I'm more than a little confused by this Vatican thing.

[MineralMan]

Who, exactly, invited Bernie Sanders to speak or attend? The Pope, himself? If so, let's see the invitation. Someone else? Let's see that, then.

Apparently the head of the Vatican organization that is putting on the conference isn't so sure that his presence there is appropriate, according to Bloomberg.

I'd like to see Bernie Sanders clarify this and tell us exactly what the form of the invitation was and who invited him.

I'm guessing that there will be an announcement about it being impossible for him to attend, due to his campaign schedule, fairly soon now. Perhaps Bernie or his staff misunderstood all of this and jumped the gun.

I don't know, but I hope we have some clarification straight from Senator Sanders. I'm confused.

[Buzz Clik]

1. If this pans out to be the case, this is the second major lie from Sanders this week. Wow.

[morningfog]

11. Where is the lie?

[Lizzie Poppet]

17. You just read it: the subject line.

Like candidate, like supporter...

[Land of Enchantment]

31. Please. Now go join your 300 friends on IGNORE. nt

[Buzz Clik]

35. You have 300 people on Ignore? That's one way to filter out little truisms you hate to hear.

Love your St Bernie of Assisi symbolism



Jeebus. And to think I was worried my sig line was over the top.

[Amaril]

42. "Truisms"

That word doesn't mean what you appear to think it means or you wouldn't use it in that context.

[Buzz Clik]

43. Cling to that thought. Forever.

[CanadaexPat]

2. Sounds like internal Vatican sniping to me.

The Pope's not the most well-liked guy at the Vatican, and it is an organization famous for turf-fighting.

[RKP5637]

3. It's reported all over the place as being valid. We'll know for sure as the date approaches/passes.

[polly7]

4. I don't give a crap who invited him ........ I'm just glad he's going.

Those at the top desperately trying to hold onto it at the expense of millions/billions around the world being forced into wars, brutal austerity, a horribly sad refugee crisis, climate change already affecting the poorest of the poor most - both the Pope and Sanders are deeply concerned with these things. I respect any potential political leader willing to meet with (however it was decided on!) someone who has so much power to push for change.

CHANGE.

Kudos to him!!!

[CoffeeCat]

5. Here is the press release from the Pontifical Academy of Social Sciences

You had to apply to be invited to this important event. Bernie obviously applied. Many important world leaders and scholars applied. Bernie was personally invited.

The press release from the Pontifical Academy of Social Sciences touts Bernie's name FIRST on the list of attendees. Obviously, this organization is very proud to have him attend. Firstly, they invited him. Secondly, the are using his name prominently in their press materials that promote the event.

It appears that the Pontifical Academy of Social Sciences is very happy to have Bernie there and is promoting his involvement. I think all is well.

There is one person, a conservative Bishop, who has come out to criticize Bernie, after this exciting announcement was made. She can have her opinion. She sounds politically motivated to me.

It is undeniable that the organization, as a whole, wants Bernie there. They invited him above many other applicants and he's a part of their publicity effort to spark interest in this important event.

I work in public relations, and have done so for many years. I've written hundreds of press releases--and clearly the organization as a whole is very happy with Bernie!

Text of press release/statement:

We're delighted to host this conference to celebrate the 25th anniversary of Centesimus Annus, bringing together world leaders, including US Senator Sanders, Ecuadorean President Rafael Correa, Bolivian President Evo Morales, Academicians of the Pontifical Academy of Social Sciences such as its President Margaret Archer, and leading scholars such as Professor Daniel Finn, Professor Jeffrey Sachs etc., to examine and discuss changes in politics, economics, and culture in the world these last 25 years in the light of Pope Francis' new encyclical Laudato si'. Our intention is socio-political in the highest sense of the term, because according to art. 1 of our Statutes, the Pontifical Academy of Social Sciences was established by the Holy Father John Paul II on 1 January 1994 with the aim of promoting the study and progress of the social sciences, primarily economics, sociology, law and political science.
Title I - Constitution and Aims of the Pontifical Academy of Social Sciences
Art. 1
The Pontifical Academy of Social Sciences was established by the Holy Father John Paul II on 1 January 1994 (AAS 86 [1994], 213), with the aim of promoting the study and progress of the social sciences, primarily economics, sociology, law and political science. The Academy, through an appropriate dialogue, thus offers the Church the elements which she can use in the development of her social doctrine, and reflects on the application of that doctrine in contemporary society. The Academy, which is autonomous, maintains a close relationship with the Pontifical Council for Justice and Peace.
✠ Marcelo Sánchez Sorondo

https://berniesanders.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/04/Bernie-Sanders-Vatican.pdf

[Csainvestor]

6. can you make this a separate post.

it answers everything very clearly.

[CoffeeCat]

25. YES! (nt)

[asuhornets]

12. Sorry, Sanders WAS NOT invited...n/t

[CoffeeCat]

19. Yes, Bernie Sanders was invited--it's the only way to participate in this conference

You have to apply to attend this conference. Many important world leaders and researchers did.

You must be invited to attend. You can't just bust through the doors!

Those are the facts.

The press release that prominently touts Bernie's involvement signals that the Pontifical Academy of Social Sciences is indeed supportive of Bernie, happily touting his involvement in the conference.

After all, they did invite him.

[asuhornets]

21. no he was not....

http://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2016-04-08/vatican-academy-criticizes-sanders-s-monumental-discourtesy

[bunnies]

22. Still didnt read your own fucking link eh?

Your ass is showing.

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.

[pkdu]

53. So not the Pope then? Ergo #Bernieliedagain nt

[riderinthestorm]

59. Bernie never said the invite was from the Pope.

Unless you have some video or a quote on that I've missed...

[pkdu]

72. Been traveling. I assume you've seen it by now. Nt

[bunnies]

71. The poster I was speaking to said ""he wasn't invited"

My response was to point out that he was. I did that.

[elleng]

13. Thanks,

and it appears if anyone is interested in mere facts, they are here.

[MineralMan]

20. Thanks. That adds some clarification.

One note, though: You refer to "one person, a conservative Bishop" who raised an objection, but referred to that person as "she." There are exactly zero Roman Catholic Bishops who are women. So, I'm still confused about that.

[SheilaT]

24. You absolutely must make this a separate post.

And put it in both the Primaries forum and Bernie Sanders.

If everyone who wants to attend must apply to be invited, that's huge.

I bet it's a bit like presenting papers at a physics conference, something my older son is doing this afternoon. He had to register and let them know what he wanted to present, and when they decided it was right for that conference, he got his 15 minute slot.

Sounds like the same thing here. And it also sounds like Hillary or Donald or anyone else for that matter (me!) could have applied. Obviously I wouldn't get the invite, but maybe Hillary would. All she had to do was apply.

[Tom Rinaldo]

7. Sanders isn't crashing any party here

No one was forced to issue any invitations, that is a voluntary act. It's possible there are some internal splits and divisions behind this report coming out. Certainly not a first at the Vatican where a rear guard is resisting the direction the new Pope is heading in. This is not anything Sanders needs to clarify. If he showed up without an imitation, OK that would merit an explanation from him. Not this.

[asuhornets]

9. He invited himself...no one extended an invitation to Sanders....n/t

[morningfog]

14. YOu can't invite yourself, genius. YOu can request and invitation and if they want you,

they extend an invitation.

You have to try really hard to act this stupid.

[asuhornets]

28. Sanders is being

disingenuous. He is not a religious person, but he wants the Catholic vote. hypocrite...

[morningfog]

33. Well that is a completely different point than the one you wisely abandoned.

It is also a stupid point though.

[Contrary1]

46. Too late for Hillary to think of it "first"?

What a shame.

[TheBlackAdder]

36. Genius? Is that contemporary slang for a complete fucking moron?

[morningfog]

67. Yes.

[elleng]

16. See CoffeeCat's #5:

'You had to apply to be invited to this important event. Bernie obviously applied. Many important world leaders and scholars applied. Bernie was personally invited.'

[bunnies]

18. Read your own goddamn link

and stop lying.

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.

FFS.

[asuhornets]

23. Read your own

gotdamn link. Sanders is not a saint....

[bunnies]

27. Cant admit youre wrong eh?

Shocking.

[asuhornets]

29. INDEED....n/t

[TheFarS1de]

69. Of course not ...

Jews don't have saints ... considered blasphemy . But the anti semites around here are probably well aware of that hence the avatars and celtic crosses . Sad day when the Pope demonstrates better behaviour than supposed progressives .

[asuhornets]

8. Sanders invited himself for political reason, classy guy...

http://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2016-04-08/vatican-academy-criticizes-sanders-s-monumental-discourtesy

[Tom Rinaldo]

26. Classy smear

The obvious reason is that the event asked people to request invitations, and then they decided who to invite from out of those requests That's my reading anyway - show me where I've got that wrong if I do.

[beam me up scottie]

66. Speaking of classy, how's that crow taste?:

Bernie Sanders was invited to speak at an April 15 Vatican event by the Vatican, a senior papal official said.

https://www.yahoo.com/news/senior-papal-official-untrue-sanders-invited-himself-vatican-173414032.html?soc_src=social-sh&soc_trk=tw

[geek tragedy]

10. Sanders managed to get himself invited, which is fine, but apparently

the Vatican didn't like him using his appearance to promote his campaign, which shows a little naivete on their part.

[morningfog]

15. The Vatican has said no such thing.

[geek tragedy]

47. part of the problem is that the Vatican is not a singularity.

Clearly the head of the Vatican Academy is not feeling the Bern, but one of the Archbishops apparently is.

I revert to my earlier position, it's a very odd use for a candidate's time to take him out off the campaign trail for one of the last four days before a do-or-die primary, even without this drama.

[Tom Rinaldo]

56. Yup, not a singularity indeed

Regarding the decision to go, well his is an unusual election campaign to begin with, and the priorities driving his political career are atypical of many also. My guess is he really wants to be there, and thinks it will further inform his wold view. Not being an idiot, no doubt he also feels that this on balance will not hurt his campaign by attending this conference for a day. He will not drop off the media map because of it, perhaps the opposite, so why not take part in an international event so related to his core convictions with some other wold leaders present also?

[geek tragedy]

61. this seems a great way to spread his message and raise his national profile

seems suboptimal for winning New York.

He won't drop off the national media, but there's an opportunity cost.

We should see a Siena poll out in the next 48-72 hours--they're the only one I know of that screens for party registration.

My intuition is that it will show, as likely does Sanders internal polling, that New York is not particularly close.

In that case, this probably does make sense--the difference between a 10 point loss and an 11 point loss in New York is de minimis.

[Amaril]

45. "managed to get himself invited"

He applied, they chose -- from the list of probably hundreds of applicants -- who *they* wanted in attendance, he received an invite to attend, he accepted the invite.

How shady of him.

[Nanjeanne]

30. The Chancellor of the Academy, Bishop Marcelo Sanchez Sorondo, extended the invitation

“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.”

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

[MineralMan]

32. Yes, I saw that. Thanks.

It doesn't appear that the Pope, himself, did the inviting. That makes more sense, now.

[seaglass]

40. Correct, the Pope's office made it very clear that he did not invite him.

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.”

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

[Jack Bone]

34. this may help

http://www.democraticunderground.com/12511681227

[ibegurpard]

37. Yes I'm sure you are

[Lars39]

38. So what if he applied to attend? They are important issues, and have been to him for decades.

The question is, why didn't Hillary apply to attend?

[Sky Masterson]

41. Shh.

People are concerned

[marlakay]

44. I read his people reached out

Then pope invited him. Bernie said on the view today he liked that the pope was into helping the poor and believed like he did on economy.

I also read Bishop was asked about it and said they invited him awhile back so this was not a short time thing.

[riversedge]

48. HERE is the invite--but not from the pope...

[SoLeftIAmRight]

49. and that aint all

glad to see we agree

[madamesilverspurs]

50. A case of is and is not.

My problem with this: Sanders' application was received and accepted, and an invitation was issued accordingly; well and good. But Sanders is presenting this as though the Vatican sought him out for this event, which is clearly not the case.

Disappointing because it is, at best, subtly disingenuous.

[Jackie Wilson Said]

51. I would rather know what we are doing to prevent the GOP from itself preventing millions

of Americans from voting and millions more who will have their votes miscounted.


This Pope stuff is silly. As is the email stuff.

[lumberjack_jeff]

52. Here you go, including an explanation of why you are confused.

You're confused because the person "on whose behalf" he was invited on March 30th is now claiming that he's a party crasher. You're confused because the people you choose to believe are full of bullshit.

The reason they're doing it is to swiftboat Bernie. That's why the subject of nearly every Clintonite post in the last week has used the word "LIE" (...and always capitalized). They're attacking his strengths, very Rovian.

What's novel is their newfound willingness to create the situations in question; WaPo writes an article explicitly saying that Clinton called Sanders unqualified, Sanders took exception (naturally) and then WaPo leads the accusations that his reaction is a lie because Clinton never said it.

Odd that no on in the Clinton camp is criticizing WaPo for misquoting Clinton, no?

The same thing is at work here. Undoubtedly the work of "pro-life feminists".

[Armstead]

54. You are so good at this passive aggressive stuff.

I'm sure you're merely "confused" by it.

[ibegurpard]

55. No not really

Transparent as hell. Always has been.

[QC]

57. Come now, he's Just Asking Questions.

http://rationalwiki.org/wiki/Just_asking_questions#JAQing_off

[Punkingal]

58. +1

[SixString]

62. No. He's not.

[beam me up scottie]

68. Not really, we've been wise to his act for years.

I do love seeing him get pwned though.

[Vinca]

60. By now I assume you've read all the posts with the correct information about how

the invitation was extended and I assume you agree Bernie is not responsible for BBC headlines indicating the Pope himself invited him. That said, can't you lay politics aside for a moment and be proud an American is being included in this conference?

[aquamarina]

63. Maybe this will un-confuse you.

http://www.rawstory.com/2016/04/papal-official-denies-report-bernie-sanders-invited-himself-to-vatican/

[TheSarcastinator]

64. his confusion seems very "useful"

does it not?

[aquamarina]

65. All this hair-splitting

It's exhausting - like talking to 6 year olds.

[840high]

70. If you had waited till

all the facts were in - you wouldn't be confused.