The Gipper from the Grave: "Mr. Bush, Tear Down That Wall!"

From late Friday night on Josh Marshall's Talking Points Memo comes word (via The National Catholic Reporter)that our very own George "Holier Than Thou" Bush is continuing his work to tear down the wall separating church and state. Not satisfied with "faith based charities" and stirring up the racist and homophobic fears of his conservative, born-again base, Bush has enlisted the Pope in his re-election campaign. From Friday's NYT:

In a column posted Friday evening on the paper's Web site, John L. Allen Jr., its correspondent in Rome and the dean of Vatican journalists, wrote that Mr. Bush had made the request in a June 4 meeting with Cardinal Angelo Sodano, the Vatican secretary of state. Citing an unnamed Vatican official, Mr. Allen wrote: "Bush said, 'Not all the American bishops are with me' on the cultural issues. The implication was that he hoped the Vatican would nudge them toward more explicit activism."

Mr. Allen wrote that others in the meeting confirmed that the president had pledged aggressive efforts "on the cultural front, especially the battle against gay marriage, and asked for the Vatican's help in encouraging the U.S. bishops to be more outspoken." Cardinal Sodano did not respond, Mr. Allen reported, citing the same unnamed people.

If the Federal Election Commission had the gonads to enforce election laws, the Catholic church would be on the precipice of losing its tax exempt status in the US. If Bush had the intelligence to read the Constitution (and SCOTUS Case Law) he'd know he was treading on very dangerous ground. If Congress had anyone to truly lead they would impeach Bush tomorrow.

If pigs had wings...