including the pandemic, poverty, and the climate crisis. you know, the climate crisis is now at the heart of the biden economic agenda. it is actually where the biggest chunk of money in the $1.7 trillion plan is allocated. there s no question the president and white house are focused on get thing passed after a whirlwind and probably somewhat unfulfilling 24 hours of negotiations on that. it still hangs in the balance. and that might be where at least a big part of the president s mind is even as his motorcade heads to vatican city momentarily. so let s go there. you can see him, chris cuomo, waiting right by st. peter s square. chris. here we are. good to see you, john. good to see you, brianna. it s a very interesting dynamic here. on one level you just have obvious history in terms of president biden being only the second catholic united states president to meet with a sitting pope, right. obviously the first was president kennedy, 1963. controversy then, controversy
nations have in the wake of the pandemic and the effect that had worldwide. so it is going to be a little bit of both when they get behind closed doors. of course we will not see much of this meeting because of how they have curtailed the press coverage of this. typically you would see them going in to meet, saying their hellos and then the press will leave the room. we won t have that moment today of course, chris. great insights. thank you very much, caitlyn. both men were unlikely choices for leadership. now here they are. how can they help each other in this meeting, father beck? well, it s interesting. i think they are both facing similar object ta cals. there is this faction in the catholic church and politically here in the country. in a sense i see them as allies in that. pope francis has been critiqued by right-wing media. he has come back at them for the critique. we have seen great division with the recent election of the country of those who are saying the ele