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American Morning
Bush Visits the Pope
Aired May 28, 2002 - 10:02 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.
KRIS OSBORN, CNN ANCHOR: Up first on CNN this morning, a meeting at the Vatican and focus on the Roman Catholic Church in the United States, President Bush is meeting this hour with Pope John Paul II and discussing among many things, the sexual abuse scandal that has ensnared a number of priests and engulfed the church itself.
CNN's Kelly Wallace is traveling with the president -- Kelly.
KELLY WALLACE, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Hello to you, Kris. Well, President Bush arrived at the Vatican a short time ago. I believe you are looking a at live pictures right now.
Mr. Bush shaking hands with Pope John Paul II. This is Mr. Bush's second meeting with the pope since taking office. You will recall he met with the pope last summer. And as you said, this meeting coming at an important time. Certainly a time when this there is concern about the pope's very frail health. But also at a time when this blowing sexual abuse scandal is effecting the Catholic Church.
Let's first listen to see if the pope and the president make any comments. It looks like they are escorting reporters and photographers out of the room now. It appears Mr. Bush and the pope will not be making any comments to reporters.
Kris, as you said, the president did tell reporters earlier that he would raise the controversy, the growing sexual abuse scandal involving U.S. priests, with the pope. What was interesting is before the trip to Europe, aides told us they did not expect the president to bring the issue up. But Mr. Bush said he would raise it, and he would listen to what the pope had to say and express his concern about how the scandal could impact the Catholic Church -- Kris.
OSBORN: Well Kelly, as you were talking about it, we were seeing both the pope and president sitting across a table from one another. It is fair to say that bringing up the scandal is certainly a bold move on the part of the administration -- No?
WALLACE: It is, and I can tell you that Vatican officials are not exactly happy about it while welcoming, certainly, the visit by U.S. President Bush -- President Bush and the Vatican, having better relations than between the pope and the Clinton administration. They feel a bit uneasy about the president's raising the issue earlier and that he is expected to raise the issue, certainly the Catholic Church, the Vatican would like this to be handled by church leaders and keep it within the Catholic Church and not raise it to the level it is getting raised.
But it is also interesting, Kris, and worth noting, this administration has aggressively been courting Catholic voters. This president did fairly well with Catholics back in 2000. He and Al Gore essentially split the Catholic vote. Mr. Bush doing better than previous Republican candidates, including his own father. So, if there's a lot of emphasis, courting Catholics, believing they could be very important in 2004.
And with this issue being so important to Catholics in the United States, it does appear that the administration thought the president had to, at least, raise it, and express his concern, but also express his appreciation for what the pope is doing to handle it and uphold the Catholic Church's standing and in the country and the world.
OSBORN: Kelly, also as you mentioned, I understand that the president will also emphasize the importance of the Catholic Church in the United States as part of what you were discussing.
WALLACE: Exactly. And the president saying it is a very important institution and he is concerned about its standing in the United States and around the world. The president also, probably, to talk about issues on which the two men very much agree -- in terms of talk about tensions, how to resolve tensions in the Middle East; the fight against terrorism around the world. The two men definitely agree when it comes to both being against the right to have an abortion. Also the president very much emphasizing his faith-based agenda, allowing religious groups to provide more social services in the United States.
A lot of the meeting, though, it appears, Kris, will be somewhat of a meet and greet. The pope, again, not in very good health. There is concern about that. And there is one other thing that was raised before the trip here. Mr. Bush was asked if he would be inviting the pope to visit ground zero, that the pope expressed an interest in going there. Mr. Bush said it would certainly be up to the pope to travel there. And if he did, the United States would be honored, but said that would really be a decision up to the pope -- Kris.
OSBORN: Kelly, we are watching a handshake, as you speak. Thank you very much for bringing us that live report and narrating the video of this very historic meeting between President Bush and Pope John Paul II. We appreciate it.
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