Rep. Grimm wants to turn the Empire State Building cardinal red

A House Republican wants to turn New York City's most iconic building red in honor of a new, hometown addition to the Catholic Church's College of Cardinals.

In celebration of Archbishop Timothy Dolan’s elevation to cardinal by Pope Benedict XVI earlier this week, Rep. Michael Grimm (R-N.Y.) on Thursday suggested lighting the Empire State Building the color red.

Dolan, the current Archbishop of New York, on Tuesday returned from a nine-day trip to the Vatican during which he was made a cardinal of the Catholic Church.

Grimm, a Catholic himself who represents Staten Island and parts of Brooklyn, tweeted in celebration on Thursday: “I have requested that the Empire State Bldg be lit red to honor NY's Cardinal Dolan. What an honor for an exceptional man of faith!”

According to the New York Post, upon his return to New York Dolan told his faithful supporters, “It went really well. It really did. But it’s good to be back home. You know how much I love Rome. Still, you can’t beat the good ol’ USA.”  

He added, “You can’t get a decent hot dog in Rome.”

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