commentator, a former massachusetts democratic congressman, joe kennedy. congressman, president biden obviously only the second catholic president in u.s. history. the first was your great uncle, president john f. kennedy. so what do you make of the rapport that the two men, the pontiff and the president, seem to have? at one point the president said god love you to the holy father. it s a good thing to say to the holy father. i think that s true, right? so look, i think phil hit it right on. this is obviously a deeply consequential meeting for any president, all the more so for somebody who is a devoted catholic, catholic as president biden is. someone who i think john, as you know, i think as everybody knows has seen more than his fair share of tragedy in his life. and in those trying times turned to his faith to get him through it. and i think when even political opponents of president biden
should be able to receive it. phil mattingly, joe kennedy, congressman, thank you both so much. thank you. more now on two traditions, the one established by john f. kennedy and the other far older one perpetuated by joe biden. cnn s tom foreman explains. reporter: when the first catholic president met pope paul vi tensions were rife. the italians loved john kennedy while conservatives back home wondered if he would bow to religious tradition and kiss the pontiff s ring. kennedy shook hands, and the potential clash vanished. u.s. presidents have been meeting popes for just over a century. each encounter closely watched for friendship and friction. when lyndon johnson and richard nixon discussed the vietnam war in separate meetings with pope paul, the conversations operatoredly grew heated. john paul ii was the first pontiff to visit the white house, wfr he and jimmy carter, a devout protestant, found
you are watching bbc news. i m rich preston. our top stories: pope francis calls for radical decisions at next week s climate change summit in a special message recorded for the bbc. translation: this crisis lays in front of us radical decisions that are not easy. but each hurdle also represents an opportunity that cannot be wasted. ahead of the summit, the pope also held an audience with president biden only the second catholic president in us history. as the row over post brexit fishing rights escalates, france says britain s credibility is on the line. american public drug regulator approves the pfizer buy to covid 19 vaccine for a 20 million children aged 5 11. and thousands of fans gather to mourn the death of the indian
president john f. kennedy. so what do you make of the rapport that the two men, the pontiff and the president, seem to have? at one point the president said god love you to the holy father. it s a good thing to say to the holy father. i think that s true, right? so look, i think phil hit it right on. this is obviously a deeply consequential meeting for any president, all the more so for somebody who is a devoted catholic, catholic as president biden is. someone who i think john, as you know, i think as everybody knows has seen more than his fair share of tragedy in his life. and in those trying times turned to his faith to get him through it. and i think when even political opponents of president biden will say he is a good and decent man. and it is that decency that i think you saw come through today, that you saw connect the holy father and the president of the united states. remember, the holy father when
you are watching bbc news. i m rich preston. our top stories: pope francis calls for radical decisions at next week s climate change summit in a special message recorded for the bbc. translation: this crisis lays in front of us radical decisions that are not easy. but each hurdle also represents an opportunity that cannot be wasted. ahead of the summit, the pope also held an audience with president biden only the second catholic president in us history. as the row over post brexit fishing rights escalates, france says britain s credibility is on the line. american public drug regulator approves the pfizer buy to covid 19 vaccine for a 20 million children aged 5 11. and thousands of fans gather to mourn the death of the indian