As we reported, Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI died on Dec. 31.
Normally, for the death of such a world leader, you would have the President in attendance at the funeral. So reporters asked White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre if Joe Biden would be going. The answer was more than a little embarrassing for the White House.
Jean-Pierre mispronounced “Emeritus,” making it sound like an infection. Someone has to help her with how to pronounce what it is she’s trying to say, as it appears to be a continuing problem. When you’re supposed to be the Press Secretary, that’s a bit of an issue.
But that wasn’t the worst part for the White House, the worst part was she had to admit that Biden wasn’t invited to represent the United States at the funeral.
“He will always remember the Pope’s generosity and meaningful conversation they had when he visited the Vatican in 2011,” Jean-Pierre said. “The U.S. Ambassador to the Holy See, Joe Donnelly, will represent the United States at the funeral of the Pope, in line with the wishes of the late Pope and the Vatican. This is what…this is what their requests were. This is what their wishes were.”
If that wasn’t evident or bad enough, then Biden himself essentially confirmed he was left out, with his snippy response.
“You’re not attending [Pope Benedict’s] funeral tomorrow… Why?” a reporter asked. “Well, why do you think?” Biden responded. “You tell me!” the reporter replied. “You know why,” Biden said. It’s hard to decipher what he says after that but I think he ends it by saying that they would get “in the way.” But Joe Donnelly isn’t getting in the way? Why Donnelly rather than Biden?
Translation: They didn’t want Biden there and even Biden gets it, hence the “You know why” response.
The first “Catholic” since John F. Kennedy was in office, but a rabid supporter of abortion, something that both the Vatican and Pope Benedict himself wouldn’t approve of. Italian and German leaders were invited, and other leaders are attending in their private capacity. But Benedict likely didn’t want to validate Biden’s bad positions by having him there at his funeral.