Wednesday, April 13, 2005

Decision 2005: Next on 'Hard Call'

Commentary by David Reinhard


By DAVID REINHARD

David Reinhard

Next on our NBC sister station MSNBC, Hardball's Chris Matthews examines possible papal successors—Stone Phillips, NBC, April 2.

CHRIS MATTHEW MARKLUKEJOHN: Tonight, the political race for the throne of Saint Peter heats up. A pope is buried. The cardinals move to elect a new pope, Vicar of Christ, successor of Pope John Paul II. Who's up, who's down, who's in, who's out? We're just days away from the critical conclave--it's the Iowa caucuses, the New Hampshire primary, Election Night and Inauguration Day, all rolled into one. Madre Mia, it doesn't get any bigger than this.

Is media-savvy Cardinal Angelo Scola the front-runner? Is Cardinal Francis Arinze making a blatant appeal for the African vote? Does Cardinal Oscar Andres Rodriguez Maradiaga signal the rise of Catholic Hispanics? Who will go negative first? We'll handicap the race with Papal Hot Line editor Silvio Romano. Let's play HardCall. (COMMERCIAL BREAK)

MATTHEWMARKLUKEJOHN: Good evening. I'm Chris MathewMarkLukeJohn. My guest is Silvio Romano, Vatican insider. Let me ask you, sir, you're a tough guy, you know where the bodies are entombed at St. Peter's Basilica—can Angelo Scola wrap this in the first primary, I mean, vote?

ROMANO: Well, it's important to ...

MMLJ: Answer the question. Answer the question. Yes or no?

ROMANO: We just don't know at this point. Nobody will know until ...

MMLJ: OK, you won't answer the question. Let me ask you . . .

ROMANO: ... the white smoke goes up and the bells ring. Then, in God's time, we'll know ... assuming the networks don't screw up the exit polling.

MMLJ: Yeah, the bells. New this time around, right? They talk about centuries-old rituals, but the bells are new. Why the bells?

ROMANO: They were ...

MMLJ: ... added because there was confusion in the past about gray smoke, right? Nobody knew if a new pope had been elected or not? Kind of like the 2000 U.S. election. So they added bells with the white smoke. "The Bells of Saint Mary's"—great movie. Bing Crosby. Great Catholic. Great Irishman. I'm Irish Catholic. Fascinating stuff. Vatican insider Silvio Romano will tell us more when "HardCall" returns. (COMMERCIAL BREAK)

MMLJ: OK, we're back. Silvio Romano, nobody's got his finger on papal politics more than you. Bottom-line it for us. Give us a name? Cut the papal bull!

ROMANO: Well, as I tried to explain earlier, I cannot give you a ...

MMLJ: Cardinal Ratzinger—Vatican establishment guy, right? Safe choice, right?

ROMANO: ... name because ...

MMLJ: Christoph Schoenborn--too young, but positioning himself for future run?

ROMANO: ... the Holy Spirit guides the cardinals in this, so we can't ...

MMLJ: So, the only name you're going to give us is the Holy Spirit. Fair enough ...

ROMANO: ... say who will fill the shoes of the fisherman.

MMLJ: "Shoes of the Fisherman." Great book. So-so movie. I love it. When we return, the political buzz. I'm Chris MatthewMarkLukeJohn. You're watching "HardCall." (COMMERCIAL BREAK)

MMLJ: Welcome back. White smoke and bells or blue smoke and mirrors? Silvio Romano, you're a Vatican insider, a tough pol in your own day. Give me the short encyclical here. Who's this Holy Spirit? Is he like God's Karl Rove? Ha.

ROMANO: The Holy Spirit is ...

MMLJ: Let me ask you, does the Holy Spirit have the stamina for a conclave that could go on for days and even weeks--like the Democrats in 1924. Like "Groundhog Day" with Bill Murray. Classic. They do it over and over 'til they get it right. Can you see Bill Murray in a miter? Ha.

ROMANO: Well ...

MMLJ: OK. Outta time. Silvio Romano, you're a Vatican insider, a tough guy. No names, but you were great. Terrific magazine. Must read.

I'm Chris MatthewMarkLukeJohn. This is "HardCall." We'll be here until the white smokes curls. "Smoke gets in your eyes"—great tune. Ha. Love it. See ya' tomorrow night.




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