Taegan Goddard's Political Wire

April 24, 2005

How Ratzinger Became Pope

Time reports "the inside story" of how Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger became Pope. Although he appeared "past his prime" by 2003, Ratzinger kept on publishing books and papers, and "became even more audible as a strong conservative voice in European and global affairs. He became particularly visible in Italy, which was expressing some nostalgia for an Italian papacy after more than 26 years of a Polish Pope. Ratzinger wrote several articles for major Italian papers" and, according to a Vatican official, he soon "had become the darling of the [conservative] Italian intelligentsia."

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Taegan D. Goddard is the creator of Political Wire, a political column updated around the clock with the most interesting news, buzz and commentary.

Goddard is also co-author of You Won - Now What? (Scribner, 1998), a political management book hailed by prominent journalists and politicians from both parties. In addition, Goddard's essays on politics and public policy have appeared in dozens of newspapers across the country, including the Washington Post, USA Today, Boston Globe, San Francisco Chronicle, Chicago Tribune, Philadelphia Inquirer and Christian Science Monitor.

This is a personal site and does not necessarily reflect the views of any company, political campaign or advocacy group.

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