First things first.
In a speech at the liberal Villanova University in 2013, then-cardinal Ted McCarrick boasted of his decisive influence in the election of Cardinal Bergoglio as Pope. Other actors confirm that McCarrick's support was very important for the election:
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The full text of the Report released today by the Vatican (461 pages long!) is here.
Some initial observations:
1) The mainstream media has copied and pasted the Vatican's spin on McCarrick, that it was all Pope John Paul II's fault. While traditional Catholics were certainly no fans of the late pontiff, isn't there more to the story?
2) Jorge Bergoglio, McCarrick's friend, was -- according to McCarrick in the above video -- identified as a liberal cardinal who could be elected pope. McCarrick urged others in the college of cardinals to talk him up. No mention of this, mainstream media? Reading the early press reports, it seems as if Bergoglio had never heard of Uncle Ted.
3) The JPII cult -- from George Weigel to Opus Dei -- has some serious explaining to do.
4) JPII's canonization is now a textbook example of why several decades should pass before even thinking about canonizing a pope -- or most anyone, for that matter.
