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CNN Live Today

Bush Meets Pope

Aired May 28, 2002 - 13:18   ET

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
CAROL LIN, CNN ANCHOR: President Bush is on his way back to Washington after a very busy week in Europe. His final stop was Rome where he and his fellow NATO leaders formally welcomed Russia into an unprecedented partnership called the NATO-Russia Council. At the same time, he and NATO secretary-general urged all members to modernize their military forces.

And speaking of unprecedented, Mr. Bush had a private conversation with Pope John Paul II today, and what they discussed may well have been a first between a president and a pope.

Here's CNN's John king.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

JOHN KING, CNN SENIOR WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): It was the president's second audience with Pope John Paul II, the circumstances very different than their first meeting 10 months ago.

GEORGE W. BUSH, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: Thank you so much for receiving me.

KING: Now the Catholic Church in the United States is embroiled in a sex abuse scandal. It is a delicate issue for the Vatican and the frail 82-year-old pope. And before the trip, top Bush advisers said the president would not raise it. But hours before sitting across from the pope in his Vatican study, Mr. Bush said he it would come up.

BUSH: I will tell him that I am concerned about the Catholic Church in America, I'm concerned about its standing, I'm -- and I say that because the Catholic Church is an incredibly important institution in our country.

KING: Bush aides later confirmed the sex abuse scandal was discussed. Courting the Catholic vote is a top priority of Mr. Bush and senior political adviser Karl Rove, and many U.S. Catholics are voicing displeasure with the church's handling of the crisis.

The Vatican initially kept its distance, then the pope summoned U.S. cardinals for an urgent meeting last month and told them to adopt new guidelines for dealing with sex abuse by priests.

BUSH: I appreciate the pope's leadership in trying to strengthen the Catholic Church in America.

KING: The president first met the pope last July, two months before the September 11 attacks. U.S. officials say the pontiff has voiced interest in visiting the United States and the site of the terrorist strike in New York City. And Mr. Bush says he is more than welcome.

POPE JOHN PAUL II: I am very grateful for a visit.

BUSH: Thank you, (UNINTELLIGIBLE).

KING (on camera): As Mr. Bush left the Vatican and headed home, the pope's parting words were "God bless America." But Vatican sources say there was a slight sense of unease that the president brought up a scandal the Vatican would prefer not to talk about.

John King, CNN, Rome.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

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