Pope steps in for his friend Buttiglione

[emad]

Pope steps in for his friend Buttiglione

David Gow in Brussels
Friday October 29, 2004
The Guardian

The Pope intervened yesterday in the EU's institutional impasse caused by MEPs' opposition to his close friend and confidant Rocco Buttiglione, an outspoken critic of gay and women's rights, as the new justice commissioner.

A day after José Manuel Barroso, the incoming commission president, staved off a defeat by MEPs by withdrawing his entire team, Pope John Paul called for a resolution of the crisis by "reciprocal respect in a spirit of goodwill".

His intervention, at an audience with Romano Prodi, the outgoing president now acting in a caretaker capacity, came as senior Christian Democrat sources indicated that Mr Buttiglione and "three or four" other nominees would have to go to win the parliament's broad backing for the Barroso team.

Mr Barroso, who began discussing a reshuffle with EU leaders in Rome last night, on the eve of today's ceremonial signing on the Capitoline Hill of the new constitutional treaty, admitted in a series of radio interviews that "several changes" might have to take place, "well less than eight or 10".

http://www.guardian.co.uk/eu/story/0,7369,1338731,00.html

[Merlin]

1. So the battle there is over church vs state separation, too!

Why am I not surprised?

Also, it sounds a little surrealistic to hear them refer to activities taking place at "Capitoline Hill," which is this bizzarre, modernized gigantic building in the style of triumphalist, ancient Rome, with perhaps a bit of 3d Reich thrown in, and sits right next to the ruins of the old Roman Forum, and I guess houses the Italian government these days.

[emad]

2. "Thank you my son":

[Merlin]

4. Eh, eh. That's mah middle finger you've got there, Your Churchness.

It's mah working finger. Eh, eh!

[CarolynEC]

3. And why does this musty old cleric think...

... an outspoken critic of of gay and women's rights is in the least bit deserving of "reciprocal respect" and "goodwill"?

Typical tactic of the haters: Spew filth, then insist on a polite, restrained discussion.

[davidinalameda]

5. thank you

spirit of goodwill?

what a load of horse crap