Okay Meanies, You Can Come Out Now. The Pope is Gone
Is it just me or has anyone else noticed how quiet the resident meanies were while the Pope was here? Even Donald Trump gave it a rest for a few days. Or am I wrong? Did I just not notice because, to their credit (and my relief), the press took to covering the Pope every day in every way and kept it nice?
On Thursday, Pope Francis stood at the House podium and addressed the joint session of Congress. Speaker of the House John Boehner sat behind the Pope, listened to what the pontiff had to say about justice, goodness, and mercy, and bawled his eyes out.
The next morning Boehner floated into a press conference singing “Zippity do dah, zippity ay, my, oh, my, what a wonderful day”. It was a charming if wacky prelude to his message: “I quit”. Just like that.
Now, John would like us to believe the Pope had nothing to do with it–Lord, no!–but I’m not buying it. It’s true, I suppose, that John has wanted to throw in the towel for a long time, but why now? He said he woke up and told his wife, “I think today’s the day.” She was okay with it. (No word yet on the Pope’s reaction.)
I want to believe the Pope made John Boehner a better person; a lacking leader seeing the light, contrite–but, as any sitting member of the Republican Party will tell you, that’s death on wheels. You can’t be a better person and be loyal to the party. Nowadays only worst persons need apply.
(Marco Rubio, another presidential candidate, announced the good news to a crowd of his peeps only moments after Boehner made his announcement and, wouldn’t you know?–the crowd went wild! Yay!)
Which brings me to the doggedly anti-government businessman and top Republican Party candidate, Donald Trump. Trump is like the person you invite to the party thinking you’ve scored a big one–famous person!–and then realize he’s obnoxious as all get out but you’re stuck with him because there are no insults big enough to make him go away. And you would be too polite to use them, anyway. (That’s why Democrats lose–but that’s another story.)
So Donald took the opportunity of the Pope’s visit to talk with Chris Cuomo, who took the opportunity of the Pope’s visit to ask Donald Trump, of all people, what he would say to the Pope if he had the chance. Donald said he would have to scare the Pope. Of course he would.
Carly Fiorina pretended she didn’t notice the Pope was here and went on lying about what happens at Planned Parenthood. She stood out like a sore thumb.
Jeb Bush says something about Democrats offering free stuff to African-Americans and he’s attacked for it. The Pope says giving free stuff to people who need it is God’s work and he is cheered. It’s all in the way it’s presented. Whose heart is really in it.
And the press, at long last, moved away from, “How did it feel when so-and-so said so-and-so about you?”, and seemed honestly happy to share in a celebration that hurt no one.
We were a land of big hearts last week. It’s been a long time. It felt good.
Copyright 2015 Liberaland
By: Ramona Grigg
Ramona Grigg is a freelance columnist and blogger living in Michigan's Upper Peninsula.. She owns the liberal-leaning blog, Ramona's Voices, and is a contributor to Liberaland and on the masthead at Dagblog.
33 responses to Okay Meanies, You Can Come Out Now. The Pope is Gone
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Larry Schmitt September 29th, 2015 at 10:54
And now it’s back to business as usual. Let the personal attacks resume. And whatever you do, don’t discuss policy.
Ramona Grigg September 29th, 2015 at 11:10
Exactly. But for that one brief shining moment we found we could do it if we wanted to.
Larry Schmitt September 29th, 2015 at 11:11
But “they” couldn’t.
Ramona Grigg September 29th, 2015 at 11:20
No, but it’s our mission to make them irrelevant.
Larry Schmitt September 29th, 2015 at 11:20
And we can do that by voting.
Ramona Grigg September 29th, 2015 at 11:22
Seems simple, huh? Trying to get to non-voters and climbing the gerrymander hurdles, along with dirty tricks to keep people from voting requires some heavy duty work. Hope we’re up to it.
tracey marie September 29th, 2015 at 11:50
Texas dems and indepents are trying. I was registering people to vote this year at a CC. Two guys old enough to vote registered so they can vote against Obama in the 2016 elections….2 others said the same thing just before the 2014 election as well. They registered as repubs.
Larry Schmitt September 29th, 2015 at 12:07
That’s a pretty sorry reason to register. Nothing to vote for, only against. Ya think it had anything to do with his color?
tracey marie September 29th, 2015 at 12:10
texas, rednecks ….what do you think? :)
Larry Schmitt September 29th, 2015 at 12:17
It wasn’t a serious question. Or rather, one with an obvious answer.
tracey marie September 29th, 2015 at 12:21
That is why I ended with a smile.
Larry Schmitt September 29th, 2015 at 12:26
I don’t use emoticons. It’s a matter of principle. It’s my way of proving I’m a crotchety old man.
tracey marie September 29th, 2015 at 12:31
I use smiles
Ramona Grigg September 29th, 2015 at 16:01
Maybe they’ll do an Obama write-in just so they can vote against him. Lol.
rg9rts September 29th, 2015 at 11:03
You weren’t paying attention…one ding dong call him slime.. Beck whined that he didn’t follow the Beck agenda and stop abortion…the only highlight was the Mission Accomplished banner behind Boner during the speech
Ramona Grigg September 29th, 2015 at 11:08
Puny voices in the wind. No, I wasn’t paying attention to that crap. The point is, neither was anyone else. Yay!
Larry Schmitt September 29th, 2015 at 11:10
Does anyone pay attention to Beck? Is he even on radio anymore, or just online? Not that I really care, I’m not about to go looking for him.
rg9rts September 29th, 2015 at 11:49
It never really stops… just the coverage …Like Zimmerman ‘s tweet
Larry Schmitt September 29th, 2015 at 11:19
It was Alex Jones (there’s a reprehensible piece of filth if there ever was one), and the exact term was “slimebag.” I can’t imagine that even his loyal followers (yes, he does have some) would go along with that.
The Original Just Me September 29th, 2015 at 11:38
Are you saying the NAZI Christians actually shut their Filthy faces and Listened for a change ?
pignose4.0 September 29th, 2015 at 16:32
they didn’t listen……
The Original Just Me September 29th, 2015 at 19:42
Tore pages out of their Bibles, wadded them up and stuffed them in their ears.
DewTheMoo September 29th, 2015 at 11:44
Hey Griggs, please do a follow-up article on those two rightwing hypocrite Republican “conservatives” in Upper Michigan. The ones that were cheating on their spouses and quoting Bible verses at the same time.
Ramona Grigg September 29th, 2015 at 15:58
Still waiting for the axe to fall. Nothing much new yet, but I’ll do a follow-up when it happens. Thanks.
Ramona September 29th, 2015 at 18:30
But wait. . .there is this one thing: Both of them are running again. For their old jobs. The ones they were kicked out of. I’m not making that up.
allison1050 September 29th, 2015 at 13:29
I’ve never been too polite the tell anyone to get out, cross the line and you’re out. The Dump is one I’d love to toss out
The Original Just Me September 29th, 2015 at 19:40
Can we please just keep him around for a few more laughs ?
allison1050 September 29th, 2015 at 19:47
Oh alright but don’t forget that we have sooo many others.
The Original Just Me September 29th, 2015 at 19:51
Okay, I promise. as soon as I lose another twenty pounds from laughing so hard at Trump. we’ll let him go.
allison1050 September 29th, 2015 at 20:13
Okay ;o)
Mike September 29th, 2015 at 18:58
“..I want to believe the Pope made John Boehner a better person…”
You made me think of that poster Mulder had in his office in the X-Files…:)
amersham46 September 29th, 2015 at 19:32
Lets see how many of those remaining on the clown bus denounce what he Pope said , it would endear them to the right wingnuts even more
robert September 30th, 2015 at 01:57
you would think this would be historic if bill met the pope for a signature in his book. I guess the weather was better on the west coast
….or maybe ????????