Canadian Cynic and pals get another one wrong

Our good friend to the north, Canadian Cynic, and like-minded bloggers have attempted to take Sen. Tom DeLay to task for cancelling a speaking engagement at the Judeo-Christian Council for Constitutional Restoration conference on Confronting the Judicial War on Faith in favor of attending Pope John Paul II's funeral. The thrust of their criticism is that the Vatican has limited the official delegations from countries to five people. The official U.S. delegation consists of President Bush, Laura Bush, Condoleeza Rice, and former presidents Bush and Clinton. "[H]ow exactly does DeLay think he's going to weasel his way into the U.S. delegation?" asks CC. "[H]ow exactly are they going to squeeze DeLay in there? [H]ow exactly did Tom DeLay come to join the U.S. delegation going to Rome?" (Which, admittedly, actually are polite questions when compared to the outright knee-jerk condemnation of "LIAR! FUNDIE LIAR!!! DIRTY STINKING FUNDIE LIAR!!!!!!!!!!")

The answer to CC's questions is actually simple to find for anyone possessing a brain. A 30-second (if even!) Google news search led me to this news story:

Clinton, elder Bush to join U.S. delegation

...in which we read:

Meanwhile, it was announced that the congressional delegation to the funeral will include Rep. Marcy Kaptur (D., Toledo) and Sen. Mike DeWine (R., Ohio).

Fourteen senators and about two dozen House members will attend.

And also this news story:

U.S. Delegation Set for Pope's Funeral

...which gives the names of those in the congressional delegation:

In addition to the official U.S. delegation, FOX News has learned that a congressional delegation (CODEL) will also attend the pope's funeral. While not "official," the group will be considered "guests of the Vatican" and will be seated at the funeral.

...

Senate Republicans participating in the delegation leaving Wednesday evening include Jim Bunning of Kentucky, Susan Collins of Maine, Mike DeWine of Ohio, Rick Santorum of Pennsylvania, Pete Domenici of New Mexico and Mel Martinez of Florida. Democrats on the CODEL will include Sens. Dick Durbin of Illinois, Edward Kennedy and John Kerry of Massachusetts, Patrick Leahy of Vermont, Joe Biden of Delaware, Christopher Dodd of Connecticut and Barbara Mikulski of Maryland. All the senators but Frist are Catholic.

Speaker Dennis Hastert and Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi will lead a House delegation to Rome.

I bet CC won't be criticizing Durbin, Kennedy, Kerry, Leahy, Biden, Dodd, Mikulski and Pelosi for "weaseling their way into the U.S. delegation." And I bet his buddy won't be apologizing for calling DeLay a liar, either.