The American Spectator

So it may come as a surprise that, as the Levada choice has illustrated, the best description of Benedict from the political lexicon is a rather standard moderate, by which is meant that he is more than capable of factoring Church politics into his decisions.

THIS DOES NOT MEAN HIS pontificate will be like the presidency of Richard Nixon, full of half-measures, bobbing and weaving. But it is how to explain the Levada choice, which has baffled some who expected a tougher man.

My theory: during the conclave, Cardinal Ruini of Rome, said to have been the kingmaker, suggested to the crucially important American cardinals that the time had come for one of their own to be in one of Rome’s top two dicasteries. Naturally, Ruini would go on, the new Holy Father had to decide the details and it would be wrong, very wrong, for him to even mention this to his man during the conclave.

Were this arrangement to have taken hold in the imaginations of the American cardinals, they could well imagine that Ruini would also deliver the Italian vote. Not being a dumb man, Cardinal Ratzinger would have caught wind of these thoughts without ever speaking to Ruini and without ever feeling bound in conscience to implement any such plan.

And as long as none of those involved in the recent conclave felt bound or pressured, such arrangements are human and perfectly proper.

Ten years ago I had a long conversation with Cardinal Silvio Oddi, a power in the Vatican during the 1980s whose career was made by John XXIII and Paul VI. Oddi had participated in both 1978 conclaves and left little doubt that in the end he voted for Karol Wojtyla — but little doubt that he had others he voted for in previous ballots too. By the time we spoke, Oddi had retired, and among other things expressed his displeasure at having been frozen out of the next conclave (he was nearing 80). As long as we were being so frank, I put it to him bluntly about his mentor John XXIII’s election: had a deal been brokered whereby John would name X as his secretary of state?

“It is not forbidden,” Oddi replied in that wonderful Italian deadpan, confirming everything.

It is not forbidden. It is not terribly inspiring, either. But Benedict still is. More anon.