Here's What I would say....

Well, the cable news death watch for the Pope continues.

Pretty soon, if this goes on much longer, they are going to run out of new and interesting commentators so I am offering myself. See, I met the pope a couple years ago. I have the picture on my mantle. The way things are going that would seem to qualify me as an expert. And, I can bring in the whole gay, Catholic angle.

If CNN wants me (and by CNN, I mean Anderson Cooper), here is what I will say...

I'll start with my historical perspective...that seems to be almost a prerequisite for these interviews:

This is an interesting time to be a Catholic...even a lapsed one. I remember when John Paul became Pope. There was an amazing amount of attention paid to the Vatican back in the summer of 1978. Pope Paul VI died and was replaced by John Paul I. Within a month, John Paul I was dead. So the whole ritual began again. The conclave, the white smoke....(just to validate my catholic credentials). That's when we got the Polish pope.

There was an enormous amount of excitement and enthusiasm about the new pope. He was different from the start. He was treated like a rock star when he came to the U.S. in 1979.

Then, I'll get in to the issues:

John Paul is the embodiment of best and worst of the Catholic Church. When they do social justice and peace, they are at their best. Helping to bring down communism, opposing wars, opposing the death penalty, I would say are good things.

It's that sex thing that destroys them. The obsession with sex...especially gays. Which I will point out is ironic, since the church is filled with gay men.

Then, I will offer not only my perspectives, I will tell CNN about some very interesting conversations with some of my Catholic, gay friends -- all of whom are over the church, and lapsed, like me. CNN seems to like knowing "the buzz":

James, who is Polish, feels very strongly about the way the holy father helped open up that country by bringing down the communist regime. It's easy to forget how he basically stood up to the Soviet Union and the Polish communist regime. That's what got him shot in May of 1981.

John, who has a way of succinctly capturing issues, had three points that I will share:

1) In so many ways the Pope didn’t really modernize the church. For example, women still have no real place in the church.

2) The church under John Paul II has had a deadly, out of touch opposition to condoms. In the age of AIDS, their severe opposition to condoms literally has endangered and cost millions of lives.

3) And, he has been in charge during this whole pedophelia scandal which has been handled horribly, to say the least.

Then, Tom, pointed out how JP failed to realize or care about the negative impact his homophobia has had on millions of gay Catholic families.

So CNN, if this goes on much longer, I am available. However, as mentioned, I think this interview would best be handled by Anderson Cooper. I will admit to Anderson that when I did meet the pope, I really felt that he had an aura. And, that while his death saddens me, I will convey that I still have mixed feelings about the Pope and the Catholic Church. (Okay, this last part would really be so Anderson and I can have a moment.)

So, basically, CNN, that's my interview. Let me know.