POTUS Demotes Pope

The protocol's never been any sort of state secret: the Pope is addressed as "Your Holiness" or, by his own, "Most Holy Father."

But as he began his farewell visit to B16 last Friday, President Bush -- whose administration has shown a bizarre, unchecked penchant for the, er, unique term "His Holy Father" over the years -- took the salutation to an even odder place:

"Your Eminence, you're looking good," Bush told the pope.

For the record, the greeting would've been perfectly delivered... were the President giving it to a cardinal.

PHOTO: Reuters

-30-