Over at “Couric & Co.,” we’ve just put up an interview with former Oklahoma governor Frank Keating, who had a stormy tenure as head of National Review Board in 2002-2003. He has some interesting things to say about what just happened in Los Angeles — particularly, about his own comments comparing some bishops (I wonder who?) to La Cosa Nostra:

While most bishops took the matter seriously and worked closely with law enforcement to sort out the facts and root out the problem priests, others were resistant and almost combative. My comment about La Cosa Nostra was to suggest that some of the bishops, including Mahony, were listening more to their lawyers than their hearts. They were throwing up legal roadblocks and impediments and not allowing law enforcement and the public to get at the true facts. It was Cardinal Mahony who led me to resign from the board but I have never regretted my statements.

He also talks about how this crisis has affected his faith:

My church allowed some horrible things to go on. I understand how Catholics might wonder about the integrity of their faith and their faith’s leaders.

Actually, though, my faith is stronger now than it was in 2002. I see now why Christ would have chosen Judas as an apostle, one of the twelve whom Catholics believe were the Church’s first bishops. Jesus was making a statement that the leaders of his Church would be frail men, sometimes foolish and sometimes evil. It was a very helpful revelation.

Interesting stuff, from someone with a unique perspective on one of the saddest ongoing stories of our day.