White House crowds love their daddies.
The last time the White House’s South Lawn got this packed (in March), the crowd was cheering “Papi! Papi! Papi!” to toast Boston Red Sox slugger David “Big Papi” Ortiz and his fellow World Series champions.
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But, on Wednesday morning, the White House rafters were echoing with a new, Daddylike cheer — “Viva el Papa!” — and even the most boisterous Red Sox crowd couldn’t best the energy drummed up by more than 13,000 pope-heads hoping to get a glimpse of God’s representative on Earth (a title that certainly blunted the egos of all the other congressional representatives in attendance).
Yes, Pope Benedict XVI was in the house for the biggest event in White House history and it was as close to a rock concert as you could ever expect in the conservativehome of George and Laura Bush.
There was the rock star intro: Following an awkwardly long, 30-second drum roll (when you’re assured an eternity in heaven, you take as much time as you like), Benedict came out of his limo and onto — yes — a red carpet.
The audience reaction: A few people passed out, despite the nearly perfectly cool, spring weather.
The swelling crowds: People pressed up against — and leaned over — metal barriers as if they were trying to score entry to gates of heaven themselves.
The chants: Spontaneous cheers erupted from a packed crowd sprinkled with nuns and priests. Random “Happy Birthday!” wishes were shouted at the 81-year-old until the entire crowd joined together in an impromptu sing-along of the birthday song that would make the Sistine Chapel choir proud.
The adoring girls: Various Girl Scouts scored some of the best seats in the house, including one proudly wearing her “Cookie Diva!” badge.
And, of course, the signs: “We love the Pope of Hope!” and “Ich Hesse Joseph Auch” (“I am called Joseph, also”).
A record deal can’t be far off.
Hitch on Benedict XVI
Here’s one more person not super-psyched to see the pope: Christopher Hitchens.
The polemicist, Vanity Fair contributor and author of “God Is Not Great: How Religion Poisons Everything” tells Yeas & Nays what’s on his mind during the papal visit: “I am disgusted at the refusal of the media to ask Mr. Ratzinger why it is that Cardinal Bernard Law, identified as a persistent protector of child-[molesting] priests, has been granted the equivalent of asylum in the Vatican and awarded with numerous honors and distinctions there. This sheltering of Law makes Ratzinger an accomplice in the continuing scandal of which he tearfully and hypocritically claims to be so ‘ashamed.’ ”
Rattlin’ the Vatican
It seems like all of Washington is excited to see the pope in town. But if you’ve driven up Massachusetts Avenue anytime in the past few years, you’ve probably spotted one person who’s got a unique take on Benedict XVI’s visit: John Wojnowski.
Wojnowski spends most of his days just outside the legal boundary of the Vatican’s embassy, holding a sign that reads “Vatican Hides Pedophiles” (Wojnowski says that he was molested by a priest in Italy when he was a teenager).
“I’m excited that the pope’s here,” Wojnowski told Yeas & Nays. “It’s an opportunity to get this message across.” Wojnowski saw the pope’s motorcade drive by him on Massachusetts Avenue Tuesday afternoon, but doesn’t think the pope saw his sign. However, plenty of pope fans hanging out on Massachusetts Avenue are seeing Wojnowski’s sign and they’re not too happy with how the 66-year-old is welcoming Benedict XVI to Washington. During just our five-minute chat with Wojnowski, he was approached by a handful of people and the reactions ranged from “Why can’t you forgive the pope?” to “You are defiling the pope!” to “You’re just doing it for money!” to “Well, I’ll pray for you.”
