Great editorial by Gerard Baker of the London Times:
"What has been most enjoyable about the stunned reaction of the bulk of the media to the election of Pope Benedict XVI has been the simple incredulousness at the very idea that a man such as Joseph Ratzinger could possibly have become leader of the universal Church.
"Journalists and pundits for whom the Catholic Church has long been an object of anthropological curiosity fringed with patronising ridicule have really let themselves go since the new pontiff emerged. Indeed most of the coverage I have seen or read could be neatly summarised as: ‘Cardinals elect Catholic Pope. World in Shock.’"
It’s funny how the “left” around the world had the same reaction to President Bush.
Some of the coverage has been very revealing… of the press. The AP in particular had a story that was a hit piece and essentially one big lie. The headline spoke of BXVI’s former students, but went on to interview anyone BUT his former students, including a Protestant kid whose contribution was an ignorant slur against the Church.
How that AP reporter wasn’t fired, I’ll never know. I doubt we’ll see a retraction. I guess I should just regard the AP as being as bad or worse than C-BS. Unfortunately, it’s essentially impossible to boycott the wire services as they’re regurgitated nearly everywhere.
Next headline: New Pope Believes in Catholic Doctrine. (Sunshine Steptoe is demanding an investigation into the mysterious circumstances surrounding the election of Pope Benedict XVI. “It’s a right wing conspiracy,” declared Steptoe. “Not only did they elect a Catholic as Pope, but they elected one who believes in all that Catholic doctrine stuff.”)
I hear that some of the Cardinals say they meant to vote for Al Gore but were confused by the butterfly ballots. Other Cardinals felt disenfranchised even though no actual force was used to keep them from voting, and Catholic University graduate Susan Sarandon said something about uncounted ballots found in a shoebox in Ohio.
One cardinal was heard saying, “I don’t see how Ratzinger won. No one I know voted for him.”
Yeah…I know what you mean.
EXTRA! EXTRA! CATHOLIC POPE ELECTED HEAD OF THE CATHOLIC CHURCH! LIBERALS IN SHOCK!