Last night was a terrific celebration at the White House of the pontiff, religious freedom, and Catholicism. President Bush said two important things: a) That he “appreciate[s Benedict’s] rejection of moral relativism and religion as a pretext for violence.” 2)
“The Catholic Church has been a rock in a raging sea and it is my prayer that it will never change.”
The crowd at the dinner included Justices Roberts, Thomas (with his booming laugh), Scalia, and Alito (a.k.a. All My Favorite Justices).
The dinner crowd included a comfortable and energetic-looking Senator McCain (last time I was near him was at CPAC — we were just coming out of intense battle mode and he looked it), who, seemingly being escorted by the Federalist Society’s Leonard Leo, was seen with both Condi Rice and a former Romney senior staffer during the evening.
To move us from my Catholicfest in “The Corner” back to the presidential race, some McCain photos from last night’s East Room dinner: