Great Moments in Diplomacy, a Continuing Series - Who painted Our Lady of Gaudelupe?

Yet, another gaffe by Secretary of State Clinton that would have been front page news and late night television fodder if it had involved the Bush administration.

Mollie Hemingway at Get Religion points out this story about Hillary Clinton's trip to Mexico:

I thought I’d wait to write this post until I saw mainstream media coverage of one particular aspect of Secretary of State Hillary Clinton’s visit to the Basilica of Our Lady of Guadalupe in Mexico. And then, thousands of stories about the visit to Mexico later, I realized that the press wasn’t going to be covering it.

Which, assuming this story is true, says a lot about the media. Here’s how Catholic News Agency reported the most recent diplomatic gaffe:

During her recent visit to Mexico, U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton made an unexpected stop at the Basilica of Our Lady of Guadalupe and left a bouquet of white flowers “on behalf of the American people,” after asking who painted the famous image.

You can read more about Guadalupe here, but Roman Catholics believe that the beautiful image was miraculously imprinted on the cloak of a 16th-century peasant.
It is Mexico’s most popular and important religious image and the basilica that houses it is the second-most popular Catholic shrine in the world.

Here are the details of the exchange:

Msgr. Monroy took Mrs. Clinton to the famous image of Our Lady of Guadalupe, which had been previously lowered from its usual altar for the occasion.

After observing it for a while, Mrs. Clinton asked “who painted it?” to which Msgr. Monroy responded “God!”

Now, it’s one thing to not know what the Catholic Church teaches about Guadalupe. But it’s another for the State Department not to have briefed Clinton prior to her visit. Of course, those are political considerations.

Here’s what I’m wondering: Why was this story not deemed newsworthy? I’m sure some people would say that it’s just bias — that if, say, a Bush Administration official had said it, we’d be hearing all about it. I’m not sure. I suspect that it’s more likely we’re seeing the media’s ignorance of Mexico’s religious heritage and her most important religious picture.

The reader who sent this story in thought the faux pas was certainly worthy of at least a line or two in coverage of the visit. I agree.

This being Catholic News Agency, it’s also worth noting how the story ended:

This evening Secretary of State Hillary Clinton is set to receive the highest award given by Planned Parenthood Federation of America — the Margaret Sanger Award, named for the organization’s founder, a noted eugenicist. The award will be presented at a gala event in Houston, Texas.

You can read more mainstream media coverage of that award here. It doesn’t look like Sanger’s controversial views were deemed worthy of mention.

"Sheesh, the guy is Jimmy Carter."

Vanity Fair writer Michael Wolff compares Obama to Jimmy Carter... with respect to his ability to communicate (and hectoring narcissism):

You can see the fundamental mistake he’s making. Having been so successfully elected, he’s acting like people actually want to hear what he thinks. He’s the great earnest bore at the dinner party. Instead of singing for his supper, he’s just talking—and going on at length. The real job of making people part of the story you’re telling, of having them hang on your every word, of getting the tone and detail right, the hard job of holding a conversation, he ain’t doing.

And:

Well, shit, of course. The true secret of the power of language is in quickness. Barack Obama can’t keep up. He evidently needs too much preparation. And then there’s the organization. He’s undoubtedly got too many people debating what he should say. That’s the other secret of language: You’ve got to just go for it. Can’t think too much about it. It’s like hitting the ball. And then there’s knowing who you want to be—which is different than knowing who you are. You’re on the stage. You’re acting. You’ve got to make yourself believable, cleverly make yourself up as you go along.

This guy is leaden and this show is in trouble.

In other newsthe New York Time op-ed page goes after Obama en masse.

Everybody's getting in on the action.

The Telegraph lists - and provides videotape on - Obama and Biden's Top 10 Gaffes.

Could you imagine the media reaction if Cheney had provided this kind of ammunition?

So, there was Biden, threatening local government about misapplying the manna from heaven provided through the "Porkulus Bill", and then when everything gets serious, he unloads pure comedy gold:

JOSEPH BIDEN, Vice President of the United States: Because of the rules, the president and I can’t stop you from doing some things, but I’ll show up in your city and say, “This was a stupid idea.”

You think I’m kidding? This is the only part the president was right about: Don’t mess with Joe, because I mean it. I’m serious, guys. I’m serious. I’m absolutely serious.

"...the only part the president was right about...."

Great week for the "Not Ready for Prime-Time Administration."

I'd say it's time to lock Biden up in an undisclosed location, but Obama is gaffing just as bad.

Be afraid, America. Be very afraid.

Michelle Malkin has the audio.

The "Not Ready for Prime-time Administration"

Treasury Secretary Geithner and Congress were not "blind-sided" by the AIG bonuses.