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CNN Live At Daybreak
Cheney at the Vatican
Aired January 27, 2004 - 05:31 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.
FREDRICKA WHITFIELD, CNN ANCHOR: Vice President Dick Cheney is at the Vatican. He should be meeting right now with Pope John Paul II.
Our senior White House correspondent John King joins us on the phone from Vatican City -- John.
JOHN KING, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Fredricka, good morning from Rome.
Mr. Cheney, in fact, just moments ago, within the last two minutes, finished a brief meeting with Pope John Paul II here at the Vatican. He is still at the Vatican, meeting with one of the pope's top deputies, the secretary of state of the Holy See.
Mr. Cheney, during his brief session with the pope, presented him with a crystal dove and Pope John Paul II, in brief remarks, did not mention the Iraq war, which the pope, of course, had fiercely opposed, but he did say it was important, as the pope said, in a world marked with injustice, that the United -- that all countries in the world work for international cooperation and respect.
And so, again, Mr. Cheney just finishing that meeting. He's still in his conversations here at the Vatican. And then later today, Fredricka, he will travel to northern Italy to visit some U.S. troops who took part in the war in Iraq. And then it's back to the United States late tonight.
WHITFIELD: And, John, why did the vice president find it was important to meet with the pope knowing at risk how the pope has made his voice clear about the opposition to the war?
KING: President Bush did the very same thing in his trip to Italy earlier, knowing that the pope had opposed some U.S. policies. That, of course, was before the war in Iraq. The administration holds the pope and the Catholic community in high regard. They've said there is an international policy of paying respect to the pontiff here at the Vatican.
And also, of course, some element of domestic politics. We are in a campaign year and this administration has made no secret of the fact that it would like to court the Catholic vote. It's considered a swing vote back in the United States. But most of all the vice president's staff says when you're, you know, in Rome, obviously you would like an opportunity to pay respect to the 83-year-old people.
WHITFIELD: All right, John King, thanks very much for joining us on the phone. TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com
Aired January 27, 2004 - 05:31 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
FREDRICKA WHITFIELD, CNN ANCHOR: Vice President Dick Cheney is at the Vatican. He should be meeting right now with Pope John Paul II.
Our senior White House correspondent John King joins us on the phone from Vatican City -- John.
JOHN KING, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Fredricka, good morning from Rome.
Mr. Cheney, in fact, just moments ago, within the last two minutes, finished a brief meeting with Pope John Paul II here at the Vatican. He is still at the Vatican, meeting with one of the pope's top deputies, the secretary of state of the Holy See.
Mr. Cheney, during his brief session with the pope, presented him with a crystal dove and Pope John Paul II, in brief remarks, did not mention the Iraq war, which the pope, of course, had fiercely opposed, but he did say it was important, as the pope said, in a world marked with injustice, that the United -- that all countries in the world work for international cooperation and respect.
And so, again, Mr. Cheney just finishing that meeting. He's still in his conversations here at the Vatican. And then later today, Fredricka, he will travel to northern Italy to visit some U.S. troops who took part in the war in Iraq. And then it's back to the United States late tonight.
WHITFIELD: And, John, why did the vice president find it was important to meet with the pope knowing at risk how the pope has made his voice clear about the opposition to the war?
KING: President Bush did the very same thing in his trip to Italy earlier, knowing that the pope had opposed some U.S. policies. That, of course, was before the war in Iraq. The administration holds the pope and the Catholic community in high regard. They've said there is an international policy of paying respect to the pontiff here at the Vatican.
And also, of course, some element of domestic politics. We are in a campaign year and this administration has made no secret of the fact that it would like to court the Catholic vote. It's considered a swing vote back in the United States. But most of all the vice president's staff says when you're, you know, in Rome, obviously you would like an opportunity to pay respect to the 83-year-old people.
WHITFIELD: All right, John King, thanks very much for joining us on the phone. TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com
