What is he hiding?????

for a 10 minute speech that was just inserted into the schedule to cover up the mess his campaign made?

It's very, very likely he'd never make it in time even with a private jet.

In fact, the only way he'll make it is by being part of the one percent.

Hell, he should go. His chances of winning NY are nil.

The big problem is that he can't use campaign donations to pay the airfare, so unless he has someone or something willing to step up and pay for a private jet, he needs to go commercial, and I doubt the SS would clear that. So, he'd need probably 6-figures worth of airfare be paid to get him there and back on a private jet.

"The Pope approves of Sanders for President. He's like the little bird."

The fact that he doubled down and had his surrogate at this Academy retroactively insert him into the schedule for 10 minutes rather than just announce he can't make it shows a huge inability to admit a mistake or correct direction.

I think the Sanders camp is in full crises panic mode.
They know he's lost the race, but won't pull the plug.

Personally, I think those advising him, like Ted Devine, who are making millions off Sanders campaign, are in it for the money.

But I don't think much of Ted Devine.

hand delivered the invitation to, you know, HEADLINE the speech. Which is why we hadn't heard of it previously.

Dissing the Pope by not showing up for their imaginary meeting will make him look like an incompetent fool.

I say he makes the trip! Maybe he could outpope the Pope and have a great big rally!

<a href=".html" target="_blank"><img src="" border="0" alt=" photo bernievatican22_zpsyzwtzdqj.jpg"/></a>

for not offering to reschedule the debate.

I wish that Letterman was still on Late Night, since this is crying out for a Top Ten List, like "Top Ten reasons Bernie really cancelled his trip to the Vatican".

It hurts him either way. I thought that the messy rollout or the whole will he or won't he go thing would be what hurt him. Boy, was I wrong.

He can't refuse now because of politics because that would hurt him with the very voters that he was trying to pander to.

He also really can't afford to go while Clinton is 14~18 points ahead. He can only do so many large rallies. He is going to need to do some retail politics and that takes time.

I hope he cancels though and makes a terrible excuse.

With caucus states, or states that have open primaries, he can attempt to drum up turnout close to election day. That won't work in New York, since it's a closed primary. Anyone who didn't register as a Democrat in time simply can't vote for him. It changes the metrics of what he can do there significantly. I doubt if hipster Williamsburg is full of people who are qualified to vote for him.

This is going to be very interesting.

he may find a place for himself.--among the climate change advocates. It is an opportunity for him to network also.

Got Jane going with him and all.

Maybe they'll make an Italian vacation of it.

I'm sure Bernie could use a little R&R

-according to twitter. He can't go til after the debate. Jane verified that's the plan. Will this campaign stunt be billed as govt travel since he's in the Senate? Those are lousy rates with commercial airlines, but the schedule seems like he can't use them. Private jet? Pretty huge in kind donation. Who pays?

20 hour flight, one way. 4, 5 thousand dollars an hour? He'll need to take press with him. It's unlikely media will pay for them, do a mid size charter jet?

Bernie's living large.

And since he's a candidate and current office-holder, he can't allow someone else to pay for it (remember the Christie scandal about the Dallas football game?)

Seems like ol' cheapskate Turbotax-filing Sanders is going to have to crack open the wallet and pay for it himself. And I hear Alitalia won't give him any credit for the moths that fly out of that wallet.

Hope the car doesn't get a flat tire.

if he arrived late to the damn conference and they didn't let him in! I can hear the Berniacs now...the same ones who just LUVVVED the pope would be consigning him to hell.

I saw mention of this this morning, but only on the dirtbag racist site Brietbart, which isn't fit to cite for the weather.

But the more I think about it, the worse that would be for him. So he's in. Going all the way to Europe for a 10 minute speech in the middle of a hotly contested primary.

I assume he's going to try his best to make a big show of the whole thing.

no way he leaves for 2 days for what everyone knows now is a political photo op.

they'll leave right after Thursday night debate, and be back for Saturday full schedule of NY events.

Leave town after the debate - sounds like a good plan for Bernie.