The 2025 Papal Conclave: An Unprecedented Event

The upcoming Papal Conclave in 2025 might just be one for the history books.

This follows the passing of Pope Francis shortly after he met with Vice President J.D. Vance, which has led to the unfortunate moniker “Pope Killer” for Vance. Amidst the drama surrounding Ralph Fiens, public interest in the Vatican is at an all-time high. The behind-the-scenes happenings of the conclave are certainly captivating.

Perhaps it wasn’t the best moment for CBS News Anchor Tony Dokoupil to make off-color jokes on air.

Dokoupil sparked a viral moment on social media when he mentioned that Catholic officials are “road-dogging” the vote after reports surfaced about the confiscation of electronic devices.

When Josh Allen highlighted this during a live broadcast, Dokoupil responded, “I think kids call it raw-dogging if you’re planning to be without electronic devices for a long time.”

This comment quickly gained traction on X, with reactions ranging from disbelief to concern. One user noted, “This phrase and conclave don’t go together,” while another remarked, “It’s not the time or place for that term.”

Others expressed surprise, asking, “Sorry, what?” In another comment, someone pointed out that terms like “children” and “raw-dogging” probably shouldn’t be thrown around in discussions about the Catholic Church.

Another user quipped, “If the Cardinals are on a road dog, it’ll be a while before you see that white smoke!” Indeed, on the first day of voting, the Vatican released black smoke, indicating that no decision had been made on a successor to Pope Francis.

These chaotic moments come during a challenging period for CBS. There has been notable criticism from figures like Stephen Colbert regarding the network’s journalistic integrity amidst a merger with Skydance Media that requires President Trump’s approval. Dokoupil was recently in the spotlight for a viral interview with former NFL coach Bill Belichick.

The 2025 vote could be one of the most significant in papal history. Reports indicate that some of the voting clergy even watched a film prior to the conclave to prepare.

For now, the conclave is set to continue until May 8th. CBS News and Dokoupil certainly have their hands full, and the Cardinals will have to keep “road-dogging” for another day.