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New Pope Holds Mass; Bolton's Nomination Held Up

Aired April 20, 2005 - 10:00   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.


DARYN KAGAN, CNN ANCHOR: We'll go ahead and get started. Let's take a look at what's happening now in the news.
Bodies found outside of Baghdad. We're just learning about two separate incidents. Associated Press reports the bodies of 19 people were found in a soccer stadium northwest of the capitol. All victims appear to be shot. Residents say the men were soldiers heading home for a holiday and were abducted by insurgents.

And Reuters reports the bodies of 50 people have been found in the Tigris River south of Baghdad. Iraqi leaders say those victims are believed to be hostages. More on that story coming up in just a bit.

Pope Benedict the XVI celebrated has his first Mass as the new leader of the Roman Catholic Church and its more than one billion followers. In his closing message, the 78-year-old pontiff also laid out some of his goals, which includes unifying all Christians and reaching out to other faiths.

And this just in, a helicopter has crashed in the Florida Everglades just west of Broward County. There's no immediate word on the fatalities but one injured man was seen on an airboat. And no word on the cause of the crash or ownership of the chopper.

President Bush's first choice as ambassador to the United Nations is in limbo at this hour. Washington observers had predicted nominee John Bolton's quick approval from the Republican controlled Senate Foreign Relations Committee. but a few Republicans have expressed concerns. The committee delayed yesterday's vote to look into new allegations that Bolton abused his authority at the State Department.

Good morning. I'm Daryn Kagan.

The new pope delivers his first message to the faithful. Benedict the XVI celebrated his first Mass as pope this morning. The Mass for the College of Cardinals was held in the Sistine Chapel. That is the same place the cardinals elected Benedict late yesterday. The new pope read a nine-page message at the end of Mass. He expressed what he called his feelings of inadequacy. But he also spoke of a profound gratitude toward God.

We have extensive coverage this hour of the first day of the new pope. We begin in the have the Vatican City with Jennifer Eccleston.

Jennifer, hello. JENNIFER ECCLESTON, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Hello, Daryn. That's right. Well, Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger celebrated his first day as the new head of Roman Catholic Church as Pope Benedict the XVI. Celebrating a Mass this morning at the Sistine Chapel where yesterday he was elected in just four votes, as the 265-successor to St. Peter. And of course, the successor to Pope John Paul II.

Now, in a message read in Latin to the cardinals present and to the world, as it was televised live, he said -- he laid out some of the objectives to the pontificate. The new pope pledged among other things to work to unify the Christian faith, calling for an open and sincere dialogue with other religious. And said he would do everything in his power to improve the ecumenical cause. Now, he also pledged to continue implementing the reforms of the Second Vatican Council, which he was part of in the '60s, including the promotion of collegiality. Which of course, allowing local dioceses and bishops greater power within the church.

Now, Pope Benedict XVI, the former Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger, was a close confidante of Pope John Paul. He also made clear his pontificate would closely follow that of his predecessor. In fact, he made several references to the late pope, saying that he was a trusted friend. Of course, Pope John Paul II referred to Cardinal Ratzinger as a very dear and trusted friend the new pontiff.

Now, the new pope said he felt John Paul's presence and he wrestles with two conflicting emotions. He said the first was to thank God for the gift of being pope. And the second was a sense of inadequacy in carrying out such a weighty responsibility -- Daryn.

KAGAN: Jennifer, what was the reaction like in St. Peters Square when the announcement was made?

ECCLESTON: Well, I was actually down there amongst the tens of thousands who were watching the large screen televisions once they heard a new pope was elected and looking up to the balcony above St. Peters Basilica. And it was incredibly emotional. And there were many people in tears. And there were many people praying, praying with the Rosary. There were also young children chanting and singing his new name, "Pope Benedict." "Pope Benedito," as they say here in Italian. There were others who were actually singing the Italian national anthem, which was a little interesting.

But it was very festive. It was definitely a sense that they were going to give this pope an opportunity to present his options for the new pontificate. There was a lot of sense of celebration and they were definitely going to give him a chance to let them know how he was going to lead the Catholic Church in the 21-century - Daryn.

KAGAN: Jennifer Eccleston from Vatican City, thank you.

U.S. cardinals who know Benedict XVI are urging Catholics not to make a quick judgment of the new pope. The U.S. cardinals who took part in the papal voting held a news conference in Vatican City this morning. The cardinals called on people to read Benedict's books and listen to his talks. Cardinal Richard Eagan of New York called Benedict "calm and thoughtful." Eagan also predicted the new pope will be much admired.

On CNN's "AMERICAN MORNING," of Los Angeles described the moment of Benedict's election.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

CARDINAL ROGER MAHONEY, ARCHBISHOP, LOS ANGELES: It's one of those spiritual moments. I was sitting almost directly behind him and off to the side slightly, so I could observe him very carefully. And it was almost a sense of putting himself in God's hands, of saying Lord, whatever your will is for me. Almost a resignation, Lord, whatever you ask of me.

And from that point on, he just seemed to be very much at peace, as if he knew that he could rely on the presence of Christ in his life and the grace of God for this new office.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

KAGAN: So what can we expect from Benedict the XVI? Our Vatican analyst John Allen can speak to this point. He literally wrote the book on Cardinal Ratzinger, the Vatican's enforcer of the faith. John is joining us from Vatican City this morning.

Good to see you.

JOHN ALLEN, CNN VATICAN ANALYST: Hi, Daryn, how are you?

KAGAN: I'm good. I'm really pleased to talk with you. Were you surprised by this selection?

ALLEN: Well, from a certain point of view, no. Everybody had Joseph Ratzinger on their top 10 or top five list, as leading papal candidate heading into this election. On the other hand, I confess, Daryn. And of course, this is a matter of public record, so I can't run away from it. On our air a day before the election, I was saying that I still had doubts that Ratzinger might be in a position to put through - put together a two-thirds majority in the conclave.

This of course because he brings, to be honest, some baggage to the role. He has been a senior Vatican official, perhaps the senior Vatican official left of the pope himself for the last 24 years. Of course, the intellectual architect of most of the most controversial aspects of Pope John Paul II pontificates. And because of that he is a somewhat polarizing figure. And yet, obviously what this College of Cardinals decided was that he is the right man for the job.

KAGAN: Right. And he comes out in some of his first statements talking about not only unifying the church, but unifying all Christians, reaching out to other faiths. I was reading some things that you've written about this man. In one little bit you write, "His efforts to curb dissent has left the church more bruised, more divided than at any point since the close of Vatican II."

Is this a man who is going to able to bring together the church? ALLEN: Well, you know, I think every pope gets a certain sort of honeymoon, Daryn. I think that there is an enormous Catholic instinct out there to want the thing to work, to embrace the new pope and t see him succeed. So I think Ratzinger has an opportunity. Or I should say Pope Benedict the XVI has an opportunity to in a sense redefine himself now.

And let's not forget, in some cases the job defines the man. For 24 years, he was in effect the Vatican's top doctrinal policeman. And for those who sometime ran afoul of the law that could sting. But he has another job now. He is no longer an enforcer. He is the pastor. He is the supreme pastor of the Catholic Church. He does not want to be a pope, I'm sure, a pope of just one faction in the church. I think he wants to be the pope of the entire church.

And that you heard today, I think, in his message at the end of that Mass. He indicated he wanted to be a pope of dialogue. A pope open to other Christian churches and other faiths, committed to social justice and a pope of collegiality. Those are things, of course, some people would have fears about under Ratzinger pontificate. And I think this is his way of saying give me a chance. You might be surprised.

KAGAN: John, What do you think of the name that he selected?

ALLEN: Well, actually we had a chance to ask one of the American cardinals that question this morning, Cardinal Francis George of Chicago. And he said that the new pope had actually explained briefly inside the conclave why he took that name. In the first place of reference to St. Benedict who is the founder of Christian monasticism in Europe. In the second place, a reference to Benedict XV, the last man to hold the name, who was a man of peace in a time of war.

And also, as the new pope indicated, he had a relatively short pontificate. Cardinal Ratzinger, now Benedict XVI is obviously aware that having been elected at age 78, of course, the future is in God's hands. But it is unlikely he well have a similarly long pontificate as his immediate predecessor Pope John Paul.

KAGAN: Well, it will be fascinating to see him develop as pope and see what kind of leadership he does bring to the billion Catholics around the world.

John Allen, thank you.

ALLEN: You're welcome.

KAGAN: And we have more reaction to Pope Benedict XVI election. Archbishop Walton Gregory of Atlanta expects Benedict will closely follow the positions of Pope John Paul. Gregory had these observations of the new pope.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

REV. WALTON GREGORY, ARCHBISHOP, ATLANTA, GEORGIA: He's very serene, very focused, very humble. A very, very humble man. And I don't think he has any delusions he is anything other than now Benedict the XVI. I think that's who he believes God has asked him to be. And who he will struggle and strive to be in response to the challenges that face him.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

KAGAN: Most American Catholics are taking a wait-and-see attitude toward the new pope. The latest CNN/"USA Today"/Gallup poll finds six in 10 U.S. Catholics unsure about Benedict the XVI. Thirty- one percent of the respondents have a favorable opinion about Benedict. Two thirds of American Catholics feel the new pope can handle the issue of sexual abuse by priests.

So while many American Catholics want to know more about Benedict XVI, they agree he comes to the papacy during challenging times.

CNN's Kelly Wallace has more on that.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

KELLY WALLACE, CNN NATIONAL CORRESPONDENT (voice over): Not long after signs the cardinals had made their decision, word about the new pope spread from Sacramento to Southern California, to St. Patrick's Cathedral in New York City, where we found tourists from Germany.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I think he's very conservative, but I think he will be a good pope. I hope so.

WALLACE: Executives from Hungary.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: And I'm very glad that a fellow European got to be elected. Very excited about it.

WALLACE: And seniors from a Catholic high school in Scranton Pennsylvania.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: It would be better if we had a more liberal kind of pope. But we didn't pick him, so...

WALLACE: Are you hopeful about this new pope?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Definitely. Maybe he'll try to be just like Pope John Paul II.

WALLACE: Throughout the country, two views that Pope Benedict XVI conservative views on issues such as ordination of women, celibacy for priests and birth control, make him the wrong man to lead the church into the future.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I guess I'm from the camp that would like maybe more of a moderate, more moderate leadership.

WALLACE: And those who feel his strict views make him the perfect choice.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: And I think one thing we need is someone to continue that firm stand on church issues, because I think that's the problem with our church right now, is it's become a little bit too wishy-washy.

WALLACE: Back at St. Patrick's Cathedral, we found mixed feelings within one family. Jim Howland (ph) of Massachusetts was hoping for...

JIM HOWLAND, MASSACHUSETTS: A change. Radical change.

WALLACE: You think the church needs that right now?

HOWLAND: Yes.

WALLACE: His mother-in-law.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I think we have to support the decision and give him our support.

WALLACE: And the top issue they'd like to see the new pope deal with?

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Well, I hope that he would continue to heal the church based on the scandal. The sex -abuse scandal, I think that is a very big issue and one that needs to, you know, continue to be worked on.

WALLACE (on camera): And something else we found, many Americans don't know that much about the new pope. In our CNN/"USA Today"/Gallup poll, nearly 50 percent couldn't say whether the new pope would lead the church in the right or wrong direction.

Kelly Wallace, CNN, New York.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

KAGAN: And for a full photo gallery on the selection of the new pope, log on to our Web site cnn.com/pope and click on gallery.

Well, as most new parents know, picking a name can be a very thought provoking and meaningful process. So did the new pope go through the same grueling task of choosing the perfect name? Still ahead, we're going to tell you more behind the meaning of the name Benedict.

Plus, he was his secretary for years; hear what this man has to say about his former boss becoming pope.

And hanging on to safety the National Safety Agency. Details straight ahead.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

KAGAN: Let's good ahead and take a look at other news that's making -- other stories making news "Coast-to-Coast."

A murdered 9-year-old Florida girl is being remembered in new legislation designed to protect children. Supporters hailed Florida House passage of the Jessica Lunsford Act yesterday. The bill would set harsher sentences for people convicted of molesting children under 12 years old. The state Senate plans to take up its version of the bill later today.

Two construction workers at the National Security Agency lost their sense of security yesterday. Their scaffolding shifted while they worked on the building's facade. One was the two clung to their safety harnesses, one of the workers was brought down quickly. The second had to wait for his rescue. Neither worker showed any sign of injury.

A 20-year-old California musician is forced to play with a less prized violin, after her nearly three centuries old instrument was stolen. Lindsey Deutch says the violin, valued at $850,000 was stolen from her car. Even worse than that, Deutch had borrowed that violin and the owner's insurance doesn't cover theft from cars.

There were cheering crowds in St. Peters Square. But will Pope Benedict XVI gain the same in the administration in the U.S. - admiration.

And controversy on the confirmation of John Bolton as the next U.S. ambassador to the United Nations. We will tell you who is standing by the nominee and who is not.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

KAGAN: Focusing overseas in Russia, Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice today rallied to the President Bush's defense of the pick for the next ambassador to the United Nations. Rice said embattled nominee John Bolton deserves to be confirmed by the U.S. Senate.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

CONDOLEEZZA RICE, SECRETARY OF STATE: The president deserves to have the person at the United Nations that he thinks best to carry out this job. I think we make a mistake of suddenly comments about management style become part of the confirmation process.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

KAGAN: Questions about Bolton's abrasive management style prompted the Senate Foreign Relations Committee yesterday to postpone a final vote on his confirmation. This could give critics more time to dig up additional ammunition. So how is the White House responding?

Our white house correspondent Suzanne Malveaux has more on that.

Suzanne, good morning.

SUZANNE MALVEAUX, CNN WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT: Good morning, Daryn. Well, clearly yesterday was a setback for the White House. What really complicates this situation here is what happened with the Republican Senator George Voinovich of Ohio. What he said essentially was that there were new allegations, at least allegations that he hadn't heard before. He said let's pull back. Let the Senate pull back, take a second look. Let's delay this process from moving forward. He said based on what he heard yesterday, he was not comfortable with going forward and voting for John Bolton or making that process move forward.

Now, White House officials are in somewhat a dilemma here. Scott McClellan and many other officials are essentially saying that this latest round of charges are not new, they are trumped up charges. That they're unsubstantiated, unfounded. They say that Bolton has testified now for eight hours. That he has gone over and answered these questions time and time again. They also argue they say that Voinovich has missed some testimony therefore, he doesn't really have the full picture. We heard from Dan Barton earlier this morning, a counselor to the president making the White House case.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

DAN BARTLETT, COUNSELOR TO PRESIDENT BUSH: We're not concerned at all because John Bolton has answered all the questions at committee hearings and demonstrated he is well qualified for the job as ambassador to the U.N. And we're more than happy to answer these questions. A lot of these accusations have been trumped up by opponents of the president or the administration. And Senator Voinovich missed those hearings last week and it will be easy to give him the answers to those questions. And feel he will be quickly confirmed.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

MALVEAUX: Now, Daryn, the White House has not said whether or not they've had those kinds of discussions with Voinovich. But they are in somewhat of a dilemma here. There are at least three Republicans from that Senate panel who have expressed reservations about Bolton. The White House still making they case that they believe this is a partisan issue - Daryn.

KAGAN: So too early to think about possible replacement nominees.

MALVEAUX: Well, the White House is not thinking of replacements. They say that they are digging in their heels. They're going to fight for Bolton all the way. What they're doing however is they're looking at the strategy here. They're looking at Republicans who are becoming concerned about these questions. The White House again saying this is a partisan issue but they do have to somehow answer for that.

There does seem to be somewhat of a disconnect when people look at that. Republicans bringing up those kinds of issues, those kinds of concerns at this time.

KAGAN: Susan Malveaux at the White House. We'll see you in the next hour when a nice event when we see the new teacher of the year. We'll see you for that. Also still ahead on CNN LIVE TODAY, the new pope has some strict views of women in the church. Hear from one nun who wants to change his thinking.

Plus, What's in a name? Apparently a lot. Look at why the new pope wants to be called Benedict the XVI.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

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Aired April 20, 2005 - 10:00   ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
DARYN KAGAN, CNN ANCHOR: We'll go ahead and get started. Let's take a look at what's happening now in the news.
Bodies found outside of Baghdad. We're just learning about two separate incidents. Associated Press reports the bodies of 19 people were found in a soccer stadium northwest of the capitol. All victims appear to be shot. Residents say the men were soldiers heading home for a holiday and were abducted by insurgents.

And Reuters reports the bodies of 50 people have been found in the Tigris River south of Baghdad. Iraqi leaders say those victims are believed to be hostages. More on that story coming up in just a bit.

Pope Benedict the XVI celebrated has his first Mass as the new leader of the Roman Catholic Church and its more than one billion followers. In his closing message, the 78-year-old pontiff also laid out some of his goals, which includes unifying all Christians and reaching out to other faiths.

And this just in, a helicopter has crashed in the Florida Everglades just west of Broward County. There's no immediate word on the fatalities but one injured man was seen on an airboat. And no word on the cause of the crash or ownership of the chopper.

President Bush's first choice as ambassador to the United Nations is in limbo at this hour. Washington observers had predicted nominee John Bolton's quick approval from the Republican controlled Senate Foreign Relations Committee. but a few Republicans have expressed concerns. The committee delayed yesterday's vote to look into new allegations that Bolton abused his authority at the State Department.

Good morning. I'm Daryn Kagan.

The new pope delivers his first message to the faithful. Benedict the XVI celebrated his first Mass as pope this morning. The Mass for the College of Cardinals was held in the Sistine Chapel. That is the same place the cardinals elected Benedict late yesterday. The new pope read a nine-page message at the end of Mass. He expressed what he called his feelings of inadequacy. But he also spoke of a profound gratitude toward God.

We have extensive coverage this hour of the first day of the new pope. We begin in the have the Vatican City with Jennifer Eccleston.

Jennifer, hello. JENNIFER ECCLESTON, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Hello, Daryn. That's right. Well, Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger celebrated his first day as the new head of Roman Catholic Church as Pope Benedict the XVI. Celebrating a Mass this morning at the Sistine Chapel where yesterday he was elected in just four votes, as the 265-successor to St. Peter. And of course, the successor to Pope John Paul II.

Now, in a message read in Latin to the cardinals present and to the world, as it was televised live, he said -- he laid out some of the objectives to the pontificate. The new pope pledged among other things to work to unify the Christian faith, calling for an open and sincere dialogue with other religious. And said he would do everything in his power to improve the ecumenical cause. Now, he also pledged to continue implementing the reforms of the Second Vatican Council, which he was part of in the '60s, including the promotion of collegiality. Which of course, allowing local dioceses and bishops greater power within the church.

Now, Pope Benedict XVI, the former Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger, was a close confidante of Pope John Paul. He also made clear his pontificate would closely follow that of his predecessor. In fact, he made several references to the late pope, saying that he was a trusted friend. Of course, Pope John Paul II referred to Cardinal Ratzinger as a very dear and trusted friend the new pontiff.

Now, the new pope said he felt John Paul's presence and he wrestles with two conflicting emotions. He said the first was to thank God for the gift of being pope. And the second was a sense of inadequacy in carrying out such a weighty responsibility -- Daryn.

KAGAN: Jennifer, what was the reaction like in St. Peters Square when the announcement was made?

ECCLESTON: Well, I was actually down there amongst the tens of thousands who were watching the large screen televisions once they heard a new pope was elected and looking up to the balcony above St. Peters Basilica. And it was incredibly emotional. And there were many people in tears. And there were many people praying, praying with the Rosary. There were also young children chanting and singing his new name, "Pope Benedict." "Pope Benedito," as they say here in Italian. There were others who were actually singing the Italian national anthem, which was a little interesting.

But it was very festive. It was definitely a sense that they were going to give this pope an opportunity to present his options for the new pontificate. There was a lot of sense of celebration and they were definitely going to give him a chance to let them know how he was going to lead the Catholic Church in the 21-century - Daryn.

KAGAN: Jennifer Eccleston from Vatican City, thank you.

U.S. cardinals who know Benedict XVI are urging Catholics not to make a quick judgment of the new pope. The U.S. cardinals who took part in the papal voting held a news conference in Vatican City this morning. The cardinals called on people to read Benedict's books and listen to his talks. Cardinal Richard Eagan of New York called Benedict "calm and thoughtful." Eagan also predicted the new pope will be much admired.

On CNN's "AMERICAN MORNING," of Los Angeles described the moment of Benedict's election.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

CARDINAL ROGER MAHONEY, ARCHBISHOP, LOS ANGELES: It's one of those spiritual moments. I was sitting almost directly behind him and off to the side slightly, so I could observe him very carefully. And it was almost a sense of putting himself in God's hands, of saying Lord, whatever your will is for me. Almost a resignation, Lord, whatever you ask of me.

And from that point on, he just seemed to be very much at peace, as if he knew that he could rely on the presence of Christ in his life and the grace of God for this new office.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

KAGAN: So what can we expect from Benedict the XVI? Our Vatican analyst John Allen can speak to this point. He literally wrote the book on Cardinal Ratzinger, the Vatican's enforcer of the faith. John is joining us from Vatican City this morning.

Good to see you.

JOHN ALLEN, CNN VATICAN ANALYST: Hi, Daryn, how are you?

KAGAN: I'm good. I'm really pleased to talk with you. Were you surprised by this selection?

ALLEN: Well, from a certain point of view, no. Everybody had Joseph Ratzinger on their top 10 or top five list, as leading papal candidate heading into this election. On the other hand, I confess, Daryn. And of course, this is a matter of public record, so I can't run away from it. On our air a day before the election, I was saying that I still had doubts that Ratzinger might be in a position to put through - put together a two-thirds majority in the conclave.

This of course because he brings, to be honest, some baggage to the role. He has been a senior Vatican official, perhaps the senior Vatican official left of the pope himself for the last 24 years. Of course, the intellectual architect of most of the most controversial aspects of Pope John Paul II pontificates. And because of that he is a somewhat polarizing figure. And yet, obviously what this College of Cardinals decided was that he is the right man for the job.

KAGAN: Right. And he comes out in some of his first statements talking about not only unifying the church, but unifying all Christians, reaching out to other faiths. I was reading some things that you've written about this man. In one little bit you write, "His efforts to curb dissent has left the church more bruised, more divided than at any point since the close of Vatican II."

Is this a man who is going to able to bring together the church? ALLEN: Well, you know, I think every pope gets a certain sort of honeymoon, Daryn. I think that there is an enormous Catholic instinct out there to want the thing to work, to embrace the new pope and t see him succeed. So I think Ratzinger has an opportunity. Or I should say Pope Benedict the XVI has an opportunity to in a sense redefine himself now.

And let's not forget, in some cases the job defines the man. For 24 years, he was in effect the Vatican's top doctrinal policeman. And for those who sometime ran afoul of the law that could sting. But he has another job now. He is no longer an enforcer. He is the pastor. He is the supreme pastor of the Catholic Church. He does not want to be a pope, I'm sure, a pope of just one faction in the church. I think he wants to be the pope of the entire church.

And that you heard today, I think, in his message at the end of that Mass. He indicated he wanted to be a pope of dialogue. A pope open to other Christian churches and other faiths, committed to social justice and a pope of collegiality. Those are things, of course, some people would have fears about under Ratzinger pontificate. And I think this is his way of saying give me a chance. You might be surprised.

KAGAN: John, What do you think of the name that he selected?

ALLEN: Well, actually we had a chance to ask one of the American cardinals that question this morning, Cardinal Francis George of Chicago. And he said that the new pope had actually explained briefly inside the conclave why he took that name. In the first place of reference to St. Benedict who is the founder of Christian monasticism in Europe. In the second place, a reference to Benedict XV, the last man to hold the name, who was a man of peace in a time of war.

And also, as the new pope indicated, he had a relatively short pontificate. Cardinal Ratzinger, now Benedict XVI is obviously aware that having been elected at age 78, of course, the future is in God's hands. But it is unlikely he well have a similarly long pontificate as his immediate predecessor Pope John Paul.

KAGAN: Well, it will be fascinating to see him develop as pope and see what kind of leadership he does bring to the billion Catholics around the world.

John Allen, thank you.

ALLEN: You're welcome.

KAGAN: And we have more reaction to Pope Benedict XVI election. Archbishop Walton Gregory of Atlanta expects Benedict will closely follow the positions of Pope John Paul. Gregory had these observations of the new pope.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

REV. WALTON GREGORY, ARCHBISHOP, ATLANTA, GEORGIA: He's very serene, very focused, very humble. A very, very humble man. And I don't think he has any delusions he is anything other than now Benedict the XVI. I think that's who he believes God has asked him to be. And who he will struggle and strive to be in response to the challenges that face him.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

KAGAN: Most American Catholics are taking a wait-and-see attitude toward the new pope. The latest CNN/"USA Today"/Gallup poll finds six in 10 U.S. Catholics unsure about Benedict the XVI. Thirty- one percent of the respondents have a favorable opinion about Benedict. Two thirds of American Catholics feel the new pope can handle the issue of sexual abuse by priests.

So while many American Catholics want to know more about Benedict XVI, they agree he comes to the papacy during challenging times.

CNN's Kelly Wallace has more on that.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

KELLY WALLACE, CNN NATIONAL CORRESPONDENT (voice over): Not long after signs the cardinals had made their decision, word about the new pope spread from Sacramento to Southern California, to St. Patrick's Cathedral in New York City, where we found tourists from Germany.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I think he's very conservative, but I think he will be a good pope. I hope so.

WALLACE: Executives from Hungary.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: And I'm very glad that a fellow European got to be elected. Very excited about it.

WALLACE: And seniors from a Catholic high school in Scranton Pennsylvania.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: It would be better if we had a more liberal kind of pope. But we didn't pick him, so...

WALLACE: Are you hopeful about this new pope?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Definitely. Maybe he'll try to be just like Pope John Paul II.

WALLACE: Throughout the country, two views that Pope Benedict XVI conservative views on issues such as ordination of women, celibacy for priests and birth control, make him the wrong man to lead the church into the future.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I guess I'm from the camp that would like maybe more of a moderate, more moderate leadership.

WALLACE: And those who feel his strict views make him the perfect choice.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: And I think one thing we need is someone to continue that firm stand on church issues, because I think that's the problem with our church right now, is it's become a little bit too wishy-washy.

WALLACE: Back at St. Patrick's Cathedral, we found mixed feelings within one family. Jim Howland (ph) of Massachusetts was hoping for...

JIM HOWLAND, MASSACHUSETTS: A change. Radical change.

WALLACE: You think the church needs that right now?

HOWLAND: Yes.

WALLACE: His mother-in-law.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I think we have to support the decision and give him our support.

WALLACE: And the top issue they'd like to see the new pope deal with?

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Well, I hope that he would continue to heal the church based on the scandal. The sex -abuse scandal, I think that is a very big issue and one that needs to, you know, continue to be worked on.

WALLACE (on camera): And something else we found, many Americans don't know that much about the new pope. In our CNN/"USA Today"/Gallup poll, nearly 50 percent couldn't say whether the new pope would lead the church in the right or wrong direction.

Kelly Wallace, CNN, New York.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

KAGAN: And for a full photo gallery on the selection of the new pope, log on to our Web site cnn.com/pope and click on gallery.

Well, as most new parents know, picking a name can be a very thought provoking and meaningful process. So did the new pope go through the same grueling task of choosing the perfect name? Still ahead, we're going to tell you more behind the meaning of the name Benedict.

Plus, he was his secretary for years; hear what this man has to say about his former boss becoming pope.

And hanging on to safety the National Safety Agency. Details straight ahead.

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KAGAN: Let's good ahead and take a look at other news that's making -- other stories making news "Coast-to-Coast."

A murdered 9-year-old Florida girl is being remembered in new legislation designed to protect children. Supporters hailed Florida House passage of the Jessica Lunsford Act yesterday. The bill would set harsher sentences for people convicted of molesting children under 12 years old. The state Senate plans to take up its version of the bill later today.

Two construction workers at the National Security Agency lost their sense of security yesterday. Their scaffolding shifted while they worked on the building's facade. One was the two clung to their safety harnesses, one of the workers was brought down quickly. The second had to wait for his rescue. Neither worker showed any sign of injury.

A 20-year-old California musician is forced to play with a less prized violin, after her nearly three centuries old instrument was stolen. Lindsey Deutch says the violin, valued at $850,000 was stolen from her car. Even worse than that, Deutch had borrowed that violin and the owner's insurance doesn't cover theft from cars.

There were cheering crowds in St. Peters Square. But will Pope Benedict XVI gain the same in the administration in the U.S. - admiration.

And controversy on the confirmation of John Bolton as the next U.S. ambassador to the United Nations. We will tell you who is standing by the nominee and who is not.

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KAGAN: Focusing overseas in Russia, Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice today rallied to the President Bush's defense of the pick for the next ambassador to the United Nations. Rice said embattled nominee John Bolton deserves to be confirmed by the U.S. Senate.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

CONDOLEEZZA RICE, SECRETARY OF STATE: The president deserves to have the person at the United Nations that he thinks best to carry out this job. I think we make a mistake of suddenly comments about management style become part of the confirmation process.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

KAGAN: Questions about Bolton's abrasive management style prompted the Senate Foreign Relations Committee yesterday to postpone a final vote on his confirmation. This could give critics more time to dig up additional ammunition. So how is the White House responding?

Our white house correspondent Suzanne Malveaux has more on that.

Suzanne, good morning.

SUZANNE MALVEAUX, CNN WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT: Good morning, Daryn. Well, clearly yesterday was a setback for the White House. What really complicates this situation here is what happened with the Republican Senator George Voinovich of Ohio. What he said essentially was that there were new allegations, at least allegations that he hadn't heard before. He said let's pull back. Let the Senate pull back, take a second look. Let's delay this process from moving forward. He said based on what he heard yesterday, he was not comfortable with going forward and voting for John Bolton or making that process move forward.

Now, White House officials are in somewhat a dilemma here. Scott McClellan and many other officials are essentially saying that this latest round of charges are not new, they are trumped up charges. That they're unsubstantiated, unfounded. They say that Bolton has testified now for eight hours. That he has gone over and answered these questions time and time again. They also argue they say that Voinovich has missed some testimony therefore, he doesn't really have the full picture. We heard from Dan Barton earlier this morning, a counselor to the president making the White House case.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

DAN BARTLETT, COUNSELOR TO PRESIDENT BUSH: We're not concerned at all because John Bolton has answered all the questions at committee hearings and demonstrated he is well qualified for the job as ambassador to the U.N. And we're more than happy to answer these questions. A lot of these accusations have been trumped up by opponents of the president or the administration. And Senator Voinovich missed those hearings last week and it will be easy to give him the answers to those questions. And feel he will be quickly confirmed.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

MALVEAUX: Now, Daryn, the White House has not said whether or not they've had those kinds of discussions with Voinovich. But they are in somewhat of a dilemma here. There are at least three Republicans from that Senate panel who have expressed reservations about Bolton. The White House still making they case that they believe this is a partisan issue - Daryn.

KAGAN: So too early to think about possible replacement nominees.

MALVEAUX: Well, the White House is not thinking of replacements. They say that they are digging in their heels. They're going to fight for Bolton all the way. What they're doing however is they're looking at the strategy here. They're looking at Republicans who are becoming concerned about these questions. The White House again saying this is a partisan issue but they do have to somehow answer for that.

There does seem to be somewhat of a disconnect when people look at that. Republicans bringing up those kinds of issues, those kinds of concerns at this time.

KAGAN: Susan Malveaux at the White House. We'll see you in the next hour when a nice event when we see the new teacher of the year. We'll see you for that. Also still ahead on CNN LIVE TODAY, the new pope has some strict views of women in the church. Hear from one nun who wants to change his thinking.

Plus, What's in a name? Apparently a lot. Look at why the new pope wants to be called Benedict the XVI.

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