Bush in holy gaffe (no news making news)

News 24 ^

[mnehring]

Vatican City - US President George W Bush drew gasps at the Vatican on Saturday by referring to Pope Benedict XVI as "sir" instead of the expected "His Holiness", pool reporters said.

They could clearly hear the US leader say "Yes, sir" when the pope asked him if he was going to meet with officials of the lay Catholic Sant'Egidio community at the US embassy later during his visit.

A handful of pool reporters were on hand as Benedict greeted Bush at the door of his private library ahead of a private audience of about half an hour.

On his way to see the 80-year-old pontiff, the US leader apparently recognised someone he knew, and could be heard greeting the person with a casual "How ya doin'?"

The pool reporters also noted Bush's relaxed posture, crossing his legs "Texan style" while facing the pope across his desk in the private study of the apostolic palace.

[mnehring]

Yes, the MSM is actually trashing President Bush for saying 'yes sir' to the pope.. once again, making no news into a news crisis.

[RightWhale]

Silly stuff today. And yesterday.

[pogo101]

Bush is not meeting with the Pope in the Pope’s capacity as head of the Church. He is meeting with the Pope-as-chief-of-state. “Sir” is appropriately secular.

Bush calls Kings and Queens “Sir” and “Ma’am,” not “Your Majesty.” The analogy holds here, too.

Had Bush called Benedict “Your Holiness” orally (...I suppose a salutation in a letter is different), the MSM would have smashed Bush for being religious. Can’t win.

[joonbug]

Oh the horror. Let’s begin impeachment hearings. Or better yet, Bush should resign.

[conserv8ive1]

Bush isn’t Catholic, who cares?

[claudiustg]

-—The pool reporters also noted Bush’s relaxed posture, crossing his legs “Texan style” -—

How do you cross your legs “Texan style”? I was born in Texas, but have never heard of such a thing.

[Larry Lucido]

I like the Pope, but he puts his pants on one leg at a time like everyone else. “Sir” is plenty respectful.

[IronJack]

Since when is "Sir" considered an inadequate form of address? I take it that the Pope wasn't offended. And I suspect that most of the media vultures tsk-tsking over this non-event are hardly experts in social protocol. So I'm wondering how anyone, by the wildest stretch of the imagination, could consider this a faux pas, let alone anything serious enough to warrant front-page attention.

[muawiyah]

The MSM geeks have no idea whatsoever that the President is a Methodist and that Methodists do it differently, even with the Pope.

[etradervic]

The pool reporters also noted Bush's relaxed posture, crossing his legs "Texan style"

[xjcsa]

At least he didn’t just address the pope by saying “Hi Joe; how are ya?”.

I’m also curious as to the logic of requiring a non-Catholic to address him as “Your Holiness.” Personally, I like what I’ve seen from the current Pope so far, but I would feel entirely uncomfortable with using that form of address.

[DTogo]

So how should the Pope address President Bush, as "Mr. President" or "my son" or "damned-to-Hell Methodist?"

And if you're not Catholic, isn't "sir" sufficiently polite since the Pope wouldn't be "holy" to you anyway (anymore than another man)?

[Mad_Tom_Rackham]

What’s more, when Bush was walking with a group of four others, everyone else was walking with their left foot first but Bush had his right foot first. Something fishy there.

[Cicero]

Where I come from, “sir” is a sign of respect. As for crossing his legs, I imagine he is rightly more comfortable at a papal interview than bill or hillary clinton, the pervert baby killers.

[lowbridge]

Omigod!!!!

Impeach him! Impeach him now!!!! /s

[M203M4]

BFD. Less important than Paris Hilton.

[Jakarta ex-pat]

My students call me sir.

Does that make me His Holiness?

[mnehring]

Texan style crossing your legs is what you probably think of as 'normal'.. you see, all the media types expect men to cross their legs where the knees are close versus your ankle touching your knee. Hell, I can't even pull that off, things get 'squished' if I try..

This is how the press expects President Bush to cross his legs..

This is what they call 'Texan Style'.

[VR-21]

Sup dog?

[lowbridge]

Vatican City - US President George W Bush drew gasps at the Vatican on Saturday by referring to Pope Benedict XVI as "sir" instead of the expected "His Holiness",

Elvis Presley also called everyone, "Sir" as a show of respect. So what's the problem?

He's not dead, you know. Just resting and pining for the fjords.