Bush To Explore Common Ground With Pope

Talks With Pope Benedict XVI Will Center On Areas Of Agreement, White House Says

(CBS/AP)  The get-together by President George W. Bush and Pope Benedict XVI is the 25th meeting between a Roman Catholic pope and a U.S. president, sessions that span 89 years, five pontiffs and 11 American leaders.

These two leaders share much common ground, particularly in opposing abortion, gay marriage and embryonic stem cell research. But there are plenty of differences.

They disagree over the war in Iraq, the death penalty and the U.S. trade embargo against Cuba. Benedict also speaks for environmental protection and social welfare in ways that often run counter to Bush policies. And the pontiff told reporters on his plane that he planned to bring up immigration policy with Mr. Bush during their private Oval Office meeting. Benedict has talked forcefully in the past about the damage caused by punitive immigration laws.

Perino said Mr. Bush would focus on areas of agreement, such as on expanding religious tolerance and containing violent extremism. She said shared concerns for Africa and Lebanon would be on the president's agenda.

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Watch live coverage of the Pope's visit to the White House at 10:30 a.m. ET.

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Perino predicted that Iraq would not "dominate the conversation in any way." If it comes up, it's likely to be focused almost exclusively on the fears of the Christian minority in Muslim-majority Iraq, she said.

Another topic that will get cursory attention, if any, is the clergy sex abuse scandal that continues to devastate the American church. Perino called it not "necessarily on the president's top priorities" for the meeting.

The scandal has cost the church $2 billion in settlements, a moral crisis that became a fiscal crisis. A crisis Benedict is now addressing, reports CBS News correspondent Jeff Glor.

Benedict chose to talk on the topic on his flight to the United States. Answering questions submitted to and selected by Vatican officials in advance, Benedict said he was "deeply ashamed" by the scandal and "will do everything possible to heal this wound."

Aside from holding talks, Mr. Bush has quite a birthday present for Benedict: at least 9,000 excited guests gathered on the White House's South Lawn for a 21-gun salute, a famed soprano's rendition of "The Lord's Prayer" and an emotional presidential welcome.

The pontiff turns 81 on Wednesday, the first full day of his first trip to the United States as leader of the world's Roman Catholics. He'll spend most of the day at the White House, only the second pope to do so and the first in 29 years.

In remarks during pomp-filled festivities that have had Washington aflutter for days, Mr. Bush was to tell the pontiff and the crowd how glad America is to have him visit - and to tell Americans they should listen to his words.

"He will hear from the president that America and the world need to hear his message that God is love, that human life is sacred, that we all must be guided by common moral law, and that we have responsibilities to care for our brothers and sisters in need, at home and across the world," Perino said.

On the way from Rome on Tuesday, Benedict said he was looking forward to meeting a "great people and a great church" during his first papal journey to the United States. The six-day trip to Washington and New York City coincides not just with his birthday, but the three-year anniversary of his ascendance to the Catholic church's top position. Nurturing the U.S. flock is a sensitive and important mission for Benedict at a time not just of ongoing scandal but also of his campaign to tamp down secularism and re-ignite faith.

No pope has been to the United States since the case of a Boston serial molester triggered a crisis that spread throughout the U.S. and beyond in 2002. Benedict's prayer service with U.S. bishops on Wednesday night at the Basilica of the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception will be watched closely for how he addresses the issue. Because of the prayer service, the pope was not planning to attend a dinner in his honor at the White House.

Mr. Bush has courted the Catholic vote, about a quarter of the U.S. electorate, since his first presidential campaign, with some success. But though Mr. Bush has no more campaigns to run now, he is laying out the red carpet for the pontiff.

The president kicked off the unprecedented series of events by motoring to Andrews Air Force Base just outside Washington on Tuesday to meet Benedict's plane, something he's never done for any leader. The pontiff received a screaming, cheering reception befitting a rock star from the hundreds of Catholic students and others who filled bleachers on the tarmac while Mr. Bush, accompanied by his wife, Laura, and daughter Jenna, assumed the unusual role of second fiddle.

Wednesday's South Lawn audience for the pope's arrival, filled out by members of the Knights of Columbus and Boy Scouts and Girl Scouts, is expected to be the largest of Mr. Bush's presidency and among the largest ever at the White House. So many people have been invited, in fact, that many will only be able to see Mr. Bush and Benedict on a large television screen.

Soprano Kathleen Battle has been enlisted to sing "The Lord's Prayer" - a decision the White House defended as appropriate despite the overt insertion of religion into a public event. "I think we've struck the right balance," Perino said. "Many people across America and across the world say that prayer in order to provide themselves comfort and confidence in getting their day started."

[DaveGress]

Bush should seek out advice from someone with a logical brain instead of one with a fantasy brain. This guy believes in angels!

Hey GWB - try making this country first tier again. We''ve become a 2nd world country under your weak leadership. Here''s a clue: angels aren''t the answer.

[formrusmcsgt]

"These two leaders share much common ground..."

Agreed.

They are both out of touch and could care less about anything other than their own respective agendas.

[nwihoosier]

Peace and Love
Hey jarhead what evidence do you have to back up your opinion? I don''t follow the pope, but it gets really old reading unsupported statements after every news story. Put up or shut up, jarhead! Facts not opinion, jarhead. Do something nice for someone today.
Peace and Love

[htboy08]

Bush is not having sh**! The tax payers are.We are probably paying for his alcoholic daughters wedding to.This country dosent have the money to party.Hell,i cant even afford one,WHO CAN??

[mudrose-2009]

Does that involve turning the implicated priests over to the authorities for investigation / prosecution?

Posted by hungry1968

They are already serving time.

[venkata4--2008]

So with tax payers money party with 9000 guests. How about including Islam Imams, Jewish Rabbis & Dailailama too. If this Prez. wants this party let him use his own personal money, not tax payers.

[barbaraf4]

Bush wants us to listen to what the Pope has to say? Bush is a moron who loves any opportunity to walk on a red carpet and get his picture taken - especially with a world leader.

As for angels, I would believe in them too if I could look back and see my life as one big bail out by dad and his friends. Everything has come way to easy to this simpleton. That is why he does not hesitate to screw* up everything he touches. Bigger and better simply appears and he can go on to his next fiasco.

[antoniof123]

So with tax payers money party with 9000 guests. How about including Islam Imams, Jewish Rabbis & Dailailama too. If this Prez. wants this party let him use his own personal money, not tax payers.

Posted by venkata4 at 09:06 AM : Apr 16, 2008

Don''t you know that is how the family value fiscal party of god operates. They lie then lie somemore and the simply minded followers beleive them.

Bail outs for the rich they can''t handle it if they lose money. But we regular folks they don''t care as long as we support the rich on our backs. America if you vote Republican this year don''t cry on anyones shoulder you deserve what you get. They have screwed us enough and if you haven''t figured out by now you never will.

[pollroller1]

I wonder if they will invite some young boys to the party. hahahaha

[usmcvn2]

" Knights of Columbus and Boy Scouts"

I wonder how many Boy Scouts will be forced to give
blow*jobs to these creeps.

[liberalme]

I hear the Pope is interested in Bushs trick of seeing someones soul.
They could be a team, Bush sees a soul and the Pope will save it! Sort of like Laurel and Hardy!

[mrmazerati]

Perhaps His Holiness will get George to change his mind about a few things. Although I doubt it.

[oscarez]

I wonder if Pope Benedict XVI will be able to get down on Georges level! The Pope will be laughing all the way back to Rome.

[leftyintexas]

The Catholic church and DOOFUS together. The Church already has a bad image problem, and they have just made it worse. The Pope and the Church are centuries behind in their doctrines and thinking. Until they change, they will decline further. Doofus is the last person they should be seen with.

[mudrose-2009]

What could they possibly have in common with bush being anti-Christ?
Posted by rharrin1

Well, it seems like Effendi Snob-oma wouldn''t have much in common with Benedict. Apparently he''s all for unfetted partial birth abortion - after all he wouldn''t want to punish he''s daughters for getting pregnant with a baby. He''d also have to dispel this feeling that guns and god are desperate attempts by the people to grasp the hardships of his make believe gulag. Let''s see what else he would be able to discuss with Benedict. Stem cell research, cloning? Homosexual marriage and moral relativism? Yea, I can see Effendi Snob-oma the Socialist Elitist Marxist Democrat/Progressive/Whatever discussing everything under the sun with Benedict and then some. Don''t you?

[dorlockt]

Until they change, they will decline further.

Posted by leftyintexas at 09:49 AM : Apr 16, 2008

Declining? That''s a laugh! What kind of change did you have in mind?

[joyous88]

Common Ground?

Ah! Bush must mean the commonality of wanting to enslave the entire population of the earth for you own
greed driven purposes.

Have every woman mother a new and fanatical catholic
conservative, a mindless christian to vote a pay taxes for the benefit of the wealthy few.

Ah Yes! They have something in common all right,

a couple of greed driven criminals working together

at last.

[mudrose-2009]

$2 billion; the vatican is one of the richest institutions in the world. Buch/Cheney profiteered $2 billion in the Iraqi war (Halliburton/KBR & no-bid contracts) and still making money off the
[un]employed (5.1%) of the American taxpayers.
Posted by zoe2006

How much do the Mullahs get for running the Madrassas? How much do you think the Arabs give for the Wasabbi schools? How much to the people of the middle east get in sharing the wealth of the Emirs?

Gee, if only Catholicism had the same drive as the Muslims when it came to defending the faith - the "Kill" factor.

[dorlockt]

with bush being anti-Christ?

Posted by rharrin1 at 09:42 AM : Apr 16, 2008

Yeah, that makes a lot of sense. Islam is the antichrist!

[joyous88]

Imagine the mindless christians standing in line

for a chance to view the ancient pope with his new

boy, the american president,

Bush wants to feel the power of fake popularity

[joyous88]

bigjer2008

you almost got it right, but it is not just Islam

Religion is the anti-christ

and a mindless christian is no more dangerous and ruthless than a mindless muslim

they are both easy prey for the parasites amoung us

parasites like Bush and the Pope

[dorlockt]

- the "Kill" factor.

Posted by mudrose at 09:55 AM : Apr 16, 2008

If only the kill factor were the worst of it. Most muslim invaders don''t even give their victims the dignity of a swift death.

Libs love ''em!

[crater7]

IMAGINE THAT!!

BUSH MEETING WITH THE POPE, SEEKING COMMON GROUND GROUND. OF COURSE, BUSH THINKS HE HAS COMMON GROUND WITH THE POPE, AS HE IS THE SELF PROCLAIMED WORLDS GREATEST PEACEMAKER, AND CHOSEN BY GOD HIMSELF TO LEAD THIS COUNTRY INTO "THE WORLDS GREATEST MILITARY BLUNEDR OF ALL TIME."

ONE CAN ONLY WONDER, IF HE IS SEEKING SUPPORT OR REDEMPTION FOR SENDING OVER 4,000 AMERICAN TROOPS TO DIE FOR HIS " OIL FOR BLOOD WAR."

GOD "BLESS" AMERICA. NOT "G D" AMERICA.

[mudrose-2009]

Imagine the mindless christians standing in line

for a chance to view the ancient pope with his new

boy, the american president,

Bush wants to feel the power of fake popularity

Posted by joyous88

He doesn''t have to feel it, it''s his. Unfortunately for people like you, mindlessness is your ability to pick candidates that live in imaginey gulags and preach Marxist/Stalinist secularism and you all mindlessly nod, yeah, hmmm, like the Trinity Church choir.

[dorlockt]

Religion is the anti-christ

and a mindless christian is no more dangerous and ruthless than a mindless muslim

Posted by joyous88 at 09:59 AM : Apr 16, 2008


That makes even less sense. Please explain how honoring and worshipping Christ himself, is the anti-Christ, as opposed to Islam that wants nothing more than to abolish Christianity, and bring about hell on earth.

I''d say agnosticism is closer fit IMHO.

[mudrose-2009]

Ecclesiastes 3

A Time for Everything

1 To every thing there is a season, and a time to every purpose under the heaven:

2 a time to be born, and a time to die; a time to plant, and a time to pluck up that which is planted;

3 a time to kill, and a time to heal; a time to break down, and a time to build up;

4 a time to weep, and a time to laugh; a time to mourn, and a time to dance;

5 a time to cast away stones, and a time to gather stones together; a time to embrace, and a time to refrain from embracing;

6 a time to get, and a time to lose; a time to keep, and a time to cast away;

7 a time to rend, and a time to sew; a time to keep silence, and a time to speak;

8 a time to love, and a time to hate; a time of war, and a time of peace.

[dorlockt]

LEAD THIS COUNTRY INTO "THE WORLDS GREATEST MILITARY BLUNEDR OF ALL TIME."

Posted by crater7 at 10:01 AM : Apr 16, 2008

LOL! You don''t know much about military history...

[mudrose-2009]

Posted by mudrose at 09:55 AM : Apr 16, 2008

THE ARABS HAVE A VAST OIL WEALTH and MONOPOLY (except that Russia, has monopolized the EU, read "Economist"). Dubai is the richest country in the world!
--------------------------------
-------------

That''''s way Halliburton/KBR, Carlyl Group moved their companies (other than to evade and avoid prosecution for financial abuse and accountability in Iraq; over charging the taxpayers)
Posted by zoe2006

Companies moved out of American because the Democrats love to tax business. When business is squeezed enough they pack up and pick up and take their jobs with them. Corporate taxes kill corporations who then kill labor. Wise up.

[dorlockt]

That''''s way Halliburton/KBR, Carlyl Group moved their companies (other than to evade and avoid prosecution for financial abuse and accountability in Iraq; over charging the taxpayers)

Posted by zoe2006 at 10:05 AM : Apr 16, 2008

Yeah right! Prove it already, or move on, Michael Moore fanboi.

I wanna see bank account transactions.

[mudrose-2009]

- the "Kill" factor.

Posted by mudrose at 09:55 AM : Apr 16, 2008

If only the kill factor were the worst of it. Most muslim invaders don''''t even give their victims the dignity of a swift death.

Libs love ''''em!

Posted by bigjer2008

Amen.

[joyous88]

you people honor and worship bush ,the pope, and the dollar;

mindless christians voted for bush and this criminal war

millions of people are dead or destroyed because of your votes

your god must therefore be false

in fact , if your god were true as you say, there would

be no need for you to sit on these blogs and try to sell
him
like he was a used car

[hotpaulie]

Hey mudrose...how do you pay for wars without taxing businesses?

[hotpaulie]

Abortion is bad, very bad.
Pre-emptive strikes on a country resulting in a horrific war, not so bad.

[mudrose-2009]

Hey mudrose...how do you pay for wars without taxing businesses?
Posted by hotpaulie

How do you pay for universal healthcare and housing crises? How do you pay for abortion? How do you pay for Planned Parenthood?

[mudrose-2009]

Abortion is bad, very bad.
Pre-emptive strikes on a country resulting in a horrific war, not so bad.
Posted by hotpaulie

Parse the difference dolt?

[mudrose-2009]

Mudrose:Go back on Lithium and Depacote for your Bi-Polar disorder and I''''ll stay on Prozac and xanax and let''''s both pray you never meet the people you tick off.

Posted by labombaOH

What are those drugs for sport? I imagine they enable you to form a sentence?

[marcodele]

Hey muddy, the government doesn''t pay for abortions.
Too bad your mother didn''t have at least one.

[mudrose-2009]

Hey muddy, the government doesn''''t pay for abortions.
Too bad your mother didn''''t have at least one.

Posted by Marcodele

Oh yes we do. It''s called PLANNED PARENTHOOD. Your buddies, Pewlosi et al are very staunch supporters of Planned Parenthood. Who''s the dumbo that likes annual reports, check their annual reports.

[dorlockt]

Moron, look at the ANNUAL REPORT these companies put out. Their addresses are in Dubai; its all over the financials. Go back into your coffin -

Posted by zoe2006 at 10:14 AM : Apr 16, 2008

Yeah, that''s what I thought....you just get your DailyKoK and you''re happy.

[venkata4--2008]

"How do you pay for universal healthcare and housing crises? How do you pay for abortion? How do you pay for Planned Parenthood?

Posted by mudrose at 10:17 AM : Apr 16, 2008"

Total prescriptions cost for last year estimated at 270 billions compared to this war which directly cost a trillion. Which also caused 2 million Iraqi refugies, estimated 650,000 Iraqis dead ( source Johns
Hopkins) . In the mean time our internal debt risen to all time high of 9 trillion. Debt servicing estimated at billions per year for our children grand children to pay. Do not forget 4000 + soldiers dead for an un just, illegal war and 31000 injured soldiers. According to Harvard economics professor war is going to cost 3 trillions including veterans care.

[dorlockt]

there is no anti-christ. Just nasty, ugly people, i.e., Sudanese genocide against the people in Dafar; Robert Mugabe and his brutality in Zambabwe; Somalia, completely destablized and its people used to terrorize the Dafar refugees - the environmental destruction; the polar icecaps melting (see before & after pictures) - ALL THIS IS DONE BY MAN!

Posted by zoe2006 at 10:10 AM : Apr 16, 2008

This argument screams, Islam, Islam, Islam! Although you must have already known this. LOL!

[mudrose-2009]

Posted by mudrose at 10:17 AM : Apr 16, 2008

Get out of my personal life and everyone elses. Your religious nut cases, think you can dictate other peoples lives.

If there was good sexx education, abortion would not be an issue, except rape and when the mother''''s life is in danger. Too bad your mama didn''''t abort you, probably because the procedure was too dangerous. It was illegal and you had to use a hangar or go underground to a dirty doctor and she didn''''t want to die that way. Abortions are free in Europe and Israel (yes, abortion is legal in Israel and has been for over 40 years)

Posted by zoe2006

It''s been legal here too for over 40 years. Ya know that Constitution that all you little freaks like to quote Bush always violates, well, Abortion in America was the first violation against the Constitution. It was a right that was created by the Supreme Court - a right that is not in the Constitution. And that right was given to us by the Supreme Court that the Democrats appointed to it. So get the fkk out of our lives your secular faries.

[singingrick]

So-called "conservatives" believe that life is sacred right up until birth. Then it''s ok to let children die in poverty. It''s also ok to invade a country that poses no threat and kill thousands of people for profit.

[mudrose-2009]

Total prescriptions cost for last year estimated at 270 billions compared to this war which directly cost a trillion. Which also caused 2 million Iraqi refugies, estimated 650,000 Iraqis dead ( source Johns
Hopkins) . In the mean time our internal debt risen to all time high of 9 trillion. Debt servicing estimated at billions per year for our children grand children to pay. Do not forget 4000 + soldiers dead for an un just, illegal war and 31000 injured soldiers. According to Harvard economics professor war is going to cost 3 trillions including veterans care.
Posted by venkata4

We allot for military spending. The rest Congress votes so they can tax the ***** outta us. And you sit there and b/itch. Surge worked - oops! Next b/itch was the benchmarks - 12 of 18 benchmarks met - oops. Let''s see we''re running outta excuses - oops yes it the cost. Running outta excuses.

[dorlockt]

the polar icecaps melting (see before & after pictures) - ALL THIS IS DONE BY MAN!


LOL! I just saw this little tidbit stuck in at the end. No ones debating that we''ve been coming out of the an ice age for the past 13,000 years. Glad you finally noticed.

Talk about religious nutjobs - The Almighty Church of Gore.

[lindaredtail]

Extremism in all of its forms is dangerous to the security of the world. There are extremists in every faith. Does anyone believe that a faith that believes that a great war will come, only those who believe a particular way will be saved, everyone else destroyed. That 3/4 of the Jewish people on earth will perish and 1/4 will convert and be saved is a peaceful religion. What I described is the tenets of many branches of fundamentalist Christianity. Moderation and reason need to prevail in our society. We all need to reject extremism in all of its forms whether you call it the Apocolypse (Christianity) or the Mother of all Battles/the Clash of Cultures (Islam) We need reasonable leaders in power capable of defusing situations though defending us if necessary. It is not rightful to take your personal belief system, bring it into the government arena and make it public policy. I didn''t volunteer to participate in the End Times. I still believe that we can find a way to make the earth a great place to live and progress.

[leftyintexas]

Declining? That''''s a laugh! What kind of change did you have in mind?

Posted by bigjer2008 at 09:54 AM : Apr 16, 2008

STEM CELL RESEARCH for one. BIRTH CONTROL for another. PRO CHOICE for still another. CONDEMMING THE INVASION OF IRAQ for one more. Until recently THE CATHOLIC CHURCH believed the sun revolved around the Earth. This sounds like DOOFUS''S theory on global warming! Got any more?

[mudrose-2009]

So-called "conservatives" believe that life is sacred right up until birth. Then it''''s ok to let children die in poverty. It''''s also ok to invade a country that poses no threat and kill thousands of people for profit.

Socialist/Democrats/Progressives/Marxist/Stalinists/Whatevers, believe that America is comprised of gulags. They live in their Marxist/Stalinists history books and imagine that America is the Europe of the 40s. Living in their little fantasy gulags they intend to impose it on the rest of us as they fight their imaginey class and religious warfare. Aren''t they impressive?

[mudrose-2009]

Talk about religious nutjobs - The Almighty Church of Gore.
Posted by bigjer2008

Sir Bore also no longer lets the press in at any of his paid for speeches to those stupid enough to attend his Green Gas Conferences.

[mudrose-2009]

Environmentally friendly fuels may make drivers in the U.S. feel greener, but a report out of the United Nations reveals one dark side to going green. According to the U.N.''s Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), the demand for biofuel--particularly ethanol--is creating a crop shortage that''s resulting in a deadly famine for many of the world''s less fortunate. The U.N. estimates that the amount of corn it takes to fill a 50-liter car tank with ethanol is enough to feed a child for an entire year. America is already devoting 18 percent of its grain to ethanol production, and other countries are following our lead. Food prices are up, and the number of Third-World families that can afford to eat is down. In effect, this paranoia over global warming is leading to global hunger, a crisis far more destructive--and credible--than climate change. Despite what Al Gore says, this prescription for "solving" a climate problem (which scientists have yet to confirm) is not only expensive but also deadly.

Al Bore''s contribution to Society.