On the first day of Pope picking, my true love gave to me …

The world’s media is gathered in Rome waiting to see who they can prematurely name as Pope. Sorry, that was a bit cynical and mean. But as the black puff of smoke that rose today signaling no Pope had been chosen, I’m sure one or two journalists were heard to say: “Thank God. Now we can file our stories and get on with our drinking!”

Journalists sent on a story of such proportions really do have quite a task coming up with new and different stories about the man who would be Pope or finding skeletons in a College of Cardinal member’s background. That is, the best journalists do. Those who treat such an assignment as a junket are not doing themselves or their outlet a favor by just “calling it in.” Of course, if you really hate your paper or news channel and you are off doing your last story for that outlet, then I suppose all bets are off.

It looks like the A’s cardinals are kicking up the most dust there in Rome today, or at least a cardinal’s mother from Austria and a cardinal from Australia.

Austrian Cardinal Christoph Schoenborn’s 92-year-old mother said she doesn’t want her son to be chosen Pope because she fears she wouldn’t see him very often. She also told Reuters that her son “would not be up to the bitchiness” that is a product of normal Vatican intrigue.

Aussie Cardinal George Pell made a verbal faux pas by saying Pope Benedict’s abrupt resignation was “slightly destabilizing.” That apparently played to the Romans as a criticism of the now Pope Emeritus. Hey, the past Pope was German. What’s the sweat off an Italians’ noses about?

Management and continued fallout from sex abuse scandals in the Roman Catholic Church are seen to be the biggest issues a new Pope will have to deal with. That and being the world’s most renown religious figure. The cardinals from over the globe may or may not go against picking a “Vatican insider,” according to the linked L.A. Times piece. It seems like one just can never get far enough away from the politickin.’