Kerry on the Mount, NPR, and more.

Speaking at a meeting of the Anti-Defamation League here in Washington last week, John Kerry reflected on the deep connection he’d made with the people of Israel: “We traveled also to the Sea of Galilee, to the Christian sites, the religious sites, actually stood on the Mount of the Beatitudes and read the Sermon on the Mount to those gathered with me.”

THE SCRAPBOOK is amused by the workings of Sen. Kerry’s brain–that business where it occurs to him: oops, shouldn’t have said “Christian sites,” they’re Jews, maybe if I add “religious sites” right away no one will notice. THE SCRAPBOOK is further amused by the thought of Kerry holding forth like . . . well, like Jesus.

But we’ve got to admit: Others have done the same. There was that famed biblical scholar, for example, the Rev. Howard Dean. Dr. Dean, you’ll recall, was one day lecturing on the Book of Job–which turned out to be in the Old Testament; who knew?–and didst then recall his own trip to the Holy Land not long before. And, verily: “If you know much about the Bible–which I do–to see and be in a place where Christ was and understand the intimate history of what was going on 2,000 years ago is an exceptional experience.”

Readers are here invited to play the home version of THE SCRAPBOOK game: Write your own sarcastic generalization about the pomposity of Democratic presidential primary candidates.

Ordinarily, of course, we’d write one ourselves. But in this case, it probably wouldn’t be right. First off, there’s the problem that Republicans do it, too. As David Brooks noted in our pages last January, Senate majority leader Bill Frist has similarly indulged himself: “On one memorable day during a tour of Israel, Senator Frist stood on the spot where Jesus delivered the Sermon on the Mount and read the sermon to the tour group. He electrified them with his simple faith and devotion.”

Moreover, THE SCRAPBOOK itself has stood at the Temple Mount and heard the Sermon read aloud. It’s a bit of a gimmick, sure; many tour guides offer it. But, shucks, just this once, perhaps, we’re prepared to admit it: Kerry (and Dean, and Frist) are on to something. It is a “privilege” to be “standing on the mount alone in this incredible solitude, looking down onto the water in an absolutely beautiful soft day, and reading and talking about what it meant, what the meaning was of this rabbi who was preaching on the mountain as his ministry of three years had begun.”

Here Kerry sounds almost humble, doesn’t he? No need to panic, though: It’s the always meek who’ll inherit the earth. Doing it on the stump doesn’t count. At least, we hope it doesn’t.

Blessed Is the Reluctant “Correction”

Also in the Holy Land last week, National Public Radio’s Julie McCarthy reported on Israeli prime minister Ariel Sharon’s plan for withdrawal from the Gaza Strip:

So they had it coming to ’em–didn’t they–in going around “provoking bloodshed” like that, the first such bloodshed worth mentioning being, of course, Israeli troops shooting Palestinian gunmen.

Maybe Ms. McCarthy could have done a slightly better job informing her listeners just what it was those gunmen had moments before been up to? From the Jerusalem Post:

All the victims had multiple gunshot wounds to the head. Tali Hatuel, the pregnant mother, was also shot once, very carefully, in the belly. Her two-year-old daughter, Merav, was still strapped into her car seat when rescue workers reached the scene.

NPR later posted a “correction” of Julie McCarthy’s story on its website. “The purpose of the report was to take note of the continuing violence,” the statement read. “The story in no way meant to suggest that the killings were justified. NPR regrets that the report made any such implication.”

Mostly, though, we bet NPR regrets the deluge of listener complaints that apparently forced it to issue this piece of weaselry in the first place.

Blessed is the Day! Even More Bad News for Al Franken!

If THE SCRAPBOOK remembers correctly, it was only last week that we had the pleasure to report on a string of embarrassments lately being suffered by Air America, political liberalism’s new round-the-clock radio network, home to The O’Franken Factor–starring the Obnoxious One–and various other programs nobody’s ever heard of. First, the network lost its signal in Chicago and Los Angeles after a billing dispute shuttered its offices in both cities. Then, Air America’s CEO resigned amid talk of internal turmoil. Then, Air America’s director of programming was forced out of his post and replaced.

And now, just this past Friday, comes news that Air America’s board chairman, Evan Cohen, has abruptly severed his relationship with the project. Also resigning: Air America’s vice chairman–make that ex-vice chairman–Rex Sorensen, Cohen’s investment partner.

If an O’Franken Factor falls in the ratings because nobody’s there to hear it, does it make any noise?

When Men Shall Say All Manner of Evil Against You Falsely

Separated at birth?