JUICY, NEWSY TIDBITS FROM THE WEEK THAT WAS

From the beginning of GreenbergRants, I promised to keep you current on the juiciest headlines that seemed to fade out fast. For example, what ever happened John Edwards? Is the Pope ever going to fess up about his inexplicable error in judgment in re-admitting that holocaust-denying Bishop into the church? Is Ann Coulter ever, ever going to shut up? You know...stuff like that. Here are some of this week's juiciest follow-ups:

VITTER’S BITTER AIRPORT TEMPER TANTRUM
After his much publicized tryst with ladies for hire, one would think Louisiana Senator David Vitter (see header photo) would do everything possible to keep his head down and be a good boy. Right? Wrong. Last week Vitter missed a flight out of Dallas, and reverted to baby David, threw a tantrum, and made headlines once again. Now he is under investigation by the Transportation Security Administration. David, David, David...what next, buddy? Read all about it.

POPE BENEDICT'S UNFORTUNATELY TARDY MEA CULPA
Did you think you would live long enough to hear a Pope apologize -- twice? Rejoice, y’all. Pope Benedict came forward last week to say that lifting the excommunication of holocaust denying Bishop Richard Williamson was a “mishap,” and that he can’t understand why people "thought they had to attack me with open hostility." The Pope said he did not know before he decided to readmit Williamson to the church that the bishop had denied the holocaust. Do they have the Internet at the Vatican? I’m just asking. Note to the Pope: Ben…may I call you Ben? Ben, I think you did know in advance, and I think you do understand why people are not impressed with your behavior. Just as I think you knew three years ago your comments linking Islam to violence would also evoke a negative international response.Your apology then rang just as hollow as your current statement of regret does now.

GOP LEADER STEELE’S ABORTION GAFFE: OH NO HE DI’INT
Newly minted RNC Chair Michael Steele seems a bit rough around the edges when it comes to finessing the press. Last week, Steele dared to use the word “choice” in relation to abortion, during an interview with GQ Magazine. (Hello? Why is Steele granting interviews to GQ? I’m thinking NY Times, or Politico.com, but GQ?)The next day all hell broke loose among conservative Republican stalwarts who evidently believed Steele was showing himself to be a traitor to the conservative ideology. The day after that, Steele backpedaled. Hmm…I wonder what makes me think that although Steele will not go gently into that good night, the words RNC Chairman will shortly disappear from his resume? Watch this:


COULTER “GUILTY” OF DECLINING BOOK SALES
Oh, so as it turns out, there is a God. Prototypical hate monger (some would say “Bitch” – their word, not mine, but you know…if the little black dress fits…) Ann Coulter, (pictured at right), seems to be losing some of that attention she so desperately craves. Her current book, Guilty: Liberal “Victims” and their Assault on America, is not selling anywhere near the number of copies her previous efforts sold. Could it be that in the era of Obama, those who spew the type of venom Coulter puts out are simply passé? Yes, it could. Read all about it at Conde Naste’s Portfolio.com.

THE NEW FACE OF DOMESTIC ABUSE: BEBE WINANS
If you want to see what happens to a guy like Chris Brown when he’s all grown up, (if you allow him to get by with smacking women around when he’s 19), perhaps you need look no further than singer Bebe Winans. Although not publicized nearly as aggressively as Brown’s behavior, Winans, 46, was booked on a domestic assault charge this week. It so happens that just one day before his friend, our holy St. Oprah of Chicago, devoted an entire hour to domestic abuse, Winans got into an altercation with his ex-wife, and knocked her to the ground. The Smoking Gun has the details.

JOHN EDWARDS PRACTICES SAFE SPEECH
And finally, former one-term Senator and former presidential hopeful John Edwards peeked out from behind the humiliation curtain for the first time in months this past week. Edwards accepted a speaking engagement at Brown University. Of course, the elephant in the room was the question on every single person’s mind – did he father Rielle Hunter’s baby, and if so, why does he not come forward and claim paternity? No one asked, but one student did come close. Edwards danced around the issue, never really said anything substantive, and as is his habit, avoided answering the question directly. See for yourself: