Pope and Pelosi Attend Different Meetings

After rushing the economic stimulus legislation through so her private jet could wisk her and some of her colleagues off to Italy for a working trip, Speaker Pelosi had arranged to have an audience with the leader of the Catholic Church.

Despite her position as the head of Congress, third in line to the Presidency (absit), Pope Benedict XVI met with Speaker Pelosi, but would not have a photo-op session. He challenged the Speaker on her stance on abortion. As has been pointed out, the press releases from the Pope and from Pelosi give the impression that they were at different meetings, or His Holiness was as impressed with Speaker Pelosi as most of the American public are:

From the Vatican:

“His Holiness took the opportunity to speak of the requirements of the natural moral law and the Church’s consistent teaching on the dignity of human life from conception to natural death which enjoins all Catholics, and especially legislators, jurists and those responsible for the common good of society, to work in cooperation with all men and women of good will in creating a just system of laws capable of protecting human life at all stages of its development”

And from the Speaker’s Office:

"It is with great joy that my husband, Paul, and I met with his Holiness, Pope Benedict XVI today,” Pelosi said in a statement released hours after the meeting. “In our conversation, I had the opportunity to praise the Church’s leadership in fighting poverty, hunger and global warming, as well as the Holy Father’s dedication to religious freedom and his upcoming trip and message to Israel. I was proud to show his Holiness a photograph of my family’s papal visit in the 1950s, as well as a recent picture of our children and grandchildren.”

No answer on the lack of photos. Pope Benedict XVI is a very smart man, and perhaps he was not going to a be pawn for Pelosi!!