Return to Transcripts main page

CNN Live Today

For Second Time in a Year, Bush Sits with Pope

Aired May 28, 2002 - 14:35   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: For the second time in less than a year, President Bush sat down today with Pope John Paul II. But this time they talked about more than world affairs. Rome bureau chief Alessio Vinci joins us with details.

Alessio, this was a controversial meeting.

ALESSIO VINCI, CNN ROME BUREAU CHIEF: It was indeed a controversial meeting, Carol. Because originally administration officials had indicated that the pope would not -- that the president would not raise the issue of the sex abuse scandal with the pope.

However, before meeting with the pope earlier today, the president told reporters that he would bring up the issue during that meeting, telling them that he would raise his concerns with the pope, as well as saying that the Catholic Church represented a very important institution in the United States.

But the president is also going to thank the Vatican for taking a lead in trying to resolve this issue, probably referring to the meeting a month ago here in Rome when all of the U.S. cardinals and some of the bishops came here to try to come up with a series of guidelines in order to resolve this issue -- guidelines that will be again discussed at the end of June in Dallas at the U.S. bishops conference. Certainly here at the Vatican, trying to get a hands-on approach on the issue and trying to get his own input on how this issue should be resolved.

The two leaders met for about 20 minutes in the private study of the pope inside the Vatican. Last time the president and pope met was at his summer residence. Today they met inside the Vatican.

The president and the pope did speak together in English without the use of any translators. They were alone in that room. The pope speaks many, many languages, including English. And at the end of the meeting, the pope and the president exchanged gifts. And then the (UNINTELLIGIBLE) president, one after the other, shook hands and received a little present from the pope.

And then reportedly at the end of that meeting, the pope told the president that he was hoping to be able to see him again. The president and the pope discussed the possibility that perhaps the pope could visit ground zero in New York, although the pope is really sick and it is very difficult for him to move. And it is quite -- it is not clear whether the pope will accept the invitation, or at least the possibility to go to New York.

At the end of the meeting, the pope told the president, "God bless America." Back to you, Carol.

LIN: Thank you very much, Alessio Vinci in Rome.

TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com