More Notes from CNN

The transcripts aren't in Nexis yet from CNN's coverage, but they'll be a goldmine for anyone who wants to a week to sift through them. Last night someone referred to John Paul II's "iron-fisted" rule. (Huh?) And during a packaged segment the lovely Paul Zahn began speculating over the Pope's successor, noting that the person who might have the most influence on the election is JP II himself, since he packed the College with people likely to hold to his "conservative" positions on issue such as "abortion" and the "role of women" in the clergy.

It's as if the producers at CNN have absolutely no idea what Catholicism is. It isn't the Pope's fault, for instance, that the Church is against abortion--the respect for life is a central teaching of Christ! Even the super-duper liberal Paulist types are pro-life. This is just sheer idiocy on the part of CNN. Either that or, you know, the "b" word.

CNN's coverage wasn't all bad, though. At 4:30 this morning, they were the only network to run the Mass at the Vatican without someone yacking over it. This was a real public service, and they did a beautiful job broadcasting it.

Also, about Anderson Cooper: Does anyone else remember The Mole? I know Coop is Jon Klein's storyteller-in-chief, and I'm sure he's a nice guy, but we do all remember that he's a reality game show host, and not a journalist, right? I find that distracting, but maybe it's just me. (I keep thinking, Why not put Jeff Probst in the chair next to him?)