The dialogue with Putin was also good?" the pope asked. Bush, eyeing photographers and reporters who were about to be escorted from the room, replied: "Umm. I'll tell you in a minute."
I like the Reuters story better than the AP version from which I'm quoting, although this is tiresome:
Bush and the pontiff see eye-to-eye on ethical issues such as abortion and euthanasia but are divided over the war in Iraq, which Benedict's predecessor, John Paul, tried hard to avert.
No one seems to have noticed that American & Vatican goals for Iraq have more or less converged. The Pope was against us going in, but now that we're there, he doesn't want us precipitously pulling out.
The Telegraph , epitome of class, points out something no one else does:
in an embarrassing gaffe, Mr Bush was heard referring to the Pope as "sir" instead of the expected "His Holiness". Reporters said the US leader answered "Yes Sir" when questioned by the Pope about a later engagement.
That's nothing to be ashamed of, but I do wonder what the protocol whizzes were thinking for the exchange of gifts. We gave His Holiness, Sir, a stick? I know, it's a walking stick & the Pope loves long walks, and it was hand-carved by a homeless man. Maybe he'll love it. But still.
Update: our national honor is saved! See comments.
Update 2: Not so much. See comments again. Plus this.
Update 3: Update 1 seems to be correct. I'm confused; stories have it both ways, but comment 1 makes more sense.
