The Holy Beat

I must say I am still a little suspect of this Faith & Values corresponding gig. The longer version of CNN’s press release did not have any qualms about tying religion to politics; Jon Klein even went as far as saying that “Delia’s hire as a full-time correspondent represents a major commitment by CNN to covering the religious revival in the United States, where tens of millions of people cite faith as a central part of their lives.” Her Hotness echoed Klein’s sentiment and said that “she’s excited about the challenge to expand her reporting of religion across a multitude of faiths”, and that “they (CNN?) recognize how influential American’s beliefs and values can be in business and politics and that journalists often ignore that fact; she hopes her reports help fill the void.”

I guess in the end, it all boils down to politics.

In her first full weekend as the Faith and Values person, Her Hotness filed a package (that aired 2x) from Baton Rouge, LA. Wearing a short sleeveless top and tight low-rise jeans ( thus the small screen debut of her midriff, but hey, no COMPLAINTS from me!), Delia interviewed Chaplain “Damn Lucky Bastard” Larry about his ministrations. On a Sunday when the whole country was looking inwards to commemorate 9/11 and His Holiness the Dalai Lama was dropping by, when His Majesty himself Larry King devoted an entire show to faith and tragedy, CNN’s Faith and Values person was in freakin' Baton Rouge... interviewing Chaplain Larry???!!!! Why even hire a F&V person when you’re going to keep her in freakin' Baton Rouge? (No offense to Baton Rouge… my GF said it is a really nice town and the people are extremely nice and kind).

Please don’t get me wrong, I am happy just to see Her Hotness once again, midriff exposed or not. But once in a while, my shallowness gives way to some deep thoughts. If CNN stays true to Delia’s job description (no matter how vague), if she can separate Church from State, her journalistic horizon is endless. She will get to report on pastors who hate everyone else except… well, it’s hard to know whom they do not hate, or pastors who vow to keep their states Republican, or Judge Robert’s confirmation hearings as a battleground for the PROS (life vs. choice, believers vs. heathens, good vs. evil). Sometimes I wonder if Delia misses the hallowed halls of the Vatican or the intellectual corridors of The Greg – I know I would, and I’m sure she will too, if she hasn’t yet.

I still regard faith and values as extremely personal, and you would have to look deep into the hearts of men (and women) to discern their truest and purest forms.

But so far so good, Delia.

(Yes, Delia, your ring finger is still longer than your index finger...)