NEW YORK -- A British broadcaster working for the Fox Business channel embarked on a 10-minute rant about the Pope’s address at the White House on Wednesday. Stuart Varney, a former journalist-turned-footman for Rupert Murdoch’s anti-environmental sideshow, was “shocked” that Francis dared to speak out on climate change, preferring the Pontiff restrict his comments to pretend issues, such as “getting into heaven.”
During brief remarks in the capital, the Pope said: “Mr. President, I find it encouraging that you are proposing an initiative for reducing air pollution. Accepting the urgency, it seems clear to me also that climate change is a problem, which can no longer be left to a future generation. When it comes to the care of our common home, we are living at a critical moment of history.”
That was too much for Varney, who sniffed: “I was surprised at such an overt statement, which I thought was political statement of support for the president, President Obama, on climate change. I didn’t think that would include things like, ‘I approve of your initiative to reduce air pollution… It seems clear that climate change is a problem… It is time to change… This climate change is powerfully striking our home and our cities.'”
He continued: “It is extraordinary that right from the get-go, a papal visit to the United States, the first time this pope has been in America, we go right into climate change. One would have thought that maybe there are things to talk about, like the persecution and slaughter of tens of thousands of Christians in North Africa.”
Even after the break, Varney remained “shocked” at the address. “I don’t think either of us was expecting to respond to a papal speech dealing with climate change,” the host said to a guest. “I’ve got to repeat, I was shocked at how much time the pope spent on climate change! And how he walked right into the politics of climate change!”
And he still wasn’t done: “We have just sat though the president of the United States greeting Pope Francis to the White House and then the pope then launched into a 15 minute speech, in which it was largely about climate change and how we’ve all got to get on board with efforts to combat climate change. I think he stepped right into policy… I’m astonished by this!”
Varney was "shocked" and "astonished"... then "shocked" again
The Derbyshire-born host lamented on: “This is pure politics, that’s what it is. You raise the price of energy, what does that do to poor people in Africa, parts of Asia, Latin America, it impoverishes them. And the pope is now advocating precisely those policies.”
“Where’s the statement about saving my soul?” he finally squeaked. “The holy father is in the United States of America, a minister to my soul, the soul of all Catholics, all Christians. Come on!”
The Vatican has yet to respond to our request for comment on whether Varney’s soul is salvageable.
(H/T Raw Story)