PDA

View Full Version : (4/12/09) Vatican blocks Caroline Kennedy appointment as US ambassador (Telegraph.co.uk)


VotingHillary
04-12-2009, 01:35 PM
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/europe/vaticancityandholysee/5138135/Vatican-blocks-Caroline-Kennedy-appointment-as-US-ambassador.html

Vatican sources told Il Giornale that their support for abortion disqualified Ms Kennedy and other Roman Catholics President Barack Obama had been seeking to appoint.

Mr Obama was reportedly seeking to reward John F Kennedy's daughter, who publicly gave her support to his election bid. She had been poised to replace Hillary Clinton as New York senator, but dropped out amid criticism that she lacked enough experience for the job.

The Italian paper said that the Vatican strongly disapproved of Mr Obama's support for abortion and stem cell research. The impasse over the ambassadorial appointment threatens to cloud his meeting with the Pope during a G8 summit in Itay in July.

Ms Kennedy, 53, has said that she supports abortion. Raymond Flynn, a former US ambassador to the Vatican, said earlier this week that Ms Kennedy would be a poor choice.

"It's imperative, it's essential that the person who represents us to the Holy See be a person who has pro-life values. I hope the President doesn't make that mistake," he told the Boston Herald. "She said she was pro-choice. I don't assume she's going to change that, which is problematic."

The White House refused to comment.

Poor Caroline....this just isn't her year. I guess Camelot really is over.

Maybe Uncle Ted can buy the Pope a dog to smooth things over. :rotfl:

CGP
04-12-2009, 04:17 PM
Since when does the Vatican have a say over who America appoints as an ambassador? Or does every country/district have the right to block the appointment of a particular ambassador to its region?

TheTaoOfBill
04-12-2009, 04:31 PM
While Kennedy being the right person for the job is arguable I find it disturbing that the Vatican can block our appointees because they don't fit their 19th century religious standards. What if we appointed a gay ambassador? Would they block that too?

CGP
04-12-2009, 04:51 PM
What if we appointed a gay ambassador? Would they block that too?

Homosexuality is a "sin". :rolleyes:

So I would assume so.

Jester
04-12-2009, 05:00 PM
Since when does the Vatican have a voice in the US Ambassador to the Vatican? Is this really the question?

CGP
04-12-2009, 05:16 PM
Since when does the Vatican have a voice in the US Ambassador to the Vatican? Is this really the question?

That's my question, yes.

Jester
04-12-2009, 05:24 PM
That's my question, yes.

Sounds clenched fist to me.

Kbentleyis
04-12-2009, 07:12 PM
Since when does the Vatican have a say over who America appoints as an ambassador? Or does every country/district have the right to block the appointment of a particular ambassador to its region?

The Vatican doesn't have say so over who the embassador is; but the Vatican doesn't have to accept that person and allow visits with that person. Which defeats the purpose of the abassador being there.

Religion is not running our country, and the Vatican understands and accepts this fact. However, their religious beliefs are thiers and they are just as devoted to that as we are to our private beliefs.

Furthermore, BHO made publicly that we are not a Christan nation and therefore making any council from the Pope moot.

Jester
04-12-2009, 07:19 PM
Maybe I missed it, but where is the irony that the USA worried about the Vatican using John F. Kennedy as a pawn.

This is a nonissue. Obama can name an ambassador that the Vatican will not welcome. That is his power (upon Congressional approval). It wouldn't be a good exercise of this power.

matiah
04-12-2009, 07:43 PM
Poor Caroline!

I guess Obama needs to find another way to reward her.

Laura Cereta
04-12-2009, 07:57 PM
Poor Caroline!

I guess Obama needs to find another way to reward her.

I have an issue with "rewards" in politics.

CGP
04-12-2009, 08:00 PM
The Vatican doesn't have say so over who the embassador is; but the Vatican doesn't have to accept that person and allow visits with that person. Which defeats the purpose of the abassador being there.

Ok, understood.

matiah
04-12-2009, 08:01 PM
I have an issue with "rewards" in politics.

Well, apparently Obama doesn't.

Jester
04-12-2009, 08:05 PM
I have an issue with "rewards" in politics.

Well, when it is so blatant as in the case with Caroline, absolutely. Maybe she can be the official walker of "Bo".

Kaylin
04-12-2009, 10:48 PM
I don't know why he doesn't just appoint her as a WH advisor on his own staff.