Did he or didn’t he? Same for her. Maybe.

President Trump, in our opinion, made a mistake at the State of the Union speech if his failure to shake Speaker Pelosi’s hand was intended as a snub. She made a mistake, in our view, if she intended an insult by tearing her copy of his speech at the end of Congress’ joint session. Both gestures put a slight damper on what was otherwise a rousing evening calculated to point our country toward November.

Opportunity lost. But intentions?

We use the word “if” above because, having watched the clip a dozen times, we can’t gain a clear view of whether Mr. Trump intended to snub the Speaker at the start of the speech. He had plenty of cause to, we’ll grant. Mrs. Pelosi has been calling him a criminal. She handed up against him charges of which the Senate is likely to acquit him. If he resents the Speaker, it would be reasonable enough.

Etc. A wonderful he-said-she-said situation, a mystery for the ages. (One CBS announcer said one thing, another “interjected” pronto to say another. Hmm.)

There’s your break-through rapprochement achieved by Pope Francis’ brilliant diplomats.

via  UCA News

To whom else would one reveal such an experience?

via Richard Rohr Reorders the Universe | The New Yorker

Giving a lesson on how to talk to voters, per Bill McGurn:

We don’t have to guess much of what the president will say. Though the Beltway cognoscenti look down on his popular rallies as vulgar sideshows, they offer a lesson in talking to supporters without talking down to them.

And it should come as no surprise that the president has used his recent rallies to hone his message on his economic accomplishments: a booming stock market, new trade deals, historically low African-American unemployment, a “blue-collar boom” in which the lowest-paid earners are reaping the fastest gains, and so on.

And the beat goes on . . .

Bishop backs him up by saying nothing, legislators fire back.

Teaching reverence:

KAMPALA — Kampala Catholic Archbishop Cyprian Kizito Lwanga has directed that no Christian or practicing Catholic will be allowed to receive the Holy Communion by hand.

He has also decreed that Holy Mass will no longer be celebrated in homes, as is the current norm, in a bid to “fend off abuses in the liturgical life of the Church”.

via PML Daily

The ad about criminal justice reform, “one of those things that is always talked about by politicians but never acted upon.” And how it came across.

The understated tone of the ad is what struck me most. The president is known for his bombast. I’m a big fan of that too. This ad, however, didn’t have the “rah-rah” rally feel. It was quiet, to the point, and quite impressive.

He does understatement too, apparently.

A truly lewd performance.

(Word not in common use these days.)

Something there is that loves a straight talker.

Deniers scoffing as we read this.