Kerry on the Mount, NPR, and more.

Blessed Are Those Who Pander

Speaking at a meeting of the Anti-Defamation League here in Washington last week, John Kerry reflected on the deep connection he'd made with the people of Israel: "We traveled also to the Sea of Galilee, to the Christian sites, the religious sites, actually stood on the Mount of the Beatitudes and read the Sermon on the Mount to those gathered with me."

THE SCRAPBOOK is amused by the workings of Sen. Kerry's brain--that business where it occurs to him: oops, shouldn't have said "Christian sites," they're Jews, maybe if I add "religious sites" right away no one will notice. THE SCRAPBOOK is further amused by the thought of Kerry holding forth like . . . well, like Jesus.

But we've got to admit: Others have done the same. There was that famed biblical scholar, for example, the Rev. Howard Dean. Dr. Dean, you'll recall, was one day lecturing on the Book of Job--which turned out to be in the Old Testament; who knew?--and didst then recall his own trip to the Holy Land not long before. And, verily: "If you know much about the Bible--which I do--to see and be in a place where Christ was and understand the intimate history of what was going on 2,000 years ago is an exceptional experience."

Readers are here invited to play the home version of THE SCRAPBOOK game: Write your own sarcastic generalization about the pomposity of Democratic presidential primary candidates.

Ordinarily, of course, we'd write one ourselves. But in this case, it probably wouldn't be right. First off, there's the problem that Republicans do it, too. As David Brooks noted in our pages last January, Senate majority leader Bill Frist has similarly indulged himself: "On one memorable day during a tour of Israel, Senator Frist stood on the spot where Jesus delivered the Sermon on the Mount and read the sermon to the tour group. He electrified them with his simple faith and devotion."