Boxing great Joe Frazier (on the left), frenemy of Muhammad Ali, has died, and columnist Dave Anderson says that when it comes to comparisons with Ali, Frazier “was the better fighter. And the better man.”

Let the counterpunching begin.

Voters go to the polls today, with the most closely-watched contest – from our particular perspective – the push in Mississippi to pass the nation’s first “personhood amendment,” which would outlaw all abortions and most contraceptives. But some say it would mainly create a legal and ethical sand storm.

Gov. Haley Barbour has decided to get on board the “yes” train for the amendment. The Catholic bishops are sitting it out. Abortion opponents are not happy. “For five years Catholic bishops have gone public in opposition to these initiatives,” says Christian Brugger of the Culture of Life Foundation. “How many more years will they continue?”

Things are getting hotter in the Archdiocese of Happy Valley, as the Penn State football sex abuse scandal starts to resemble the Catholic clergy abuse scandal, with anger increasingly directed at those who were supposed to be in charge.

Some argue, however, that Penn State football is not like the Catholic Church, and sports is not religion.

Tell that to the Tebowites.

Speaking of Boston, that city’s former archbishop, Cardinal Bernard Law, turned 80 the other day in Rome, where his golden parachute landed him in 2002 after the abuse scandal chased him out of town.

The Boston Herald details the lavish birthday party, featuring “a conclave of clerics and even the music of a mariachi band in a four-star Italian hotel, where guests rolled up in Vatican Mercedes sedans and left singing the praises of the fallen prelate,” the paper reports.

“The meal was spectacular,” said Cardinal Camillo Ruini. He said Law appeared to enjoy the feast as well. “Of course,” Ruini said. “He threw the party himself.” Added Cardinal Javier Lozano Barragan of Mexico: “Everyone enjoyed the party.”

Well, not everyone.

The U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops is keeping the heat on the Obama administration, demanding more information about why the bishops’ refugee agency was denied a grant to help human trafficking victims, despite the fact that it had received the same grant for years, and was considered far better at delivering services than the politically-connected agency that got the money instead. Hmmm….

“Show me the data,” writes Sister Mary Ann Walsh, doing a good, if improbable, Tom Cruise imitation.

The data is clearer on Wall Street: bonuses are expected to fall 20-30 percent this year, though the number of zeroes at the end of those bonuses is likely to remain more or less constant, which is more or less a lot. British bankers concede they are overpaid for what they do. Who knew?

Those aren’t Christmas bonuses, of course, but it is once again a Christmas tree in the Capitol Rotunda in Madison, says Gov. Scott Walker, not a “holiday tree,” as it has been called for the past 25 years. Atheists aren’t happy, and no word on whether union labor puts the tree up or if Walker and his family do it.

“It’s a Christmas tree,” said a Walker spokesperson. “In all honesty, I don’t know what more to say about it.” I’m sure we’ll think of something.

Oh, and what about Hanukkah? And the fact that the U.S. Postal Service issues a newly designed Christmas stamp every year but, has had only four different designs for its Hanukkah stamp since 1996? Ronald Scheiman, 74, of Boynton Beach, has this to say about that.

Things seem to be getting hotter for Herman Cain as details of his alleged sexual harassment emerge.

But there’s good news, sort of, for Cain: new research shows voters get angrier about financial coverups and the abuse of power than they do about sexual transgressions. Bad news: it’s not clear yet which category Cain fits into.

A new poll released today shows “a religious electorate that has a strong preference toward religious candidates.”

And Michele Bachmann, hoping to resurrect her campaign, tells evangelicals she is the “complete package” when it comes to religion and values.

To drive home that point, she tells CBN’s David Brody that none of the other candidates have her “core of conviction,” and that “You won’t find any YouTube clips in my background; you won’t find any policy skeletons in my closet.”

I think she’s looking at you, Herman Cain and Mitt Romney.

Evangelical David Gushee warns against the presidential campaign becoming a “piety contest.” Horse, barn door. See above.

Open mike contest winner at the Cannes G-20 summit: French President Nicolas Sarkozy told President Obama that he’s fed up with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and thinks he is “a liar.” That was accidentally broadcast to journalists during last week’s meeting on the Riviera.

“You’re fed up with him, but I have to deal with him even more often than you,” Obama replied, according to the French interpreter.

Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz, chair of the Democratic National Committee, reassures Jewish voters – especially the older folks in Florida – that she has “looked into Barack Obama’s heart and his kishkas,” and has seen good things.

Those older Jews must know something. They’re living longer than everyone else, so of course scientists are taking note, and asking why.

Finally, the Texas Department of Public Safety – of course – will not revoke or suspend the license of a handgun instructor who ran a radio ad telling Muslims and non-Christian Arabs that he would not teach them how to handle a firearm. Crockett Keller has agreed that he will train Muslims while adding that he views them as “the enemy.”

— David Gibson