Andy writes:

Kissinger just resigned because he didn't want to disclose his "business" dealings.

Good thing mother attacked him during that tiny window when he was in power. FYI, mother's column was posted on Free Republic on 12/11 and it immediately inspired 55 messages. http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/news/804861/posts

Only one was critical of the Kissinger reference, by an apparent liberal named "TopQuark" with a non-substantive posting. Unfortunately, physics departments are crawling with liberals these days. The academic field has been overtaken by politicized, speculative theories. Only engineering remains non-politicized.

Cardinal Law resigned today, and Trent Lott is being pushed to do so as well. What do they have in common? Both tossed fuel on the fire by repeatedly apologizing. In both instances, the apologies appear to have been huge mistakes.

Apologies may make sense on a personal level (though I can't think of a Biblical mandate for it), but in a political or legal context it is often a huge mistake. The public could easily misinterpret the headlines about Lott as follows: he's apologizing for being a racist! He damns himself simply by apologizing. In contrast, Nixon saved himself by standing up to his critics and refusing to return the dog (an improper gift) in the famous Checkers speech.

The ousting of Cardinal Law is a dreadful precedent for the Church, buckling under to pressure by the media and liberals. The headlines and articles talk about incriminating evidence concerning Law, but I can't find anything other than his reliance on experts, desire for rehabilitation and, underlying it all, general Church views towards forgiveness. Law's real mistake was to repeatedly apologize and offer $30M, which opened the floodgates.

The media's appetite is insatiable. If Law must leave because of poor management, must the Pope resign also? Must his replacement be someone who can handle public relations better?