“NEARLY EVERYBODY READS THE BULLETIN”®
NOW REACHING PHILADELPHIA’S 100,000 MOST DISCERNING READERS
PHILADELPHIA’S
FAMILY
NEWSPAPER
Vol. VI No. 091
M’BR AINS
Happy
Mother’s Day!
Page 21
READY FOR THE REGATTA
Saint Joseph’s University women’s head crew coach Gary Quinlan takes in the scenery along the Schuylkill River on Thursday
from the dock of the Hawks’ boathouse on Kelly Drive. Friday marks the beginning of the 71st running of the Dad Vail Regatta.
The recent weather and hard economic times have taken their toll on the regatta, which will once again welcome teams from 100-
plus universities this weekend to Philadelphia. For more coverage, see Sports on Pages 15-17.
Rescue
Me
Discrimination Claims
Inflame Fire Dept.
By MICHAEL P. TREMOGLIE
THE BULLETIN
The Philadelphia Fire
Department is a racially polar-
ized one. Reverse discrimina-
tion lawsuits have been filed by
white firefighters claiming that
a hiring quota forces the
appointment or promotion of
African Americans who do not
score as high as white appli-
cants.
The hiring quota began in
1975 by a consent decree the city
signed with the federal govern-
ment to correct racial discrimi-
nation in past hiring. It subse-
quently enacted several policies
to correct this — the hiring
quota being one.
But the white firefighters say
the current administration has
zealously exceeded this quota
and has engaged in blatant
reverse discrimination. They
spoke to The Bulletin on condi-
tion of anonymity.
Their official position is rep-
resented by the Philadelphia
chapter of the Concerned
American Firefighters
Association (CAFFA).
According to CAFFA, what was
once an understandable effort to
Continued On Page 3
PROVOCATION
“ Being a full-time mother is
one of the highest salaried jobs
... since the payment is pure
love.
” — Mildred B. Vermont
POOR RICHARD’S
ALMANACK
He that would live in peace & at ease,
Must not speak all he knows, nor
judge all he sees.
WORD POWER
oneiric (adj., oh-NYE-rik): of
or relating to dreams : dreamy
The Bulletin
ED ANDRIESKI/Associated Press
Denver Archbishop Charles
Chaput was honored
Thursday by The Becket Fund
with the Canterbury Medal.
POPE’S ARRIVAL MEETS HOSTILITY
This sign is one of two that hang in the plaza outside of the
Church of the Annunciation in Nazareth where the Pope is
scheduled to appear next Thursday. According to one of the
signs, followers of religions other than Islam will not see the
next world. For more coverage, see World on Page 8.
BULLET LIST
Philly Voices From
AIPAC Conference
About 6,500 people, includ-
ing those from the Philadelphia
area, attended the American
Israel Public Affairs Committee
policy conference. See Page 4
Abp. Wood Student
Wins Art Contest
Archbishop Wood junior
Allison Sims won the Seventh
Annual Dad Vail Regatta Art
Contest on Tuesday. See Page 5
FOR HOME DELIVERY: CALL US AT 215-735-9150 OR VISIT ONLINE AT www.thebulletin.us
NATION
RES IPSA LOQUITUR
Federalist Society,
Kristol Win
Bradley Prizes Page 6
Religious Liberties Group
Honors Denver Archbishop
By JOE MURRAY
THE BULLETIN
Archbishop Charles J.
Chaput received the Becket
Fund for Religious Liberty’s
prestigious Canterbury Award
Thursday night in recognition
for his commitment to preserv-
ing moral values and his outspo-
ken advocacy for religious
rights.
Every year, the Becket Fund
gives the award to a leading
voice in the debate over religious
SAMUEL SOKOL/For The Bulletin
Obama: Repeal Ban
On Tax-Funded
Abortions In DC
President Obama urged a
repeal of the ban on taxpayer-
funded abortions in
Washington, D.C. See Page 7
Philly Native Joins
Obama Admin.
Philadelphia native Edward
DeSeve was named senior advis-
er to the president for recovery
and reinvestment. See Page 7
ROB REED/The Bulletin
liberties. Traditionally, the
recipient, according to the
organization, is one who refuses
to render to Caesar’s what is
rightfully God’s.
The Becket Fund thought
Archbishop Chaput was a prime
candidate for the award because
he has earned a reputation of
actively engaging the market-
place of ideas.
“We are especially proud to
add Archbishop Chaput to this
distinguished list,” says Becket
Continued On Page 6
Members Adamant To Save Vesper Club
By JENNY DeHUFF
THE BULLETIN
Philadelphia — Vesper Club has never asked its
Members of the time-honored
Vesper Club, tucked away on
Sydenham Street in Center City,
are opening their wallets to save
their club, which has been in
existence since 1941.
Philly.com Boss Leaves For Comcast Sports Group
By JOHN P. CONNOLLY
THE BULLETIN
The president of Philly.com,
the Web site of The Philadelphia
Inquirer, has left the newspaper
for Comcast Sports Group,
according to a report on Editor
Stocks Drop As Bank,
Technology Shares Fall
U.S. stocks slid from a four-
month high as declines in finan-
cial, telephone and technology
shares snuffed out an early rally.
See Page 11
Junk-Bond
Rally Premature
Junk-bond investors who
have spurred the biggest rally on
record are getting ahead of the
recovery. See Page 11
Friday, 8 May — Sunday, 10 May 2009
CULTURE
Visco’s Art Shows
Marian Devotion
Section 2
Ridge Will Not
Run For Senate
Decision Opens GOP
Door For Toomey
By BRADLEY VASOLI
THE BULLETIN
Former Homeland Security
secretary and former
Pennsylvania Gov. Tom Ridge
said Thursday he does not
intend to run for U.S. Senate
next year.
His decision comes as
Republicans bustle to find a can-
didate after U.S. Sen. Arlen
Specter left the GOP to run for
reelection in 2010 as a
Democrat. National Republican
leaders had discussed Mr. Ridge
A BLOCS SUCCESS STORY
Reggie Redding speaks on Thursday at the BLOCS Scholarship
Dinner at the Loews Philadelphia Hotel. Mr. Redding attended
Saint Martin de Porres School in North Philadelphia on a
BLOCS scholarship before playing basketball for Villanova. For
more coverage, see Local on Page 3.
The club is facing financial
hurdles. Long known for its
affordable membership fees, the
members for any additional
costs, beyond the annual dues.
However, economic woes are
forcing the club to charge its
members, for the first time, a
special assessment, to pay for
& Publisher’s Web site.
Eric Grilly, who ran The
Inquirer’s Web site for two years,
said that he was not leaving
because of any dissatisfaction
with The Inquirer, but because of
the favorable offer he got from
Comcast. He is expected to be
A Postwar
Remembrance
A local writer read a new
World War II tome by Richard J.
Evans — and saw his own mem-
ories stirred. See Section 2
25 /c
www.thebulletin.us
as a possibility to take on Mr.
Specter. That apparently won’t
happen this year, but Mr. Ridge
pledged to remain active in pub-
lic life in various capacities.
“Public service has long
played a significant role in my
life,” he said in a statement.
“That service does not end here.
There are causes to which I
remain intensely committed,
including my work on behalf of
the disability community, our
nation’s veterans, our national
security and the GOP — the
party I enthusiastically joined
more than four decades ago.”
Mr. Ridge’s decision against
running might seem precipi-
tous, given that he’s only
Continued On Page 4
ROB REED/The Bulletin
back taxes, rent, maintenance
and food costs.
Many members of the Vesper
Club said they are willing to pay
more than necessary to keep the
club alive.
Allan Domb, Philadelphia’s
largest luxury condominium
realtor and 30-year member of
Continued On Page 5
the Comcast Sports Group’s
executive vice president and
chief digital officer.
“They’ve got their footprint
in 10 markets, and if you look
where Comcast is going, they
have an aggressive expansion
Continued On Page 4
INDEX
Business. . . . . . . . . Pages 10-11
Crossword . . . . . . . . . . Page 20
Culture . . . . . . . . . . . . Section 2
Editorial . . . . . . . . Pages 22-23
Herb Denenberg . . . . . . Page 2
Local & State. . . . . . . Pages 3-5
Monkeybrains . . . Pages 18-21
Movie Listings . . . . . Section 2
Nation & World . . . Pages 6-9
Society . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Page 24
Sports . . . . . . . . . . . Pages 13-17
TV Listings . . . . . . . . Section 2
Weather. . . . . . . . . . . . . . Page 2
Page 8 The Bulletin Friday, 8 May 2009

WORLD
Former Israeli Security Official
Frowns Upon Papal Visit
By DAVID BEDEIN
MIDDLE EAST CORRESPONDENT
Jerusalem — An over-
whelming number of rabbis,
reporters, pundits, journalists
and academics in Israel have
joined forces to welcome the
Pope Benedict XVI on his
scheduled visit to Israel.
Israel’s official radio and TV
stations have gone out of their
way to present hourly updates
concerning the Papal visit.
However, dissenting voices
to the official welcome are now
being heard in diverse circles.
General (res.) Giora Eiland,
the former head of the Israel
National Security Council,
wrote a guest editorial in Israel’s
largest daily newspaer, Yediot
Aharonot, titled “Harmful
Groveling.”
SAMUEL SOKOL/For The Bulletin
In his article, he wrote: “It
A banner, posted by Muslims protesting Pope Benedict XVI’s visit to the area, is seen in in the would have been better for this
plaza outside of the Church of the Annunciation in Nazareth. During his visit, the Pope is expect- visit not to take place, and con-
ed to make a stop at the church next Thursday. trary to conventional wisdom, it
will cause diplomatic harm to
Israel rather than benefit.”
Gen. Eiland reminded the
of Jews during World War II.
He also criticized the Pope’s
desire to beatify Pope Pius XII,
who served in the Vatican during
World War II.
He wrote: “There are dozens
of reports documenting Church
representatives, the Cardinals of
Holland, Austria and Ukraine,
who sent letters to the pope
reporting murderous acts by the
Nazis, with dates, places and
numbers of victims ... Pope Pius
XII opted to disregard this”
Gen. Eiland also reminded
the public that “there were sen-
ior Catholic figures who asked
him to issue a clear statement,
which, even if it did not deter the
Nazis, would at least give rise to
hesitations among Catholic col-
laborators in Poland, Ukraine
and other countries,” yet “the
Pope refused.”
Gen. Eiland also raised ques-
tions about the Pope’s desire to
visit the State of Israel and
raised the fear that “He wants to
come here because the holiest
sites to Christianity happen to
be under Israeli sovereignty.”
ference” along with his visit to
the Palestinian Authority in an
United Nations Relief and
Works Agency (UNRWA)
refugee camp near the security
fence next to Bethlehem, “so
that Palestinian refugees and the
fence will provide a fine back-
drop for his message.”
Given this background, Gen.
Eiland questioned Israel’s will-
ingness to host the Pope and to
cover the full $10 million in
costs from Israeli taxpayer
money, with more than 80,000
police officers assigned to the
task at hand.
In conclusion, Gen. Eiland
wrote: “Groveling before the
pope is a shameful act, and con-
trary to conventional wisdom, it
bears no diplomatic benefit. Just
as an unnecessary confronta-
tion can harm the state’s stand-
ing, so too can unnecessary
groveling be harmful. If we were
to say to the Vatican that ‘the
time is not right for a visit,’ we
would be doing something both
justified from a Jewish stand-
point and wise from a diplomat-

Flags Over Nazareth

Israeli public that Pope Benedict
XVI had served as a conscript in
the German army, the
Wehrmacht, which played a
major role in the mass murder
Yet from Gen. Eilan’s point ic standpoint.”
of view, the unkindest cut of all
was when “The [P]ope voiced David Bedein can be reached at
support for the Durban II con- bedein@thebulletin.us

hung in the large plaza outside flyers denouncing the Pope

Islamists Prepare of the church in anticipation
of the Pope’s arrival.
and stating that he is unwel-
come. Peres To UN Chief: You Should Have
For Papal Visit One such sign reads: “And “We announce from

By DAVID BEDEIN
and SAMUEL SOKOL
MIDDLE E AST C ORRESPONDENTS
Nazareth, Israel —
Next Thursday, May 14, Pope
Benedict XVI will visit
Nazareth and appear at the
Church of the Annunciation.
The Muslims of Nazareth
are split in their reactions, but
some have responded visceral-
ly.
Multiple Islamic signs, in
both Arabic and English, with
some bearing the image of the
Dome of the Rock, have been
$JUZ /BUJPOBM 5PVS
1IJMBEFMQIJB  .BZ 
(FU SFBEZ GPS 
whoever seeks a religion other
than Islam, it will never be
accepted of him, and in the
Hereafter he will be one of the
losers.”
While another sign reads:
“In the name of Allah, the
Most Beneficent, the Most
Merciful Say (O Muhammad):
He is Allah, (the) One and
Only Allah, the Eternal,
Absolute. He begetteth not
nor was He begotten And
there is none Like unto him,”
in a quote attributed to the
Quran.
As The Bulletin reported on
April 21, Islamists in Nazareth
have handed out thousands of
Nazareth that we are oppose
to the Pope’s visit. A person
who cursed the prophet, who
stood at the head of the effort
to convert Muslims in Darfur,
Indonesia and the Muslim
world, attacked Islam, praised
America and drew near and
fraternized with the butcher of
Gaza is unwanted here,” the
flyer read.
There has been no action
on the part of the municipality
to remove these signs prior to
the Pope’s arrival.
David Bedein can be reached at
bedein@thebulletin.us
Visited Auschwitz, Not Ahmadinejad
By DAVID BEDEIN
MIDDLE EAST CORRESPONDENT
Jerusalem — Israeli President Shimon
Peres harshly criticized U.N. Secretary-General
Ban Ki-moon during their Wednesday meeting in
New York.
The meeting took place against the backdrop
of Mr. Ban’s personal behavior during last
month’s Durban II conference and the U.N.’s
recent report criticizing Israeli conduct in Gaza
four months ago.
Addressing the Durban II conference, Mr.
Peres told Mr. Ban he should have taken his
entourage to visit Auschwitz instead of sitting by
idly as Mahmoud Ahmadinejad delivered a speech
devoted to the denial of the Holocaust.
Unlike the European representatives, the U.N.
secretary-general listened attentively to the entire
speech and did not leave the hall.
“I am ashamed,” Mr. Peres said.
Mr. Ban, in response, tried to tone down Mr.
GERALD HERBERT/Associated Press
Israeli President Shimon Peres leaves the West
Peres’ harsh statements and said, in his defense,
Mr. Ahmadinejad had misled him.
Wing of the White House after meeting with
President Barack Obama in Washington on
The secretary-general said he had sat with Mr.
Ahmadinejad and drafted a moderate statement Tuesday. On Wednesday, Mr. Peres met with
with him for an hour prior to his speech at the U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon and
Geneva, Switzerland-based conference. rebuked him for sitting idly by as Iranian
However, Mr. Ahmadinejad went up to the
stage and ignored their agreement, delivering a
President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad delivered a

BO JOTJHIUGVM DSJUJRVF
speech denying the Holocaust instead.
Mr. Ban said his position as secretary-general
prevented him from leaving the hall, but Mr. Peres
rejected his explanation.
Mr. Peres said he felt a great shame that the
U.N. had chosen Holocaust Memorial Day, the
worst day in the Jewish consciousness, to give a
platform to such a despicable man.
1VSDIBTF ZPVS UJDLFUT POMJOF BU XXX/FXT5BMLDPN After their discussion about the Durban II con-
ference, the meeting continued to be tense
because of the U.N. report on the Israeli operation
in Gaza, among other reasons.
Mr. Ban said he had attempted to tone down
the report and had softened many problematic
parts and extracted clauses that deviated from the
report’s original purpose.
The Israeli president gave Mr. Ban a sharp
rhetorical question, inquiring if the U.N. expected
speech denying the Holocaust last month.
Israel to sit idly by, since more than 4,000 rockets
were fired on Israel in the past three years.
He lambasted the report’s ignorance of Hamas’
activities, such as planting bombs in kinder-
gartens, buildings and even U.N. facilities.
The secretary-general responded by saying the
U.N. would not begin another inquiry into
Operation Cast Lead, as the Gaza incursion is
referred to by Israel, without the Jewish state’s
consent.
Mr. Peres admitted Israel made some mistakes
in the course if the operation and said Israel did
not intend to deliberately kill civilians; however,
he also said the Arabs who fire from Gaza do.
David Bedein can be reached at bedein@
thebulletin.us

Report: Iran, Venezuela Forge Defense Agreement

0O .POEBZ .BZ  BU  QN OBUJPOBMMZTZOEJDBUFE SBEJP UBML TIPX IPTUT By DAVID BEDEIN Iranian Defense Minister idly over the last three years
#JMM #FOOFUU .JDIBFM .FEWFE BOE )VHI )FXJUU XJMM QBSUJDJQBUF JO B MJWFMZ MIDDLE EAST CORRESPONDENT Mustafa Najar said. under President Hugo Chavez.
On April 29, Mr. Najar con- Iran has sent military delega-
QBOFM EJTDVTTJPO PO UIF i'JSTU  %BZT PG 0CBNBw JO 1IJMBEFMQIJB "UUFOEFFT Jerusalem — The Middle cluded a three-day visit to tions as well as Defense
DBO DIPPTF UP UP NFFU #FOOFUU .FEWFE BOE )FXJUU BU B  QN SFDFQUJPO XJUI East Newsline reports Iran has Caracas where he met govern- Ministry staffers to brief
reached an agreement intended ment and military leaders. Venezuela on the latest weapons
MBWJTI GPPE TUBUJPOT BOEPS HP UP UIF GPSVN BU  QN to turn Venezuela into a major
Officials said Mr. Najar led a developed by Tehran.
defense client.
large delegation from his min- Iran has reported defense
Iran and Venezuela have istry as well as the Iranian mili-
)VSSZ 5JDLFUT BSF mSTUDPNF mSTUTFSWFE NVTU CF QVSDIBTFE JO BEWBODF BOE signed several agreements exports to about 55 nations.
meant to bolster defense and tary. Officials said the exports includ-
XJMM OPU CF TPME BU UIF EPPS “Cooperation with ed that of missiles, mortars,
military cooperation. The
accords call for Iran to train Venezuela has experienced a armored vehicle platforms and
Venezuela’s military, as well as leap that we’re seeking to accel- unmanned aerial vehicles
(P UP XXX/FXT5BMLDPN UP MFBSO NPSF UP QVSDIBTF UJDLFUT GPS UIF SFDFQ for Iran to export missiles and erate in this visit,” Mr. Najar (UAVs).
UJPO BOEPS QBOFM EJTDVTTJPO BOE UP CVZ BMM UISFF IPTUT CPPLT other weapons systems to the said.
South American state. Relations between Iran and David Bedein can be reached at
“This is a long-term plan,” Venezuela have developed rap- bedein@thebulletin.us
/P POF XJMM CF BENJUUFE XIPTF BUUJSF EPFT OPU DPOGPSN UP UIF ESFTT DPEF OPUFE PO XXX/FXT5BMLDPN

Israeli Soldier Killed In Arab Village Near Ramallah

)FBS UIFN XFFLEBZT
PO /FXT5BML  ". By DAVID BEDEIN
MIDDLE EAST CORRESPONDENT
#FOOFUU  BN Jerusalem — An Israeli
soldier, identified as Sgt. Noam
.FEWFE  QN Adin Rechter Levi, 20, was
)FXJUU  QN killed on Wednesday night.
XXX/FXT5BMLDPN The soldier was shot during a
patrol in the village of Birzeit,
army has resumed patrols in all
Arab villages in the West Bank.
frontation between Israel
Defense Forces (IDF) soldiers
These daily Israeli army and armed Palestinians. During
patrols have succeeded in stop-
ping almost all potential terror
the confrontation, Sgt. Levi was
killed by a gunshot.
attacks from the West Bank over The security forces arrested
the past two years — more than several Palestinians, and the
Israel’s security fence has.
During the operation, the
incident is being investigated.

near Ramallah. Duhifa Battalion of the Kfir David Bedein can be reached at
Since April 2002, the Israeli Brigade was engaged in a con- bedein@thebulletin.us