Friday, February 10, 2006

Browbeaten, that's harsh!

At The Raw Story is this headline: Exclusive: Time, ABC reporters called out by nun on Vatican visit

It refers to the following excerpt from the press pool report of the audience of First Lady Laura Bush.

The press pool was in the charge of a nun, attired in blue, who could not conceive of ABC’s Ann Compton taking a laptop into the palace. The reporters had been told to bring their stuff with them because they would be running to catch the motorcade as Mrs. Bush departed. “Leave it to a colleague outside,” the nun said insistently. “You don’t need a computer.” “Finally, the nun did away with diplomacy and said, “There is no way.” An Associated Press reporter from Rome (whose uncanny hearing and generosity are responsible for some of the quotes above) asked about a tape recorder. “Absolutely no recorder in the library of the pope,” the nun replied, then clicked her tongue reprovingly, as if in a movie. Even the back halls of the Vatican have marble floors and art on the wall. The nun hurried reporters along one of the narrow corridors saying, “That’s the way.” At one point, scolding your pooler for an unintentional and mysterious infraction, she said, “You understand English? Do you prefer me to use Latin? Spanish? Italian? No more ‘Yes, ma’am’! I will call a Swiss Guard and have you removed” She carried a black, portfolio-like bag. Apparently deciding the sin was not venial, she granted absolution by reaching in her bag and handing over a color map and a fact sheet, with a businesslike smile.

The complete pool report is given in full farther down. It's an interesting and detailed description of the audience and the aftermath.

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