The Pope is finally here. The Alitalia flight just touched down at Andrews Air Force Base in Maryland. And President Bush, who's not Catholic but claims to be a religious man, personally greeted the Pope on the tarmac, the first time ever this President has ever done so to any world leader.
I wonder if the Pope will meet with Obama, Hillary, and McCain as well. After all, this is an election year. And there are an estimated 70 million Catholics in the U.S., some of whom I would suspect have experienced divorce, practiced sex before marriage, had an abortion, and were (or know someone who have been) abused as a child by the clergy.
I doubt that this Pope will have the same appeal as John Paul II did almost 30 years ago. In any case, what will the Pope's message be? Will he pray for peace? Will he visit a mosque or meet with Muslim leaders during his stay? How's his English? Will he grant an interview to Larry King? Any expectations?
By the way, tomorrow the Pope turns 81. Once asked by Jefferson Morley of The Washington Post, "Is it more insulting to portray Pope Benedict as a Nazi than to portray the Prophet Muhammed as a suicide bomber?"
