb?
-GSD
By way of some balance here, I’d like to call attention to the sermon delivered yesterday by the Episcopal priest, All Saints Church rector Ed Bacon, in Pasadena, that called for the impeachment of Vice President Dick Cheney.
Fr. Bacon has not been reticent on these issues.
Bob in HI
Does Giuliani take communion? I dont think he does.
The Catholic Church doesnt ban once or often divorced Catholics from attending mass, just sacraments like Holy Communion.
If Rudy doesnt approach the alter for the wafer, then I can see why the church might view him differently than Kerry.
What is the President hiding?!
I can’t speak to the religious angle since I avoid church religiously, but anyone who asks his ex-wife “Are we still cousins?” is just too wierd for me
RevDeb @ 32
Perfect. And if they could please deauthorize the Iraq “war” that would show some spine too.
Phoenix Woman —
I’ve been waiting for the good bishops to speak out, and I think they are (1) waiting until the campaign gets closer to home, and (2) watching the particular issues.
Abortion is the issue that drove some of the Catholic bishops to speak out against Kerry, and you can add stem cell research to that as well in 2008. There have been candidates of both parties that have held views on other issues in opposition to the official position of the Vatican, but until abortion took center stage, the bishops held their tongues (more or less).
The other factor is that if one assumes that the Dems put up a full-blown, pro-choice candidate, the bishops don’t want to have come down too hard on the GOP alternative. “OK, so he’s had several wives and not gotten any annulments, but BY GOD he’s pro-life.” It may be the lesser of two evils, but those bishops inclined to get into the political debate will take an adulterer over one who allows abortion every time.
The bishop most likely to speak out against a politician, in my book, is St. Louis’ Archbishop Raymond Burke. He is a shoot-your-mouth, ask-questions-later kind of prelate, who sees the world very much in black and white terms. If Rudy gets the GOP nod, or even looks like that’s a possibility, look for Burke to go after him for his less-than-complete agreement with Burke’s view of the church. If Rudy pisses him off, Burke WILL bring up the wives and mistresses.
And that would truly be a sight to see.
Dakine,
I frankly don’t know what was said. However, had there been something positive, I would have guessed that would have been used to buttress the bad news.
Putin was dealing from Bush in the Alpha Dog spot, something Chimpy can’t deal with.
Guess that’s why he must have needed his dear old Poppy to hold his hand.
-GSD
Alfred Kelgarries @ 29
On Hardball tonight, Marcy hinted as much when she brought up the note, brought into evidence at the Libby trial, where the VP referred to the fact that the President had asked Libby to put his neck into a meat grinder. The inference being that Libby knows shit that could sink the Bush presidency.
OT – Beverly Sills dead of cancer
triciawrites @ 35
How’s about we buy billboard space for Impeach Bush/Cheney/Gonzolez signs?
Alfred and lolo, so good to hear from both of you!
Helen @ 64
Damn.
Rest in peace you beauty.
Oilfieldguy @ 59
His excuse for the annulment? “I didn’t know we were cousins” Boy – do we want someone that stupid for President?
GSD @ 55
I fervently hope Fitz is calling Sen. Leahey and Rep. Waxman’s offices to chit-chat! Fitz, had declined to comment further to their respective Committees, I believe, he is about to have a change-of-heart!!! ;-)
Helen @ 64
She was a great lady, with great humor and a great voice. She’ll be missed.
Alfred Kelgarries @ 29
Oh, yes, Alfred! I said in previous thread that perhaps Chimpy played right into Fitz’s hand.
Great minds and all. . .
CTuttle @ 69
He needs DOJ’s permission. Think he’s gonna get it? I don’t.
Some people say progressives don’t understand the enemy but I’m calling for tax relief.
OT, I just attached a photo of Bush burning the constitution. It is on my letter to him.
Peterr,
Rudy Judy is pro-choice, pro gay rights and pro gun control, and looks swell in a set of pumps. I guess he is willing to make Nadia Comenechi look like a piker with his campaign tumblesaults.
I don’t see how the church cannot oppose Rudy, unless there is a Republican version of the Gospel.
Bob Schacht @ 56
The rank-and-file Catholic clergy and nuns are on-average wonderfully enlightened/concerned people. I can’t understand why they follow their heirarchy.
Loo Hoo. @ 65
Most of the billboards across this fine land are owned or controlled by Clear Channel.
Draw your own conclusions.
TeddySanFran @ 58
Dumb question ;-). What isn’t he hiding?
GordonM @ 78
His contempt for humanity?
His contempt for humanity?
Hidden. In Plain Sight.
omfg. sorry, I may be a bit OT, but I just heard the news, and I have to say I’m PISSED. just gotta let it out Captain. more tomorrow. no, more on Friday. I’m just not gonna deal with this until then. Peace.
Laura Doty @ 79
Nah, that’s been in plain view. Oh, you mean like the Purloined Letter?
RevDeb @ 77
Time for all of us to take up freeway blogging. Thousands of signs across the country. All of us slipping out during the night and tacking paper signs across interstate bridges, on trees along bike paths, tiny little signs on bulletin boards in grocery stores, and protest signs on sticks as we march around city halls and state capitals. Peacefully we nail the message to the hearts of our fellow citizens. Never doubt that it can’t be done.
Helen @ 72
I think Fitz can ‘Whistle-Blow’ criminal Obstruction of Justice charges against the WH, thereby, precluding any DoJ Executive Privilege claims! If there’s any basis for impeachment, this most certainly has the legs and public outrage to embolden the quavering Dems!!! 8-)
Mary, I think it is time to let everyone see something in front of them, everyday.
-GSD
Demi,
I know. Weirdly enough, I was finishing 1984 with no tv or radio on. I’ll have to go back and read the threads when I can quit cussing.
KPOJ in Portland, Oregon tape delays the Rachel Maddow show, so if anyone missed Jane’s interview earlier, you can listen to it in about 12 minutes.
Go To Freeway Blogger for information on the fastest, most efficient way to make signs and put them up. I’m going to put one in my front yard.
OffT: Customer reviews are now being accepted for Glenn Greenwald’s A Tragic Legacy.
Kerry reminds me of Gomer Pile.
Mary @ 83, while you’re doing that, I’m going to let out as many prisoners as I can. Their sentences were probably too extensive and the prez can’t get around to everyone so I’ll help him out. Justice for all is the cry of the land.
CTuttle @ 84
I’m not sure this is a “whistleblower” thing. I think it’s an “principal of DOJ” thing. LHP are you here? HELP
Loo Hoo. @ 86
But there be plenty o’ cussing, so why wait? It’ll just get you goin’ again.
Everythingseemssoneat @ 90
But French.
woid @ 9
You don’t think he’ll have a fourth by then?
I’ve been offline most of the day and just checked in to learn that Bush commuted Libby’s sentence. It’s like a kick in the gut — the same one that the Supreme Court delivered when they stopped the Floriday count. It tells all the rest of us again and again and again: you don’t matter! We are the only ones that matter. Pay your taxes, send your kinds to die in Iraq and shut up!
We don’t care what you think.
Excuse the rant.
Why would the Catholic church comment on anything Republican anymore? After all the Supreme Court is now ruled by Catholics (5 out of 9).
The Pope is now represented by the majority on the Supreme Court. The church is ecstatic.
Everythingseemssoneat @ 90
With an accent like Thurston Howell
…Good evening, firepups. ‘Tis a great day for liberty, justice, and the American Way, if by great day, you mean a day when all of them were kicked in the nads by the boy king.
Mutant Poodle @ 99
Evening poodle. Going to be here all night, icing nuts.
Oilfieldguy @ 75
Ah, but the hierarchy will call those tumblesaults “repentance” and forgive him his past.
And if you give the hardcore members of the catholic hierarchy a choice between, say, Hilary Clinton or John Edwards or Chris Dodd on the one hand and Rudy on the other, they’ll take Mr. ThreeWives every time.
Today is my birthday.
Thanks, Mr President.
F*cking fascist wanker.
Hey–
I’ve been reduced to lurking for the past few weeks, so hi y’all. And I’ve been away from media today and just got the news of the commutation like a shot between the eyes. Speechless.
Happy f’ing Independence Day, right?
Still absorbing it all. Saw someone’s comment below referencing George’s mocking of Karla Faye Tucker. Beyond outrage. Obscene. I sure don’t have the words. But I know you’ll all help make some sense of it. Well, maybe not sense.
Peace, please.
Knut Wicksell @ 96
That’s OK – go ahead and rant. I’ve been ranting all night. Ranting to the point of thinking of leaving the country. I have dual citizenship. My mother left a country where the people illegally took up arms against the government. I thought about leaving until my best friend, at whom I was ranting, said “Helen, your mom left a country where the people took up arms against the government; surely you cannot run and hide.”
To top it off, someone has spoofed my personal e-mail address and is sending out, um, genital enlargement spam with my return address.
PeteCO @ 103
Happy birthday anyway. :(
SnarKassandra @ 106
Thank you. You’re very kind.
PeteCO @ 102
Think of it this way – it means today isn’t a total loss.
PeteCO @ 102
Happy Birthday PeteCo. How old are ya?
Hey Cassie – nice letter to W on your blog today.
Was it his first cousin? If so, bad.
Otherwise, it’s legal in most if not all jurisdictions (and something that just about everyone has somewhere on their family tree at least once).
Now, the annulment and the marrying the mistress, and divorcing her for another mistress: that’s excessive. Unless you’re a GOoPer, in which case it’s fine, because you don’t have ‘San Francsisco values’.
New Thread by Jane!!!
Bush didn’t commute Libby’s sentence to keep him from flippin- he would never flip- he did it to keep the other bastastards lyin for him. If he wouldn’t keep Libby out of jail- then the word would go out that he wouldn’t keep the thousands of OTHER criminals out of jail either- and his house of cards would have crumbled…..and this fucker pretends to be a christian.
Jane has a new one up.
In a moral universe, Libby’s face and rotten fruit would be constant companions. *s*
Mutant Poodle @ 110
Thanks.
Helen @ 109
42 glorious years.
SnarKassandra @ 106
Also the 231st anniversary of John Hancock Signing the Declaration of Independence! Yes, that’s right, the signing actually started today, and ended on July 4th.
Some Anniversary…sorry PeteCO. Please have a great one nonetheless, and extra cake for you today!
Hugh @ 115
What about Libby brand fruit? Throw that?
Please forget Fitz- if he was going to nail these bastards he needed to play a much tougher game- he needed to go ahead and indict Rove and Cheney- and on the “underlying charges” then he would have had enough power in his corner to negotiate a tough settlement. He started low and ended low. Chicken shit player.
PeteCO @ 117
Oh hey – Me too!! – (um, 2 years ago)
Mutant Poodle @ 105
No, you’ve got a virus. Your PC is now a robot, sending out spam.
FYI, late nite
I guess Rudy is a serious believer in absolution. He supports the escape for Libby; maybe Rudy will hire him.
In fairness, they can’t threaten Giuliani with loss of communion, since catholics who remarry outside the church aren’t eligible for communion.
IOW, he’s no long a practicing catholic, so he can’t be cut off from the sacraments.
“Several of the bishops who declared in 2004 that they would deny communion to Mr. Kerry declined requests for interviews about Mr. Giuliani.”
The kind of integrity we’ve come to expect from the Child Raper Church.
Yes, that’s just what Jesus would do, you crooked evil bastards.
Well Kerry took communion this past Sunday.
11 AM mass. He usually goes to the Spanish
language one at 6:30 but this Sunday was
the last mass for our sensible liberal pastor
who is being moved to another parish
so I suspect Kerry wanted to go to his
very last mass
I’m sure it’s already been said more than once but here it is again. IOKIYAR!