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People's Pope: Francis Comes to America; Awaiting Papal Address to Congress. Aired 9-9:30a ET

Aired September 24, 2015 - 09:00   ET

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

[09:00:01] WOLF BLITZER, CNN ANCHOR: Today Pope Francis heads to Capitol Hill, to spread his gospel of social justice. It's the first time a Pope has addressed in the Congress of the United States. Ever. What will he say about immigration, religious freedom, America's for? And how will America's leadership respond?

This is CNN's special coverage of the "People's Pope: Francis Comes to America."

(END VIDEOTAPE)

BLITZER: For the second time in as many days, Pope Francis took the time to shake hands with people in the crowd over at the Vatican Embassy Residence. This happened only moments ago. He's on his way to the United States capitol where nearly all members of Congress will eagerly await to hear what he will to say on a variety of topics.

Once again, we want to welcome our viewers in United States and around the world. I'm Wolff Blitzer, joined this morning with CNN's Christiane Amanpour -- Christiane.

CHRISTIANE AMANPOUR, CNN CHIEF INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Indeed. And those amazing pictures. The Pope never misses an opportunity to delve into a crowd. And already a huge crowd is gathering outside the west front of the capital. Thousands of people there hoping for a glimpse of him. And he'll come out after his speech. They hope that they'll be able to shake his hands then.

And as we await his departure from the Vatican's Diplomatic Mission, let's get a sense of what to expect this morning. Chris Cuomo is on Capitol Hill for us -- Chris.

CHRIS CUOMO, CNN ANCHOR, "NEW DAY": Christiane, Wolf, I mean, the first thing we can expect is history. And what a privilege it is for us to be able to witness this, this morning. No pontiff has ever addressed Congress before. Is he going to talk about political things? Of course he is. Why? Because that's why he's here. That's why he's went to Cuba. That's why he is in the United States. That's why he's going to all of these different cities.

He wants to talk about big issues like global warming. Like income inequality. Like immigration. He was very quick to point himself out as the son of immigrants and talking about America as a unit, North America, Central America, South America, all as one. Now the question is, how does he apportion it and what is his tone?

I think that we're going to see his biggest, his most grand speech today before Congress. Why? Because his people tell us why that he will.

That's why, Wolf and Christiane. They say this is the big one. But what will matter most is how does he say it? We know that there's going to be disagreement. But can the Pope bring a tone that speaks to tolerance and inclusiveness and that is positive enough for people who disagree to still want to do better?

BLITZER: I think the answer clearly, Chris, is that the Pope certainly can do that. He's done that, Christiane, so many times over these years.

AMANPOUR: He has indeed. And I think importantly for our viewers here in the United States and around the world, the Pope, we're told by Speaker Boehner, in fact, is going to speak in English and without a teleprompter. So he obviously did that during the welcoming ceremony yesterday. He spoke in English and without a prompter. And imagine, we'll talk with our guests about it, at this age to learn a whole new language, to practice it and to be able to come to a new country and speak in the language of that country to the people of that country and he will no doubt, Wolf, bring his big, big themes, and that is social justice.

If there's one thing this Pope is all about, it's about social justice. And that takes the form of everything that society and politics has to offer. Whether it's the economy, whether it's immigration, whether it's the poor and the elderly. And indeed whether it is taking care of our environment.

We have some great guests with us. Father, Jesuit priest here, tell us a little bit about how you think the English is so important at this time.

FATHER TIMOTHY KESICKI, PRESIDENT, JESUIT CONFERENCE OF THE UNITED STATES, CANADA: Well, this is a Pope who likes to embrace the culture he's visiting. And he recognizes that to reach the hearts, particularly of the legislature, he has to speak their language. As we know it, he's not comfortable with English. He has said that. And yet he has taken time to learn and work on it.

I know his press secretary, Father Lombardy, he said he's put a lot of personal time into these talks. Particularly today's talk. So it's also an exercise in humility to see somebody at 78 make such a --

BLITZER: Father Timothy Kesicki, I know you're the president of the Jesuit Conference of the United States. He's the first Jesuit Pope. Explain the significance of that to our viewers here in the United States and around the world.

KESICKI: Yes. The Jesuit order is 476 years old is and this is the thirst time in the history of the order that a Jesuit has been elected Pope. We have not seen a Pope from a religious order since the mid- 19th century when Pope Gregory XVI was Pope. So we're used to Popes who came from a diocese.

As a Jesuit he comes with the spirituality and the care as Saint Ignatius Loyola, our founder. But the Jesuit is also a missionary order. And so coming from a missionary order, he wants to go as he says to the peripheries. He wants to go to the frontiers, to those new places where the gospel has to be heard. And sometimes those peripheries are places where the gospel has been for hundreds of years and forgotten and he wants to claim it back.

[09:05:09] BLITZER: It's an exciting day here in the nation's capital. Jeff Zeleny is up on Capitol Hill, just outside the U.S. capital.

Set the scene where you are, Jeff.

JEFF ZELENY, CNN SENIOR WASHINGTON CORRESPONDENT: Wolf, I can tell you, we're on the east side of the capitol, so basically between the capitol and the Supreme Court. You can see behind me there are hundreds of people who have gather gathered. Capitol Hill staffers as well as just other onlookers here for the Pope's arrival. He'll be coming in within the next 10, 15 minutes or so. Probably less than that.

Will be driving through here and then will be entering the U.S. capitol through the carriage entrance. That is where most dignitaries come in. And then he will be going to have a private meeting with the Speaker John Boehner.

Of course Speaker Boehner, a Republican of Ohio, who went to Catholic mass every day as a young boy, he says, is the reason that Pope Francis is here today. He's actually invited three Popes over the years. But Pope Francis accepted his invitation and will be delivering the first address to a Joint Meeting of Congress.

And so interesting who's going to be inside that room. We're now told that Governor Chris Christie is going to be in the room as well, in the House chamber, so there will be seven presidential candidates. Of course five of them are senators, U.S. senators. Ben Carson, Dr. Ben Carson is an invited guest as is Chris Christie.

There are also going to be four members of the Supreme Court, four justices of the Supreme Court. Of course Chief Justice John Roberts was at mass last night at the Basilica. He will be on hand today as well. And 30 percent of this U.S. Congress are Catholic. House members, senators, so they are eagerly anticipating this.

And there has been some criticism from some Republicans thinking that there's going to be too sharp of a message on climate change or the environment. But Speaker Boehner actually had a message for anyone who was questioning this. He said this in a column he put out yesterday. Kind of a memorandum to his colleagues.

He said, "The Pope transcends all of that. He appeals to our better angels and our higher calls. The best thing we can all do is to listen. Open our hearts to his message and reflect on his example." Of course that does not mean you have to follow everything he says on this but a message from Speaker Boehner to his members how they should receive this speech here today.

BLITZER: All right, Jeff, stand by. It's interesting that about half of those U.S. members of Congress who are Catholic are Democrats. The other half are Republicans. The political fallout could be significant.

Jake Tapper is with us as well. Got a good group of experts as we watched only moments ago. Jake, the Pope leaving the embassy residence here in Washington, getting ready for that drive to Capitol Hill.

JAKE TAPPER, CNN ANCHOR, "STATE OF THE UNION": That's right, Wolf. It is a moving moment but it is also, as Chris noted, a political moment. Pope Francis yesterday at the White House talking about immigration reform. Talking about climate change. Talking about helping those who are stuck, who are mired in poverty. And also talking about religious liberty.

John King, after the Pope delivered, celebrated mass at Catholic University, he stopped by the Little Sisters of the Poor, which is of course a charity that is currently suing the Obama administration, among other organizations, for the contraceptive mandate. The requirement under Obamacare that they offer services that the Little Sisters find against their religious believes. We are allowed I think to read a little bit of politics into this.

JOHN KING, CNN CHIEF NATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: We would be fools not to read a little bit of politics into that. A little bit of a message from the pontiff. You know, the Holy Father was very gracious and he thanked the president for his welcome to his home, the official residence at the White House. He's on the same page with the president on issues like climate change and issues like immigration, and he spent a lot of time on those yesterday.

But adding that stop to the Little Sisters of Poor, was not on the schedule, is a clear message from the Pope that he stands with them in their fight against the administration and the mandates on contraception by Catholic or any religious hospitals. No doubt about it.

TAPPER: And we're seeing -- on the right side of your screen you're seeing these images from last night when Pope Francis visited the Little Sisters of the Poor.

Gloria, we're told by the lawyer for the Little Sisters that the Pope did not specifically bring up the lawsuit but he didn't really need to, did he?

GLORIA BORGER, CNN CHIEF POLITICAL ANALYST: He didn't -- no, he didn't need to. The pictures are worth a thousand words and the stop was important for him to make. For those Republican politicians who believe that this Pope has not talked enough about the so-called cultural issues, the culture wars, this was a way for the Pope to talk about it without talking about it.

TAPPER: And Donna Brazile, this once again illustrates the fact that this Pope cannot be classified by the traditional left-right way of looking at politics in this country.

DONNA BRAZILE, CNN POLITICAL COMMENTATOR: That's correct. And, you know, it bears repeating that he is here with -- I believe a gospel of mercy, of forgiveness, of inclusion, reconciliation. This Pope is much larger than what I call our small little political divide. And he's shown by example that he's here to speak about the poor, to give us hope and encouragement to do more to help those.

TAPPER: And we're looking right now at some pictures of the Pope making his way to the capitol, into the motorcade.

Ana Navarro, I just want to give you the last word here on this issue. Obviously the Pope getting a lot of heat from some conservative Republicans for his position on climate change. Some calling him a Marxist, a liberal, a lefty. But when you look through the rhetoric you can see areas where he clearly lines up with conservative Republicans.

[09:10:20] ANA NAVARRO, CNN POLITICAL COMMENTATOR: I think it's a mistake to try to pigeonhole and label this Pope like he was part of our political system. He's not. He's not a righty. He's not a lefty. He is Pope Francis. He's a Jesuit. He is a man of the people. He's not here to push votes. He's not here to change votes. He's here to push, touch and change hearts. And that is how people should listen to his message. With that kind of open heart, open spirit.

You know, don't scrutinize his words and parse his words, which I suspect will be very deliberate because it is a huge effort for him to speak in English. We saw it yesterday in the White House. It was the first time he ever did it. So I think he's going to have very deliberate words. Don't parse them. He's not here to make endorsements and political agendas. He's here to deliver a message of peace and mercy.

TAPPER: All right. Wolf Blitzer, back to you.

BLITZER: Jake, thank you very much.

We're going to take a quick break as the Pope gets ready to go up to Capitol Hill. We're going to have live arrival of the Pope up on Capitol Hill.

Christiane, you're getting some indications of the Pope is sensitive to the fact that some here in Washington see him maybe tilting left, others see him tilting right. What are you hearing?

AMANPOUR: Yes, well, as Ana said, you know, he is not a politician in the American system. He is Pope Francis. But he did address it. He was asked on the plane as he was flying to the United States or back from Cuba to here, that perhaps I've given the impression that I'm a lefty, he says. A little more towards the left wing. But he said that would be an error of interpretation. My doctrine is purely the gospel. And if they like I can recite the creed and all the prayers that back up everything he says about social justice, including the climate. Now Chris Cuomo is there for us on Capitol Hill as the motorcade

arrives -- Chris.

CUOMO: Let be bring in Jim Sciutto, CNN senior international security correspondent.

The Pope just passed us by. He gave you the thumbs up. He seemed to kind of wave me off.

JIM SCIUTTO, CNN CHIEF NATIONAL SECURITY CORRESPONDENT: I think he was waving at me.

CUOMO: I don't know what that was about.

SCIUTTO: I think he was waving -- no, essentially we've been waiting in the arrival of the papal Fiat, which makes me think, you know, we're expecting some announcement from the Holy Father. It is the Pope's compact, his hatchback. And what's important about that? It's one of the many gestures, one of the many symbolic gestures he's making here. Everyone drives around Washington, you know, in Cadillacs and big GMCs. He chooses a compact to show that he's a humble man.

And it's the first of many gestures that he'll make today. He's going to bring a historic copy of the bible, donate that to the Library of Congress. And another thing, I didn't know this. In Congress there's a picture of Moses. As he's speaking there at the podium, he's going to be under Moses' gaze and in his speech he's going to mention that, as he's encouraging Congress to act in effect.

And interesting. What we know about the speech is this will be less of a stern scolding and more of a gentle nudge. But this is a man who knows he has a powerful voice and a voice that people listen to. And he's going to be pushing them on issues that are of great controversy here as we know. And we've been talking about this morning. Immigration, abortion, the refugee crisis in Europe.

CUOMO: Now Jim has been working the city a long time. I mean, we all have. And he says he's never seen the city like this from a security perspective. And we see why. There he is, the pontiff entering the congressional chamber. He's going to be coming in to give his speech. There it is, the motorcade, entering right now, Wolf and Christiane.

This is the moment certainly that we've all been waiting for to see what he says in this historic speech before Congress. There is that Fiat.

BLITZER: It's a small car, befitting this very, very people's Pope as he likes to be called.

Chris, the speaker of the House, John Boehner, who of course is a practicing Catholic, he will welcome the Pope as he gets out of the vehicle. Is that right? I don't know if Chris Cuomo can hear me.

CUOMO: Yes, I can hear you, Wolf.

(CROSSTALK)

BLITZER: There is a delegation. I think you're there as well. You're on the outside of the capitol. The speaker of the House, John Boehner, is going to be there to receive the Pope?

CUOMO: Yes, I can --

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I can't hear Brett.

ZELENY: Wolf, I can see the Pope coming in right now, he says. You can see on the pictures here. He's waving to this crowd of hundreds and hundreds of Capitol Hill workers who are watching him drive through. He's entering the carriage entrance right now which is on the side of the House of Representatives, which he'll be going up through the capitol then to meet with John Boehner.

It is a very glorious morning out here in Washington. Sun splashed day. He waved to this crowd as he rolled through. Now he's entering the U.S. capitol behind us in the carriage entrance and the House of Representatives chamber.

BLITZER: A very exciting moment right now, Christiane. History unfolding. This will be the first Pope ever to address the United States Congress.

AMANPOUR: And what a amazing time, at a time of real transition, a pivotal moment for the Catholic Church, particularly here in the United States.

[09:15:01] There have been millions who left the church over the last decade and they are trying basically to recruit more Catholics. They need to get people into the churches again. So, that's one of his main missions.

But again a pivotal time because of the dramatic political climate that we all live in, not just the partisan divisions here in the United States between left and right, but around the world. The refugees, the income inequality that has become such a rallying cry that has spurred so many outsider politicians on to waves of political momentum that we, you know, would never have imagined.

The pope will address that kind of thing. We understand that the pope will say that he's not come to the United States capitol to lecture American lawmakers. He has come to talk to share and there you see Speaker Boehner.

BLITZER: The speaker is waiting for the pope.

Delia Gallagher, our Vatican correspondent, is with us as well.

For John Boehner, for those of who us know him, this is going to be a hugely significant moment in his life. He is the speaker of the House of Representatives. But he is a very, very practicing catholic. And this is going to be a moving moment, Delia.

DELIA GALLAGHER, CNN VATICAN CORRESPONDENT: Always a thrill obviously to be able to meet your pope.

But, you know, one of the things that I think the pope is coming here to do is to remind the speaker and the other legislators is that their job is not just political. Their job is political because it involves protecting and safeguarding the dignity of people.

So, the pope is coming to kind of bring the message, broaden the message out just a limit bit and remind people of the religious, the spiritual aspects of issues that are then political.

But in the first instance obviously for the pope, these political issues are gospel issues. They are questions of social justice, and in particular relation to the poor. But I think the overall reminder here is, hey, it's not just about left and right and Republican/Democrat. You have a larger mission.

BLITZER: Father Kesicki, what is the proper protocol for a Catholic speaker of the House of Representatives in the United States? To shake hands with the pope? To kiss the pope's ring? What is the proper protocol?

KESICKI: Often for Catholics, it is appropriate to kiss the pope's ring. We know this pope though, he sort of favors an embrace. He likes to make eye contact with the person he's greeting. There are various ways in which people embrace the pope. This is a familiar pope, a pastor. So, I think he's going toe want to look into the eyes of the speaker and welcome him.

BLITZER: Jake Tapper, the speaker of the House clearly excited about this moment. Understandably so.

TAPPER: He's not the first Catholic to serve as U.S. speaker of the House. That was just John McCormick in 1962. But he is certainly a very visible and observant Catholic.

And John King, we at the table here were just talking about the fact that he looks literally as nervous as the choir boy, waiting to meet the pope, his religious leader.

KING: And he is very open about the fact that when he gets very emotional he tears up and you can see him very fidgety. Here's the speaker of the House having a tough job corralling his own flock, if you will. Restive House Republicans just last week, there was talk about a potential coup against John Boehner. But here he is. This is a signature moment of his career. As a proud Catholic, he's very much looking forward to this.

TAPPER: And, Gloria Borger, when the pope addresses the joint session of Congress, the first ever time in history that a pope will have done this. Behind him will be sitting two Catholics, one of them John Boehner, the speaker of the House, and the other one, Vice President Joe Biden the first ever Catholic vice president, and he's also someone who identifies very proudly as a Catholic. Just the other day was talking about his personal -- although not political -- personal opposition to abortion. BORGER: Right. And, you know, before the pope came, Joe Biden

gathered about a dozen Catholic leaders to talk about the pope's upcoming visit -- would you like to listen to John Boehner a little bit? He is nervous here.

And he said the other day in a press conference, that while he disagrees with the pope on certain issue, particularly the cultural issues, climate change. He said, "I am not about to get myself into an arguments with the pope."

TAPPER: Probably wise.

BORGER: That's probably wise.

TAPPER: Donna Brazile, the Catholic vote very significant in this country.

BRAZILE: Very, very significant. It is a swing vote in some states, but in most states, it is a very important vote for Democrats and Republicans.

You know, I've known Boehner for a long time. When he was elected, I was chief of staff for Eleanor Holmes Norton. This is a guy who went to church practically every day when he was a young boy, a young man. This is a major moment for him.

TAPPER: Let's listen in.

REP. JOHN BOEHNER (R-OH), SPEAKER OF THE HOUSE: Your Holiness, welcome.

Glad to -- really glad to be here.

(INAUDIBLE)

[09:20:36] BOEHNER: How are you? Good morning. Good morning.

(INAUDIBLE)

POPE FRANCIS: Thanks so much for the invitation.

BOEHNER: I appreciate it.

(INAUDIBLE)

BLITZER: We're having trouble hearing whether they are saying. But clearly, the man in the middle is the interpreter.

Delia, all of these cardinals with the pope right now. Tell us in general who they are.

GALLAGHER: Well, it is important because you have the cardinal secretary of state, Cardinal Parolin, there just on the pope's left on the screen. Cardinal Wuerl is there, archbishop of Washington. Also the Vatican's foreign minister, Paul Gallagher. So you have a whole contingency from the Vatican who at the same time

as the pope meets with President Obama, they are meeting with the Secretary Kerry and their counterparts at the White House. So also discussion going on with the Vatican elements and the White House.

BLITZER: And, Christiane, that is Statutory Hall where the pope will go after his joint meeting with the Congress. And he'll have an opportunity to see some of those statues and there are some of particular importance to this pope.

KESICKI: Yes. Well two things. In the House chamber there is a graph -- relief of Moses. And so, when he's standing. I've actually had the opportunity to say the prayer in the House of Representatives, and you look straight up and see Moses looking at you. Moses the law giver.

And there's also a relief of Pope Gregory IX who made a contribution to law. And so, he won't be the only image of a pope in the chamber. In the Statutory Hall, we know that there are many statues from various states, including Junipero Serra, whom he canonized yesterday.

BLITZER: It will be a moving moment indeed. We're getting ready to hear the pope address the United States Congress. There you see the huge crowds on Capitol Hill. They are excited and getting ready as well.

Let's take a quick break. Much more of special coverage, "Pope Francis in America", right after this.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[09:28:28] AMANPOUR: Welcome back.

And you are looking at those huge crowds there at the Mall near the U.S. Congress. Massive crowds. People are saying it is something akin to an inauguration -- the excitement there of all the people waiting to see the pope again, waiting to hear his speech to this joint meeting of Congress, again, a historic moment. No other pope has actually done this.

And he in deference and with respect to the American people and to the American lawmakers and all their guests there in Congress will speak in English without a teleprompter. He will presumably read his speech. Again we're really eagerly awaiting this. There's been so much anticipation and so much question about what exactly the pope will say, what tone he will take.

He met the Speaker of the House John Boehner shortly ago when he came in. John Boehner of course, a practicing Catholic, a committed Catholic, very excited to receive pope. He himself extended the invitation to the pope.

And just before this day said, "Look, I'm not here to pick a fight with the pope. Let us let him appeal to our better angel."

So, there you can see the pope surrounded by archbishops and the cardinals. His Italian secretary of state. That is the number two figure in the Vatican.

And if you can see off camera to the right of the picture is the president of the U.S. Conference of Bishops, Catholic bishops. And that is Archbishop Joseph Kurtz, who I had the opportunity to sit down with and talk to last night. And I asked him what was the main agenda for the pope on this visit.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

AMANPOUR: Do you think this pope is a pope who wants to be defined by the culture war so to speak?