All Blog Posts from Couric & Co.
"Ben-eh-dee-toe! Ben-eh-dee-toe!"
Greg Kandra is a writer for the CBS Evening News. He's also a Roman Catholic deacon for the Diocese of Brooklyn, N.Y.
The first question my wife and I asked ourselves: what do you wear to a papal mass at Yankee Stadium?
A few weeks ago, when the deacons of Brooklyn were offered tickets to this big event, that seemed to be the most pressing issue. Jacket? Tie? Comfortable shoes? What if the weather was bad? In the end, we went for "Typical Sunday Catholic" – nice, casual, with shoes built for a lot of walking. It turned out to be a good move. When we arrived at the stadium Sunday morning at 10 a.m., there was a lot of walking. And waiting. And lines. It was like being at Disney World, but without the tropical sunshine and characters with big plastic heads. The weather was unexpectedly cool – brisk, in fact, up in the loge, where we sat – and I kept muttering over and over "I wish I'd brought gloves."
I killed time by browsing the souvenir stands – which were jammed. They had two young women working one window with 40 or 50 people waiting. I got in line to buy a $20 tee shirt and some rosaries. It was nearly a half an hour before I got to the window. The girl on the other side sighed. "This is worse than a Yankees game," she said. "Yeah," I chirped. "But we're a lot nicer, aren't we?" She laughed. I have to say: the monumental mob of people was very well-behaved. Maybe it was grace. Maybe it was good manners. Maybe it was the fear of committing sin and then not being able to find a priest for an impromptu confession. (Fat chance: I've never seen so many priests in one place in my life. There's nothing like going into the men's room at Yankee Stadium and seeing a line of guys in robes, cassocks or albs. I don't even want to imagine what the mechanics of that arrangement might involve...)
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(CBS)
The first question my wife and I asked ourselves: what do you wear to a papal mass at Yankee Stadium?
A few weeks ago, when the deacons of Brooklyn were offered tickets to this big event, that seemed to be the most pressing issue. Jacket? Tie? Comfortable shoes? What if the weather was bad? In the end, we went for "Typical Sunday Catholic" – nice, casual, with shoes built for a lot of walking. It turned out to be a good move. When we arrived at the stadium Sunday morning at 10 a.m., there was a lot of walking. And waiting. And lines. It was like being at Disney World, but without the tropical sunshine and characters with big plastic heads. The weather was unexpectedly cool – brisk, in fact, up in the loge, where we sat – and I kept muttering over and over "I wish I'd brought gloves."
I killed time by browsing the souvenir stands – which were jammed. They had two young women working one window with 40 or 50 people waiting. I got in line to buy a $20 tee shirt and some rosaries. It was nearly a half an hour before I got to the window. The girl on the other side sighed. "This is worse than a Yankees game," she said. "Yeah," I chirped. "But we're a lot nicer, aren't we?" She laughed. I have to say: the monumental mob of people was very well-behaved. Maybe it was grace. Maybe it was good manners. Maybe it was the fear of committing sin and then not being able to find a priest for an impromptu confession. (Fat chance: I've never seen so many priests in one place in my life. There's nothing like going into the men's room at Yankee Stadium and seeing a line of guys in robes, cassocks or albs. I don't even want to imagine what the mechanics of that arrangement might involve...)
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Here Comes The Pope
Greg Kandra is a writer for the CBS Evening News. He's also a Roman Catholic deacon for the Diocese of Brooklyn, N.Y.
Watching Pope Benedict step out of his limousine this morning and wave to the thousands cheering on the White House South Lawn, one thought crossed my mind: What would my grandparents think?
They were immigrants from Austria-Hungary (later known as Czechoslovakia) who settled in the hills of northeastern Pennsylvania, where my grandfather spent most of his life deep under the earth, mining coal. Their English was spotty, and their education slim. I don't think my grandfather ever graduated high school. Together they raised five children in a rickety wooden row house not far from the coal mines. All the Hungarians and Poles and Slovaks clustered in one corner of the town. I don't know that I'd call it a Catholic ghetto – but it was definitely off the beaten path.
Back then, in the early days of the 20th century, Catholics were considered Papists, or pagans, or worse. They were the cooks and housekeepers and bus drivers and janitors. Some became priests or teachers. A few with money and connections would ascend to higher places – think of the Kennedys – but it was rare. (Even today, you will find high-profile Protestant pastors like John Hagee who refer to the Catholic Church as "The Great Whore." Some bigotry dies hard.)
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(AP Photo/Pablo Martinez Monsivais)
Watching Pope Benedict step out of his limousine this morning and wave to the thousands cheering on the White House South Lawn, one thought crossed my mind: What would my grandparents think?
They were immigrants from Austria-Hungary (later known as Czechoslovakia) who settled in the hills of northeastern Pennsylvania, where my grandfather spent most of his life deep under the earth, mining coal. Their English was spotty, and their education slim. I don't think my grandfather ever graduated high school. Together they raised five children in a rickety wooden row house not far from the coal mines. All the Hungarians and Poles and Slovaks clustered in one corner of the town. I don't know that I'd call it a Catholic ghetto – but it was definitely off the beaten path.
Back then, in the early days of the 20th century, Catholics were considered Papists, or pagans, or worse. They were the cooks and housekeepers and bus drivers and janitors. Some became priests or teachers. A few with money and connections would ascend to higher places – think of the Kennedys – but it was rare. (Even today, you will find high-profile Protestant pastors like John Hagee who refer to the Catholic Church as "The Great Whore." Some bigotry dies hard.)
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From Iowa: A Boy On The Bus
Veteran political reporters will tell you: a lot of time on the campaign trail is spent in transit. Shuttling from event to event like so much cattle. Over at the From the Road politics blog, Dean Reynolds has some impressions of what it's like traveling with the Obama campaign through Iowa:
I've been riding campaign buses since 1972, and I've always thought of them as a great way to see the country, to ride those backroads most Americans never take.Check out the blog for the rest. And you'll also find a lot more colorful details there about what the campaign reporters are seeing in Iowa and New Hampshire.
This time of year, with the temperature in the teens, the senses seem more acute perhaps because the air is so bracing.
But look at the farms! The barns seem redder, the cows browner set off against the whiter-than-white backdrop. Someone painstakingly built that frozen fence over there. Somebody will ford that icy stream over there to gather his livestock.
Someone bailed that hay lying in frozen circular bundles. Someone set out the stream of decorations that are a feature of most little towns in this state, the holiday lights binding people together as one.
First Look: Veterans And Charity
Sharyl Attkisson in Washington has a First Look at her story for tonight on how a lot of veterans are being short-changed by charities.
Click the video link for more.
Video: Click the video link for more.
First Look: Iraq Attack
In First Look, Jeff Glor previews his story for tonight's Evening News about the deadly bombings in South Iraq.
Click the video link for more.
Click the video link for more.
First Look: Ice
For today's First Look, Katie previews the devastating ice storms that have affected tens of thousands around the country.
Click the video link for more.
First Look: Obama & Oprah
Dean Reynolds has the First Look at tonight's campaign coverage, with a preview of his Evening News story about Barack Obama and one of his supporters -- you may have heard of her -- Oprah.
Click the video link for more.
Click the video link for more.
Iraq's Christians: Back From The Brink?
Last week on 60 Minutes, Scott Pelley reported on the serious persecution Christians are facing in Iraq.
This weekend, the AP reported on what might be the flip side of that story: a mass celebrated in Baghdad by the newly elevated cardinal, and attended by about 200 people:
This weekend, the AP reported on what might be the flip side of that story: a mass celebrated in Baghdad by the newly elevated cardinal, and attended by about 200 people:
Under heavy guard and broadcast live on Iraqi state television, the service was capped by a handshake from a visiting Shiite imam—a symbolic show of unity between Iraq's majority Muslim sect and its tiny Christian community.
Cardinal Emmanuel III Delly, leader of the ancient Chaldean Church, celebrated the two-hour Mass three weeks after Pope Benedict XVI elevated him to the top ranks of the Roman Catholic hierarchy.
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In Iowa: The End Is Near
There are barely 15 shopping days left until Christmas. But for Iowa voters, there may be even fewer days to shop around and choose their candidates for president.
Over at Horserace, Vaughn Ververs explains:
And happy shopping.
Over at Horserace, Vaughn Ververs explains:
For practical purposes, this could be the last full week for the candidates to begin delivering their closing arguments in the state.Check out the rest of Vaughn's post for more.
Barack Obama appears to have already begun that process, using appearances by Oprah Winfrey in three early primary states to hammer home his message of "change." For all the words spoken at rallies before tens of thousands of potential voters over the weekend, it can all be summed up with this simple statement she delivered in Columbia, South Carolina: "I'm sick of politics as usual. We need Barack Obama."
Hillary Clinton, aided by her husband and a new ad beginning today, will counter with her message of experience. John Edwards an 8-day "Main Street Express" bus tour throughout the Iowa, where he maintains a strong organizational presence. Joe Biden gets into the act, as he will reportedly launch a $1 million ad campaign this week. Mitt Romney will try to regain his footing and Mike Huckabee will try to hang on in Iowa.
Closing arguments usually wait for the last week of the campaign, but with the crunch of the holiday season looming, we may be close to the time where all the ads and campaign events in the world won't be effective. Starting next week, people all over the country will begin their holidays in earnest. Last-minute shopping, travel, family, and all that goes along with this time of year will take precedence over politics. Or so the betting goes. By the time America pushes itself away from the table this season, the voting in Iowa will be well under way.
And happy shopping.
First Look: Camp Hope
Steve Hartman previews his Assignment America for tonight, on the aptly named Camp Hope.
Click the video link for more.
Click the video link for more.
