Bringing the sleaze.

I swear I can't keep up.

Now the Pope is feuding with the leading republican candidate for president.

The Pope says that trump's behavior, as it relates to the Mexican border, is not a Christian.

Now if you  happen to be a Catholic who also happens to be a trump supporter, what do you do?
Do you support the leader of your church? Or do you support the man you want to lead the country?

"After the pontiff’s remarkable contention that Mr. Trump “is not Christian” in proposing deportations and a wall with Mexico, the candidate said Francis’ criticisms were “disgraceful” and “unbelievable,” and he contended that the Mexican government had hoodwinked the pope into criticizing him."

If you are standing next to trump, now might be a good time to step away. You don't want that lightening strike to hit you.

Then there was Ted cruz calling the president "faithless". This, after he and his campaign fraudulently and nefariously photoshopped the picture of his opponent in a campaign ad. Man this guy has some serious cujones.  I am not sure how he thought that he could get away with doing a silly photoshop from a stock photo in this Internet age. *[See pic above]

Anyway, such is life in politics, the sleazy people will do anything to win. And this guy has the nerve to rip the president's morals.

But things are getting down and dirty in the republican primaries (the dem primary as well), and trump and cruz are going at it, hard. 

Cruz is peddling the narrative that trump is a secret liberal to the base, and trump thinks that cruz is a lying duplicitous scumbag. (Ok, he didn't actually say scumbag, but you get the point)

Of course this could all be because there is a new national poll showing that cruz is actually beating trump. Fortunately for trump, it is the only one, and the word among pollsters is that it is an outlier. We will see.

I just had a scary thought: What if trump wins and chooses cruz as his running mate? Don't laugh. Crazier things have happened. Did you think, for instance, that a self-promoting game show host who has been named in almost 170  federal lawsuits would be on the verge of being the GOP nominee for president? 

Exactly.

Doing good among those who don't.

I don't know how my man Francis does it. Dude has to be pushing 80 and he is acting like he plays guitar for the Rolling Stones or something. They are the only other septuagenarian who can rock so many crowds and keep going like this. Washington. Congress. The UN. Harlem. Madison Square Garden. Philly. And crowds in the hundreds of thousands out in the streets just trying to get a glimpse of him, while he just keeps going like the Energizer Bunny with that perpetual smile on his face.

Anyway, he will be here in Philly tonight. Unfortunately he might have the city all to himself. Damn near everyone who lives in the city has left town or vowed not to venture anywhere near Center City.

I have my fingers crossed that the Mayor's plan to shut the city down doesn't backfire. I am looking at Washington and New York and folks are coming out in droves to show love.  I have heard that we are expecting a million or so saints.  Right now we are just "praying" that they come.  

"Heading into the final week before the pope’s U.S. trip, hotels in Philadelphia had more than 1,000 rooms available. Regional transit agency SEPTA had sold only about a third of its papal visit rail passes, and the southern New Jersey commuter rail, PATCO, less than a sixth. 
And a plan to turn Fairmount Park, one of the largest urban green spaces in the nation, into “Francis Fields” campground was scrapped due to a lack of interest." [Source]

Y'all better come out and show Francis some love. The Eagles are 0-2 for crying out loud!

Speaking of showing Francis love, my man has been getting love everywhere he goes. He talked about Dr. King's I Have A Dream speech in East Harlem, and seemed to be more at ease with poor people, immigrants, and children than he was with all those dignitaries in Washington and at the United Nations. That's my kind of guy.

Speaking of dignitaries in Washington, one of them decided to make a life changing decision after meeting the Pope, yesterday.

"WASHINGTON — It took a visit from the pope, a brewing conservative rebellion, and a good night’s sleep for John Boehner — the son of a bartender and a devout Catholic from Cincinnati — to decide that Friday morning was the right moment for him to end his tumultuous five-year speakership and bring his 25-year career in Congress to a close.

“This morning, I woke up and I said my prayers and I decided today’s the day I’m going to this,” Boehner told reporters in an emotional news conference on Friday afternoon, a few hours after he stunned Washington by announcing that he planned to resign, effective Oct. 30. “It’s as simple as that.”

But of course, it was not that simple.

Boehner disclosed his decision less than 24 hours after he reveled in the first-ever papal speech to a joint session of Congress, something he has dreamed of for 20 years — and as the government was on the verge of another shutdown, with Boehner's fractious caucus battling over a bill to fund the government beyond Sept. 30."

Poor John. As usual he got all weepy, but those might be tears of joy because he doesn't have to deal with some of the lunatics in his party anymore. They actually cheered at a big republican conference when the "faithful" heard that he was on his way out, and some of the republican candidates for president couldn't wait to kick him in the ass as he went out the door. 

I suppose that they are all still mad that they couldn't stop the Socialist in Chief from getting two terms and getting his way with some significant pieces of legislation.

Now we know, of course, that they started plotting on inauguration night.

"WASHINGTON -- As President Barack Obama was celebrating his inauguration at various balls, top Republican lawmakers and strategists were conjuring up ways to submarine his presidency at a private dinner in Washington.

The event -- which provides a telling revelation for how quickly the post-election climate soured -- serves as the prologue of Robert Draper's much-discussed and heavily-reported new book, "Do Not Ask What Good We Do: Inside the U.S. House of Representatives."

According to Draper, the guest list that night (which was just over 15 people in total) included Republican Reps. Eric Cantor (Va.), Kevin McCarthy (Calif.), Paul Ryan (Wis.), Pete Sessions (Texas), Jeb Hensarling (Texas), Pete Hoekstra (Mich.) and Dan Lungren (Calif.), along with Republican Sens. Jim DeMint (S.C.), Jon Kyl (Ariz.), Tom Coburn (Okla.), John Ensign (Nev.) and Bob Corker (Tenn.). The non-lawmakers present included Newt Gingrich, several years removed from his presidential campaign, and Frank Luntz, the long-time Republican wordsmith. Notably absent were Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) and House Minority Leader John Boehner (R-Ohio) -- who, Draper writes, had an acrimonious relationship with Luntz.
For several hours in the Caucus Room (a high-end D.C. establishment), the book says they plotted out ways to not just win back political power, but to also put the brakes on Obama's legislative platform." [Source]

Forgive them father, for they know not what they do.

*Pic from nhpr.org. (Courtesy of David  Goldman/Getty Images)

 
 
 

"marching as to war"

These clowns add a new meaning to that hymn, "Onward Christian Soldiers". Are you kidding me? Christian militia members arrested by Uncle Sam in the Midwest? These are truly "the times that try men's souls." They call themselves Hutaree, and they even have a web site. (You don't have to go there if you don't want to, just take my word for it) Everybody has a web site these days. Hey, didn't another infamous A-merry-can group use Christian symbolisms and hide under the cloak of Christianity to do their wretched and mephitic deeds? Of course they did, I was speaking rhetorically, they are still around as well. Although they have other names , now. That old name makes for poor marketing these days.

I am all for freedom of expression, but I can't blame the feds for cracking down on some of these groups in the age of Obama. Things are just too tense these days. It doesn't take much to send these deranged losers over the edge. All it takes are certain code words such as "reload" to get them all hot under their sheets.

"Savino and two other members from his unit met with the man, who was accompanied by three other men, two women and a young child. The man told Savino federal law enforcement agents had raided his Lenawee County home and had already taken five Hutaree members into custody in the Ann Arbor area, Savino said. ..'I asked'why are they getting detained and why are they raiding your house and they had no answer,' Savino said. Savino said he encouraged the man to turn himself in. The man said, 'That's not an option."'

Well gee whiz; if that's "not an option", just what the hell are the other ones?

Finally, I know it's Palm Sunday, and I am married to a Catholic, so I am going to be very careful with what I say next: About this thing with the Pope and these alleged sexual assaults of these deaf boys in Wisconsin. Are we ever going to get to the bottom of it? Hey, I am not trying to step on any toes here, I am just putting it out there. Inquiring minds want to know. Because there is never anything wrong with asking questions of those you hold in high esteem.

If any of Mrs. Fields friends read that last paragraph, please keep that on the low for the kid. That will be our little secret. Thank you.

If he goes to confession, then can he speak?

"Cheer, cheer for Old Notre Dame, Wake up the echoes cheering her name, Send a volley cheer on high, Shake down the thunder from the sky! What though the odds be great or small, Old Notre Dame will win over all, "

You will excuse me if I don't feel like cheering for "Old Notre Dame" right about now.

So let me get this straight: Quite a few folks in the Notre Dame family are upset because his O ness is scheduled to speak at their May 17th commencement. The faithful are appalled that the institution would dare offer an invitation to a man who is pro choice, pro stem cell research and pro civil unions. The nerve! How dare he think he can speak at their school with those positions. Who cares if he is the president of these divided states, the man is a sinner not a saint.

The Bishop of South Bend himself, John D'Arcy, said he will not be attending. And they have launched anti Obama websites and garnished over 157,000 signatures of angry alumni who object to his O ness stepping foot on the hallowed grounds under the golden dome.

But I want to go back in a little time machine with my Catholic brothers and sisters. Come on with me now, and let's put ourselves at the very same university while another president speaks. See him? That's George W. Bush; a man who supports the death penalty and who started a war that cost over [$]4,000 A-merry-cans and a countless number of Iraqis their lives.

See what he is doing? He is giving the commencement address, and it is May, 2001. Do you hear the protest over his visit? Is the Bishop there to welcome him? Yep, that would be the Bishop sitting in the front row. So why the vitriol over his O ness? Wasn't Jimmy Carter pro choice? Wasn't he allowed to speak under the golden dome in 1977? Of course he was, but this is different.....right Catholics?

If many of you have your way Barack Hussein Obama will not be the ninth A-merry-can president to receive an Honorary degree from your fine institution. So maybe you should ask yourselves: what would the Pope do? Hey, I just saw him in African with a bunch of Africans (please don't get me started)running behind his popemobile, so I really don't think he would mind if a half African was allowed to speak at his largest institution of higher learning in North America.

Oh well, good luck president Obama. I know you are the president of all A-merry-cans, but I don't think all of us believe it. To some, you are still a sinner. I don't care of you can walk on water.

,

The "O" and Joe Show!

Now that his "O" ness has selected his Robin to be his sidekick for his version of "The Dark Night" (let's call it the dark presidency), it's time to dissect the pick. I think, to be honest, that the general consensus is that this was a good pick by the "O" man. He could have done better from a pure political standpoint (Sam Nunn anyone?), but he could have done a lot worse as well. (Hillary anyone?)

And folks, let's not get it twisted; the field doesn't think the "O" man could win these elections if he had selected Abe Lincoln himself to be his running mate. But selecting Biden won't let the beating he is going to get any worse.

So anyway, let's take a look at the pros and cons of a Biden pick, shall we?

PRO: He is a white male.

CON: He is a white male from a very Northern state.

PRO: He has a great personal story.

CON: His running mate already has a great personal story.

PRO: He is a glib passionate speaker, who speaks his mind and will do well in the debates.

CON: He is a glib passionate speaker, whose mouth might get him in trouble. It has before.

PRO: He has great foreign policy credentials, and has the fact that he is the Chairman of the Foreign Relations Committee on his resume.

CON: He has great foreign policy credentials, and the "O" man picking him will seem like he is trying to cover up one of his weak areas, foreign policy.

PRO: He is not Hillary.

CON: He is not Hillary, and her peeps won't like it. Get ready Denver.

PRO: He is from Delaware, and that will help him with the Southeastern part of Pistolvania and the Philly suburbs.

CON: He is from Delaware. A very small state that his "O"ness was already going to win.

PRO: He has years and years of experience in Washington.

CON: He has years and years of experience in Washington. (What about change "O" man?)

PRO: Being born in Scranton Pistolvania and Catholic should help with some of those blue collar voters that the "O" man was having problems with.

CON: Many of those voters aren't voting for the "O" man and will never vote for a brother to be their president.

PRO: He is a fighter.

CON: He is a fighter, and his running made will seem even more benign and indulgent than he already is.

PRO: He is photogenic.

CON: Well, there is the whole "hair club for men" thing.