Lots of attention this morning on Mother Jones‘ release of a taped confidential Mitch McConnell strategy session where they discuss oppo research on Ashley Judd, who has since decided not to run against McConnell in Kentucky next year.
McConnell’s camp is comparing the tape’s release to Watergate and has gotten the FBI involved. Mother Jones has explained they didn’t get the tape through a Watergate-type bugging, which leads one to believe there was someone in that room who isn’t exactly loyal to McConnell.
Anyway, during the meeting a McConnell aide played a tape of Judd on religion saying, “I’d like to think I’m like St. Francis in that way. Brother Donkey, Sister Bird.”
This reference resulted in uproarious laughter, with the aide saying, “That’s my favorite line so far. Absolute favorite one so far.”
The group seems ignorant that St. Francis, in dealing with his many infirmities, referred to his own body as “Brother Donkey” and that he was known for preaching sermons to flocks of birds. His famous poem,”Canticle of the Sun” refers to various manifestations of nature as “Brother” and “Sister.” Since God created everything, we are all brothers and sisters.
Now imagine that an Obama campaign group had been caught on tape laughing about Brother Donkey and Sister Bird. Wouldn’t they have been chastised for their ignorance about St. Francis and Catholicism and for laughing at the Church’s most beloved saint? Wouldn’t Sean Hannity have hit the roof about this lack of respect for Catholics, about this war on Catholics?
Mitch McConnell is a Southern Baptist. Recently Southern Baptists and Catholics have made common cause over issues like abortion and marriage, but the history between the two groups is a pretty nasty and contentious one, with a long-standing hatred for “Papists” among the Baptists.
Our new Pope took the name Francis for a reason. Mitch McConnell has some ‘splaining to do.
Embattled Farmers 