Thread: PAPAL WOODSHED: San Fran Nan

The early reports come from the papal side. Nancy Pelosi likes to ingratiate herself with voters by making the claim she's a devout Catholic. Helps with the Italian ethnics that are heavy in her district. The audience with the Pope might have been good photo-op time but Pope wasn't having any of that.

http://www.breitbart.com/article.php?id ... _article=1

Pope: Catholic politicians must protect life

Feb 18 08:43 AM US/Eastern
By VICTOR L. SIMPSON
Associated Press Writer

VATICAN CITY (AP) - Pope Benedict XVI on Wednesday told U.S. Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi, a Catholic who supports abortion rights, that Catholic politicians have a duty to protect life "at all stages of its development," the Vatican said.

Pelosi is the first top Democrat to meet with Benedict since the election of Barack Obama, who won a majority of the Catholic vote despite differences with the Vatican on abortion.

The Vatican released remarks by the pope to Pelosi, saying Benedict spoke of the church's teaching "on the dignity of human life from conception to natural death." That is an expression often used by the pope when expressing opposition to abortion.

Benedict said all Catholics—especially legislators, jurists and political leaders—should work to create "a just system of laws capable of protecting human life at all stages of its development."

Pelosi could not immediately be reached after the 15-minute meeting, which was closed to reporters and photographers. The two met in a small room of a Vatican auditorium after the pope's weekly public audience.

A number of the bishops in the United States have questioned Pelosi's stance on abortion, particularly her theological defense of her support for abortion rights.

Benedict has cautiously welcomed the new Democratic administration, although several American cardinals have sharply criticized its support of abortion rights in a break from former President George W. Bush.

Pelosi had meetings with Italian leaders the past few days, including Premier Silvio Berlusconi.

Small room, as the Italians call it, might mean Woodshed for that meeting.

A billionaire who owns Italy’s largest private media empire, Mr. Berlusconi has been repeatedly convicted of corruption, only to see the charges overturned on appeal or wither when statutes of limitations lapsed. He has pleaded not guilty in each case. The more Mr. Berlusconi works the system to his advantage, the more Italians seem to admire him.

http://www.nytimes.com/2009/02/18/wo...html?th&emc=th
Long article but it seems American scum meets with Italian scum, and hopefully no corruption efficiency tips were exchanged.