St. Chas elections chief headed to WH to meet the pope
St. Charles County elections director Rich Chrismer (father of the governor’s communications chief of the same name) is packing his suitcase this afternoon for a trip Tuesday to D.C.
Chrismer and his wife, Mary, got a handwritten invitation from President George W. Bush and his wife, Laura Bush, to join them at the White House as they hosted Pope Benedict XVI during his visit this week to the United States.
The Chrismers, devout Catholics, will join others on the White House lawn on Wednesday to greet the pope. That evening, the couple will dine at the White House with the president and first lady. (The pope will not be at the dinner).
Rich Chrismer said he and his wife were thrilled at the opportunity “to see the pope up close and personal. We feel very blessed.”
From a political perspective, the invitation appears to reflect the political importance of Catholic voters in general, and in particular, of St. Charles County to Republicans in state and national elections.
Bush held campaign rallies in St. Charles County during his successful bids for the White House, and right before the GOP’s highly successful 2002 congressional elections. (Bush’s event in St. Charles County on the eve of Missouri’s U.S. Senate race in 2002 is often touted as crucial to Republican Jim Talent’s success in defeating then-Democratic incumbent Jean Carnahan.)
Someone needs to ask the Pope if he really meant what he wrote…that the Church should hide evidence of child molestation by clergy until the various statutes of limitation run.
Chrismer has his chance.
This Pope should be in trial in Texas along with the Big Love folks.