so the Pope wants to spare Saddam Hussein.

Typical of those Christians. Do gooder Jesus types, turn the other cheek, forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us and all that stuff. Mind you, the images of Christianity still pack a good advertising punch - Christmas trees, a little baby lying on a bed of straw, romantic notions of Silent Night in the snow, carol singers going to hospitals, the forlorn anti-hero nailed to a cross still claiming to be the Son of God on the Friday, thumbing his nose at the religious authorities and the Roman colonisers on the Sunday, "Hey guys, you gotter do better. I'm still here."
It's still good to be on the side of the Christians because they control a good 5% of the vote which is vital in a close election. Basically they're harmless enough and they've got a good PR image like the Country Women's Association. Generally Christians even though there's not many of them are the types of families you'd be happy to have as in-laws. The hangers-on are a bit tricky though - the television evangelism types; the shonky businessmen who use the Church as a forum for business and that sort of thing.