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I'm not watching, but I'll assume from everyone's comments that the Pope was having a weak moment, as he does so often because of his health.

But IMHO, if he mumbled or not, the political impact of this meeting is what matters.

You've got Bush, who is not a Catholic, meeting with the Pope, bestowing an honor on him.

On the other hand, you've got Kerry, who is a Catholic, openly defying the edicts of the church in supporting abortion and gay marriage.

If I were a Catholic, the symbolism of the whole scenario would be quite telling.

The Church is split down the middle in the US. The Leftist element in the church is just as irrational as it is in any other segment of the population; then there are the old "New Deal" Democrats that still think we are recovering from the Depression and and that the GOP is the party of political elites and has in it ranks a great many civil and labor union members. This later group is concentrated in urban areas.

Curiously, the more conservative elements if the Church are from the third world. These folk have not yet reached a powerful political critical mass (no pun intended) but they may yet do so.

So I think that politically it is a wash in this country. Bush though is unapologetically bring the good fight right into the heart of the European establishment so to some degree he has thwarted some of the French and German propaganda efforts here and shamed the hawkers of the anti religious bigotry that fill the Left.

What it does show is the great courage -even physical courage - of GWB. He faces his critics which open hands. It is just amazing.