Bush to Pope: "God Wants You To Help Me Win Reelection"

According to John L. Allen Jr., "the dean of Vatican journalists," El Presidente made a request of Cardinal Angelo Sodano, the Vatican secretary of state, while he was dropping in on the Pope last week: he wants the Vatican to tell its American bishops to get more actively involved in helping Bush win reelection. Citing an unnamed Vatican official, Mr. Allen wrote: "Bush said, 'Not all the American bishops are with me' on the cultural issues. The implication was that he hoped the Vatican would nudge them toward more explicit activism."

And what else might he have said? "We'll also make sure the IRS doesn't monkey around with your tax exempt status, when you turn your church into a Reelect Bush/Cheney subcommittee."