Prelates arrive to attend Mass on Oct. 15, at St Peter's Basilica. (Photo by Tiziana Fabi/AFP)
Let’s not fool ourselves. Newt Gingrich will be Donald Trump’s de facto interlocutor with the Vatican.
This is meant as no disrespect towards Callista Gingrich, the woman Mr. Trump nominated, and the US Senate recently confirmed, as the 10th US Ambassador to the Holy See.
But we must be honest. The only reason the president chose Mrs. Gingrich is that she’s the wife of Newt, a controversial politician with an over-sized personality who once served as Speaker of the House of Representatives.
Mr. Gingrich, had he been the nominee, would have taken a beating in Senate confirmation hearings and his nomination might never have reached the full Senate floor.
So going with Callista was always the more secure way for the Donald to make Newt, in all but name, his top envoy to ecclesiastical Rome.
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