Sarah  Palin is invited to meet with the Pope while he is vacationing south of Romen Venice.  The liberal press  reluctantly watches the semi-private audience, hoping they will be able  to allot minimal coverage, if  any.

 

The Pope asks Governor Palin  to join him on a Gondola ride through the canals of Venice.

 

They're admiring the sights  and agreeing on moral issues when, all of a sudden, the Pope's hat  (zucchetto) blows off his head and out into the  water.

 

The gondolier starts to  reach for the Pontiff's cap with his pole, but this move threatens to  overturn the floating  craft.

 

Sarah waves the tour guide  off, saying, "Wait, wait. I'll take care of this. Don't  worry."

 

She steps off the gondola  onto the surface of the water and walks out to the Pope's hat, bends  over and picks it up. She walks back across the water to the gondola and  steps  aboard.

 

She hands the hat to the  Pope amid stunned silence.

 

The next morning the topic  of conversation among Democrats in Congress, CBS News, NBC News, ABC  News, CNN, the New York Times, Hollywood celebrities, and in France and Germany is: "Palin Can't  Swim."