Sanders Accused of Discourtesy in Seeking Vatican Invitation

[One Girl In All The World]

www.bloomberg.com/politics/articles/2016-04-08/sanders-accused-of-discourtesy-in-seeking-vatican-invitation

Democratic presidential candidate Bernie Sanders’s plans to attend a Vatican-sponsored conference put him in the middle of a diplomatic row as a senior Vatican official accused Sanders of showing "monumental discourtesy" in seeking an invitation and for putting a political cast on the gathering in Rome.

Sanders, whose foreign policy experience is under attack by rival Hillary Clinton, said Friday he was “very excited” about being invited to a conference on economic and social issues hosted by a pontifical academy. It will put him at the seat of the Roman Catholic Church just four days before the New York primary.

However it has also inserted Sanders into a dispute among Vatican officials. The president of the academy said Friday that Sanders didn’t follow proper protocol by failing to contact her office and that his presence threatens to make the event political. The academy’s chancellor said he arranged the invitation and defended the Vermont senator.

“Sanders made the first move, for the obvious reasons,” Margaret Archer, president of the Pontifical Academy of Social Sciences, which is hosting the conference Sanders will attend, said in a telephone interview. “I think in a sense he may be going for the Catholic vote but this is not the Catholic vote and he should remember that and act accordingly -- not that he will.”

‘Categorically Untrue’

Michael Briggs, a spokesman for Sanders, disputed Archer and said the characterization of the invitation is “categorically untrue. The invitation came to the senator from the Vatican."

Sanders’s travel to the Vatican following a debate with Clinton and just before the primary injects into the Democratic nominating contest the agenda of Pope Francis, one of the most popular world leaders whose papacy is especially admired by the political progressives who play an outsized role in Democratic primaries.

Archer’s public complaint feeds into criticism by Clinton of Sanders’s inexperience in diplomacy and dealing with foreign institutions, a central role of the U.S. president.

Archer said that while she “quite liked” Sanders’s program on paper, his failure to contact her first is a breach of protocol. “The president of the academy organizing this event has not been contacted with monumental discourtesy,” she said, referring to herself.

First Move

Sanders “made the first move two or three days ago,” Archer said. She did not know whom he or his representatives contacted about what she called “this little workshop.” Archer added: “His use of it is clearly a pretext. There are just 20 academics and there will be nothing of policy relevance.”

However Bishop Marcelo Sanchez Sorondo, the chancellor of the Academy, speaking on the phone from New York, said he extended the invitation to Sanders, though he declined to say who initiated the contacts.

“We are interested in having him because we have two presidents coming from Latin America, I thought it would be good to have an authoritative voice from North America,” Sanchez Sorondo said. Asked when he when the invitation was extended, he said, “Quite some time ago.”

Bolivian President Evo Morales and Ecuadorean President Rafael Correa are listed as speakers at the event on the academy’s website. Sanders is not listed as a speaker.

Respect for Pope

Sanders earlier on Friday said, “this is an invitation from the Vatican, from a pope that I have enormous respect for in term of the level of consciousness that he’s raising on the need to have morality in our economy."

The office of the pope moved quickly to distance the pontiff from Sanders’s visit. Father Federico Lombardi, the Pope’s spokesman, said Sanders had been invited “not by the pope but by the pontifical academy of social sciences.” Lombardi told the Italian news agency Ansa: “For the moment there is no expectation that there will also be a meeting with the pope.”

Francis has raised the Catholic church’s emphasis on issues of poverty, environmental stewardship and aid to refugees. The pope already has played a role in this year’s election through criticism of anti-immigrant policies embraced by Republican candidates.

Foreign Tours

Presidential candidates including Democrat Barack Obama in 2008 and Republican Mitt Romney in 2012 made tours of foreign capitals to respond to criticism of inexperience though in both cases they traveled to multiple countries and waited until after they had clinched their party’s nominations.

The invitation was announced Friday by Sanders and by the Pontifical Academy of Social Sciences, which is hosting the conference. It was made public on the same day Francis released a document calling for the church to be more welcoming and less judgmental and signaling a path for divorced and remarried Catholics to receive communion.

The conference Sanders will attend marks the 25th anniversary of an encyclical by Pope John Paul II that criticized excesses of unfettered capitalism.

Foreign leaders including Ecuadorean President Rafael Correa and Bolivian President Evo Morales also will attend the conference, as will international development economist Jeffrey Sachs, according to a statement released by the pontifical academy.

‘Not Christian’

Francis injected himself into the U.S. presidential campaign in February when he responded to a journalist’s question about Republican Donald Trump’s proposal to build a wall along the U.S. southern border to prevent immigrants from crossing illegally.

"A person who thinks only about building walls, wherever they may be, and not building bridges, is not Christian," the Pope responded. He demurred when asked if Catholics should vote for Trump.

"As far as what you said about whether I would advise to vote or not to vote, I am not going to get involved in that. I say only that this man is not Christian if he has said things like that," Francis responded.

[jeaniebueller]

On r/S4P, they would have you thinking that the pope himself personally invited Bernie to endorse him.

[TR]

Apr 8, 2016 13:18:28 GMT -5 One Girl In All The World said:

www.bloomberg.com/politics/articles/2016-04-08/sanders-accused-of-discourtesy-in-seeking-vatican-invitation

“Sanders made the first move, for the obvious reasons,” Margaret Archer, president of the Pontifical Academy of Social Sciences, which is hosting the conference Sanders will attend, said in a telephone interview. “I think in a sense he may be going for the Catholic vote but this is not the Catholic vote and he should remember that and act accordingly -- not that he will.”

[eponinepontmercy]

I had not thought the Vatican capable of that much shade. I'm sort of impressed.

[mominatrix]

Apr 8, 2016 13:30:50 GMT -5 eponinepontmercy said:

I had not thought the Vatican capable of that much shade. I'm sort of impressed.

Having grown up in a family of Italian Catholics, allow me to say that they're incredible at shade.  

Big smile. Knife. Big smile. 

[ESF]

Apr 8, 2016 13:21:09 GMT -5 jeaniebueller said:

On r/S4P, they would have you thinking that the pope himself personally invited Bernie to endorse him.

JHC. I'm already seeing memes about how Bernie will be talking social justice with the Pope with Clinton holds a $2700 fundraiser.

[Deleted]

Apr 8, 2016 14:08:43 GMT -5 ESF said:

Apr 8, 2016 13:21:09 GMT -5 jeaniebueller said:

On r/S4P, they would have you thinking that the pope himself personally invited Bernie to endorse him.

JHC. I'm already seeing memes about how Bernie will be talking social justice with the Pope with Clinton holds a $2700 fundraiser.

Great! Her fundraising will help get the Democrats who care about social justice elected so they can maybe pass some laws! Since, sadly, being voted in as POTUS alone does not make one supreme ruler of the universe.

[wackadoo]

Friend just posted this on FB.  oy

Bernie invited by Pope to Speak on Moral Economy

[NewOrleans]

Is this like the Kim Davis non-invitation?

[derp]

What the hell is wrong with you people? I'd hoped you were at least above this. I should have known better. That was my bad. This is disgusting.

[NewOrleans]

Apr 8, 2016 20:15:15 GMT -5 derp said:

What the hell is wrong with you people? I'd hoped you were at least above this. I should have known better. That was my bad. This is disgusting.

The hell?  What did *we* do?

[One Girl In All The World]

Apr 8, 2016 20:15:15 GMT -5 derp said:

What the hell is wrong with you people? I'd hoped you were at least above this. I should have known better. That was my bad. This is disgusting.

lol wut?

[Vespasia]

Whut?

[racegrrl714]

Apr 8, 2016 20:15:15 GMT -5 derp said:

What the hell is wrong with you people? I'd hoped you were at least above this. I should have known better. That was my bad. This is disgusting.

I don't see what is so "disgusting"... other than St. Bernie thinking he needs to school the pope on anything.

[NewOrleans]

Apr 8, 2016 20:22:25 GMT -5 One Girl In All The World said:

Apr 8, 2016 20:15:15 GMT -5 derp said:

What the hell is wrong with you people? I'd hoped you were at least above this. I should have known better. That was my bad. This is disgusting.

lol wut?

This is like that one time where she compared me to ISIS.

[One Girl In All The World]

Apr 8, 2016 20:24:20 GMT -5 NewOrleans said:

Apr 8, 2016 20:22:25 GMT -5 One Girl In All The World said:

lol wut?

This is like that one time where she compared me to ISIS.

stahp

[racegrrl714]

Apr 8, 2016 20:24:20 GMT -5 NewOrleans said:

Apr 8, 2016 20:22:25 GMT -5 One Girl In All The World said:

lol wut?

This is like that one time where she compared me to ISIS.

Oh, I can... *rolls eyes*... TOTALLY see the resemblance! LOL

[derp]

What the fuck are you people talking about? Here's 2 tips:

-get a grip on reality
-don't believe everything you read

[racegrrl714]

Apr 8, 2016 20:25:55 GMT -5 derp said:

What the fuck are you people talking about? Here's 2 tips:

-get a grip on reality
-don't believe everything you read

um okay. Sure. Take your own advice while you are at it.

[One Girl In All The World]

lol ok should I go find something from usuncut instead?

[NewOrleans]

[derp]

Apr 8, 2016 20:27:47 GMT -5 racegrrl714 said:

Apr 8, 2016 20:25:55 GMT -5 derp said:

What the fuck are you people talking about? Here's 2 tips:

-get a grip on reality
-don't believe everything you read

um okay. Sure. Take your own advice while you are at it.

I know you are but what am I. Awesome.

Apr 8, 2016 20:27:56 GMT -5 One Girl In All The World said:

lol ok should I go find something from usuncut instead?

Maybe you should try figuring out how to find some real, actual, legit journalism on your own.

[chedifuen]

Apr 8, 2016 20:25:55 GMT -5 derp said:

What the fuck are you people talking about? Here's 2 tips:

-get a grip on reality
-don't believe everything you read

Let's all note that you were completely absent from the Bernie sexism discussions but here you all to school us all on reality

[eclaires]

I think it's disgusting that this fucking clown (Bernie) states he had an invitation from the pope to this event when it apparently came from the pontifical academy of social sciences, like the pope micromanages it's events and invitations. What an opportunistic asshole, and I'm sorry no way is he THAT dumb to misconstrue what this event is and who invited him.

[One Girl In All The World]

Apr 8, 2016 20:31:33 GMT -5 derp said:

Apr 8, 2016 20:27:47 GMT -5 racegrrl714 said:

um okay. Sure. Take your own advice while you are at it.

I know you are but what am I. Awesome.

Apr 8, 2016 20:27:56 GMT -5 One Girl In All The World said:

lol ok should I go find something from usuncut instead?

Maybe you should try figuring out how to find some real, actual, legit journalism on your own.

This is especially hilarious to me because I actually went to a well respected J-school. 

[NewOrleans]

Apr 8, 2016 20:33:28 GMT -5 eclaires said:

I think it's disgusting that this fucking clown (Bernie) states he had an invitation from the pope to this event when it apparently came from the pontifical academy of social sciences

Whose president SPOKE TO BLOOMBERG which I am assuming why it was the OP source.

www.nytimes.com/politics/first-draft/2016/04/08/bernie-sanders-announces-plan-for-speech-at-vatican/

The Sanders campaign made the announcement on Friday as the Vermont senator made the rounds on the morning television news shows. Mr. Sanders, a Democratic presidential candidate, said he would take a break from campaigning in New York, just days before the April 19 primary there, to attend a conference hosted by the Pontifical Academy of Social Sciences, a scholarly association in Vatican City that was established by Pope John Paul II in 1994.

Meanwhile, Margaret Archer, the academy’s president, told Bloomberg News that Mr. Sanders had actively solicited the invitation for political purposes.

“Sanders made the first move, for the obvious reasons,” Ms. Archer said. “I think in a sense he may be going for the Catholic vote, but this is not the Catholic vote, and he should remember that and act accordingly — not that he will.”

[racegrrl714]

Apr 8, 2016 20:34:17 GMT -5 One Girl In All The World said:

Apr 8, 2016 20:31:33 GMT -5 derp said:

I know you are but what am I. Awesome.


Maybe you should try figuring out how to find some real, actual, legit journalism on your own.

This is especially hilarious to me because I actually went to a well respected J-school. 

Yes, yes... I'd like to know what derp considers "real, actual, legit journalism." USUncut? Occupy Democrats? Daily Kos? The Thom Hartmann Show?

[eclaires]

Apr 8, 2016 20:36:36 GMT -5 NewOrleans said:

Apr 8, 2016 20:33:28 GMT -5 eclaires said:

I think it's disgusting that this fucking clown (Bernie) states he had an invitation from the pope to this event when it apparently came from the pontifical academy of social sciences

Whose president SPOKE TO BLOOMBERG which I am assuming why it was the OP source.

www.nytimes.com/politics/first-draft/2016/04/08/bernie-sanders-announces-plan-for-speech-at-vatican/

The Sanders campaign made the announcement on Friday as the Vermont senator made the rounds on the morning television news shows. Mr. Sanders, a Democratic presidential candidate, said he would take a break from campaigning in New York, just days before the April 19 primary there, to attend a conference hosted by the Pontifical Academy of Social Sciences, a scholarly association in Vatican City that was established by Pope John Paul II in 1994.

Meanwhile, Margaret Archer, the academy’s president, told Bloomberg News that Mr. Sanders had actively solicited the invitation for political purposes.

“Sanders made the first move, for the obvious reasons,” Ms. Archer said. “I think in a sense he may be going for the Catholic vote, but this is not the Catholic vote, and he should remember that and act accordingly — not that he will.”

Sorry the quotes are actually garbage! Get some real journalistic sources. Gosh.

[derp]

Apr 8, 2016 20:33:28 GMT -5 eclaires said:

I think it's disgusting that this fucking clown (Bernie) states he had an invitation from the pope to this event when it apparently came from the pontifical academy of social sciences, like the pope micromanages it's events and invitations. What an opportunistic asshole, and I'm sorry no way is he THAT dumb to misconstrue what this event is and who invited him.

www.reuters.com/article/us-usa-election-idUSKCN0X51Q6
VATICAN

But hey I guess you're a clown if you don't know the difference either.

[derp]

Apr 8, 2016 20:34:17 GMT -5 One Girl In All The World said:

Apr 8, 2016 20:31:33 GMT -5 derp said:

I know you are but what am I. Awesome.


Maybe you should try figuring out how to find some real, actual, legit journalism on your own.

This is especially hilarious to me because I actually went to a well respected J-school. 

Did you graduate?