Bernie Sanders Says He Met Pope Francis at the Vatican

[grossproffit]

Bernie Sanders has confirmed to ABC News that he met with Pope Francis early Saturday morning at the Vatican.

Sanders is overseas attending a conference on social, economic and environmental issues hosted by the Pontifical Academy of Social Sciences.

The Democratic presidential hopeful tells ABC News he met with the Pontiff at his residence, Casa Santa Marta. He says he told the Pontiff how much he admires his work on behalf of the poor, and his efforts to combat inequality across the globe.

Sanders told ABC News there is a "radiance" about the Pope Francis, and described him as a "beautiful man."

http://abcnews.go.com/US/bernie-sanders-met-pope-francis/story?id=38444250

[beam me up scottie]

1. Uh oh. If true Camp Weathervane isn't going to like this...

[eShirl]

3. If the Pope isn't under their bus yet,

this should do it.

[beam me up scottie]

9. Oh my dog heads are gonna explode...

[Maru Kitteh]

100. Now that we know it was a "handshake and nothing more"

[Onlooker]

2. Did he meet with him to talk about the homophobic and anti-abortion views of the Church? n/t

[eShirl]

7. Right on cue. n/t

[2pooped2pop]

53. I know, right.

[beam me up scottie]

8. Looks like he mentioned his differences with the pope on women's and lgbt rights to someone:

Bernie Sanders Meets Pope Francis During Visit to Vatican City

Democratic presidential hopeful Bernie Sanders met with Pope Francis in the Vatican on Saturday, calling the short visit an "honor and joy."

"Today certainly was the highlight of the trip," Sanders told NBC News of his 6 a.m. (midnight ET) meeting with the pontiff outside the papal residence's breakfast room.

Sanders was in the Vatican to attend a gathering about social justice and economic issues. Pope Francis later flew to the Greek island of Lesbos to highlight the plight of migrants and refugees struggling to get into Europe.

Sanders, who would be the first Jewish U.S. president, has acknowledged he disagrees with the Catholic Church's teachings on some social issues, such as gay marriage, but also praised Pope Francis for "injecting a moral consequence into the economy."

http://www.nbcnews.com/news/world/bernie-sander-meets-pope-francis-during-visit-vatican-city-n556991

Of course that's not surprising since the first thing he did at Liberty University was to speak up for is:

And let me start off by acknowledging what I think all of you already know. And that is the views that many here at Liberty University have and I, on a number of important issues, are very, very different. I believe in a woman's rights....

And the right of a woman to control her own body.

I believe gay rights and gay marriage.

Something Hillary forgot to do when she went to Rick Warren's Saddleback church, of course back then she was in agreement with him about marriage equality.

[delrem]

15. Oh, they hated his speaking at Liberty University even more than this!

They think that everyone is forever fixed in amber, in their "identifiable groups" to be vilified or exulted forever, or until the next campaign requires "an evolution in values ™"
The only group they really care about is Wall St., and winners like the Kardashians and the Clooneys.

[beam me up scottie]

17. They were sure he was going to pander to the bigots but he didn't, he stood up for us.

And he even got applause from the audience.

[delrem]

18. Absolutely correct! It was perhaps one of the greatest speeches I've ever listened to.

[Dragonfli]

22. See my post # 20, they are outraged at the lack of ourage directed at the Pope by Sanders

http://www.democraticunderground.com/12511750318#post20

It's the meme of the night, and will likely be the meme of the week.

[beam me up scottie]

24. Exactly, and he ACCOSTED the poor unsuspecting pope! #berniesoevil

Best to roll with it, enjoy the wailing and gnashing of teeth. It will be epic.

[RashaMZak]

11. This agnostic homo would appreciate not being tokenized.

I don't like the Catholic Church much, nor it's influence in my life on delaying my coming out. But I can still deeply respect Pope Francis' commitment to economic justice, climate change, and the environment, reasons Sanders went over there in the first place. Not to play the identity politics shame game. Nothing's ever good enough for you people unless Secretary Clinton does it instead.

[bjo59]

12. Unless Secretary Clinton does it instead. ... you said a mouthful and are completely correct.

[Puglover]

84. Well said.

What tiny little worlds some folks must live in. Everything has to be a zero sum game.

And this is coming from a married agnostic old homo that lives in a conservative Latin American country. While my marriage is not recognized here my husband and I have received nothing but acceptance, love and kindness. I suppose however I should hate everyone because Ecuador doesn't have marriage equality.

[northernsouthern]

27. Boom!

First they came for the church and they it under the bus and I said nothing...

Then they came for the pope and threw him under the bus and I said nothing...

And then they came for me, but stopped because their candidates was arrested for multiple charges from money laundering and other financial irregularities.

Boom! Boom!

[Tanuki]

29. Who was arrested? I must have missed a big story!

[northernsouthern]

34. You know a joke doesn't work when you have to explain it...

Last edited Sat Apr 16, 2016, 07:29 AM - Edit history (2)

Well I actually think that is not true, I think it is even funnier when I get to explain them.I was doing a play on that classic poem by Martin...

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/First_they_came_...
It is used in the political world very often, and used by the right wing ironically to claim the socialist are coming for them, when they in fact are far closer to the Nazis than socialist are.

So then I changed the wording to fit the narrative that the HRC crew has been trowing more and more of the church under the bus. But that was not the punchline. I then set it up for the classic they are coming for me but no one was left to stand up for me. But I placed a twist inferring their candidate Hillary was so corrupt and got arrested on some other random charges which derailed their attempt to throw me under the bus. This was fictional of course, and no one was literally thrown under a bus, that would illegal and could result in death. Because this twist is not expected your brain reacts in a predictable form of laughter.

So there you have it. I can do a diagram if you like.

(not trying to be rude just so overtly sarcastic you find it humorous)

[Tanuki]

35. I am well aware of the historical context. That was not my question. I asked who had been

arrested. Eventually you got to the answer: nobody.

[northernsouthern]

37. You know the best part.

You read the whole thing...you fell in to the power of my horrible longwinded joke for nothing...

[2pooped2pop]

54. Understand much?

I guess not. Oh Hillary supporter. That explains it.

[Tanuki]

57. Oh, I understood it all right. I just wanted the poster to acknowledge it as a cheap

attempt at a smear, and that the truth of the matter is that the implied arrest has not taken place, and never will.

[2pooped2pop]

74. Lol, faux outrage much?

[Bluenorthwest]

90. When 'the come for' a minority group, it's not always about arrest. It's beatings and arson and

murder as well. It's also about laws targeting minorities and we see many of those being foisted as well. Those laws if implemented will deliver the arrests you long for.

[Tanuki]

93. If you read the last line of the post I responded to, you would not make a perverse claim that

I "long for" those arrests. The "arrest" in question was "their candidates was arrested for multiple charges from money laundering and other financial irregularities." For you to try to insinuate that objecting to that is in any way "longing for" beatings, arsons, murders or arrests of minorities or anyone else is extremely offensive and over the top, as well as slanderous.

[mainer]

42. Well, I laughed

Some folks have no sense of humor.

[Bluenorthwest]

89. Bernie tends to do exactly that in religious settings, Hillary tends to do the opposite, she panders

to the bigoted views.

You and all others can compare Bernie's address to Liberty University to Hillary's address to Rick Warren's Saddleback Church at the two following links. I assume you will not dare to look as the compare and contrast strongly favors Bernie Sanders....

Bernie at Liberty:
https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/the-fix/wp/2015/09/14/bernie-sanders-liberty-university-speech-annotated/

Hillary at Saddleback:
http://www.presidency.ucsb.edu/ws/?pid=77080

[Tanuki]

92. Did this bother you at all?

http://www.democraticunderground.com/12511476394

[R B Garr]

104. Good point. I've seen people excoriated here for even mentioning the Pope or the Vatican

because of its archaic stances on those civil right issues, but now that Bernie wants to use the Catholic church for his campaign ends, all of a sudden it's all okay that the Church discriminates.

Obviously Bernie's political fortunes and image are the main concern here. When will I ever learn that Bernie is the No. 1 priority for us lowly American voters. All other campaign "issues" are to be overlooked to prop up his image.

[pat_k]

4. Thanks for the news!

[Joob]

6. I hope there's a photo, they won't believe anything, and even then.. denial...but cool beans

[pat_k]

10. "met privately"

I'm guessing no photos.

Oh well.

[Tanuki]

16. I'm guessing he found out where and when the Pope has breakfast and ambushed him

"6 a.m. (midnight ET) meeting with the pontiff outside the papal residence's breakfast room."
Oh well.

[beam me up scottie]

19. LOLOLOL! Because there's no security at the Vatican! They'll let anyone "ambush" the pope!

[Tanuki]

21. He was reportedly accompanied by Monsignor Sarondo, who is an insider and who worked

with Sanders campaign advisor Jeff Sachs to orchestrate his appearance at the conference.

[beam me up scottie]

23. And? You think the pope can be ambushed against his will?

Oh I am going to love love love this, the pretzel logic, the spin, the attributing of sinister motives by teh evul Bernie... cue dramatic organ music!

The poor pope was ACCOSTED by the despicable Snidely Whipla...I mean Bernie Sanders!

[Tanuki]

25. "outside the breakfast room at 6:00"

Make of that what you will.

[beam me up scottie]

26. "Vatican source said the meeting was not a chance encounter and had been planned."

Bernie Sanders meets privately with Pope Francis

[riderinthestorm]

31. OT but that gif never fails to get a huge guffaw every time you post it

Its just damn funny...

(Today is going to be so much fun to watch...)

[beam me up scottie]

32. Oh my friend yes it will, I fear they may break DU today.

The tears, they could short out all those nice new servers.

[Autumn]

66. Love that, it made my morning

[Puglover]

85. OMG

That is perfect!

It is going to be such a fun day on teh DU!

[Autumn]

71. You know that palace has guards? One doesn't just get to wonder around like one does in

Lloyd Blankfein's vault.

[longship]

101. Bernie was staying at the fucking Papal residence!

So it was more or less inevitable that they would cross paths. PLUS! Bernie was informed that if he rose early he would have an opportunity to meet privately and briefly with Pope Francis.

That is exactly what happened.

And BTW, a little finch DID land on his podium in Oregan.

BIRDIE, BIRDIE SANDERS!!!
Pffffftpt!

And yes, the Pope passed the word that he wanted to meet Bernie.

Get off your fucking Hillary fainting couches and get over it.

[riderinthestorm]

13. No way would Bernie lie @ this. The Vatican would smack that down immediately nt

[beam me up scottie]

14. NBC and CNN are reporting there was a meeting.

Since it was private there won't be pictures or video.

[Tanuki]

39. Not even a selfie?

Here's an idea for you....run to another thread and breathlessly complain that "some yahoo" had the nerve to ask if there was a selfie!

[beam me up scottie]

41. The pope isn't Kim Kardashian and Bernie's not Hillary.

How's that crow taste?

[Tanuki]

43. What crow? I seem to have hit a nerve with you by pointing out that the 6 a.m.

encounter outside the breakfast room wasn't what one usually thinks of as a papal audience.




Btw, both Bernie and the other his holiness do selfies all the time.




?1432247335






?itok=6wmgD5qh

[beam me up scottie]

44. Yes I know, the meaning of the word private escapes you: no pictures allowed.

Under Vatican rules there were no photographs of the meeting because it took place at the papal residence, Briggs said.

A source inside the Vatican, speaking on condition of anonymity, also confirmed the meeting.

"It was a private meeting and was not supposed to become public," the source said. "It had been planned for, and it happened."

https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/post-politics/wp/2016/04/16/italian-media-sanders-met-privately-with-pope-francis/

[polly7]

46. Bon appétit!

[Dragonfli]

20. No, the meme is that Sanders was negligent because rather than agreeing with his shared goals

Regarding a moral and just economy and concern for the poor as well as their agreement that climate change is a dangerous man made reality that threatens all life on earth and must be addressed.

He was acting improperly because he didn't spend his time there screaming obscenities as the Pontiff regarding the churches antiquated views on some social issue that the Church and Sanders disagree on.

When you meet they pope, they believe, one should show hatred and toss insults at him, therefore, Sanders is an evil man that does not understand proper diplomatic behavior regarding meeting the pope, they contend that a true states-person like Clinton would have treated Pope Francis as an evil dictator worthy of scorn, confrontation and derision.

Understandable as many Clinton supporters do idolize money and eschew economic morality and since the pontiff insulted their God (money) they are quite outraged on the stances he has taken regarding their golden calf and the sacrifice of a living world and it's inhabitants their God demands must be feed to their Demi-God the fossil fuel industry (an important part of their idol pantheon) in order for it to obtain it's billions as tribute.


I couldn't make this up on my own, variations of this appear to be the meme of the night and will likely be the meme of the week.
They are a hateful and strange lot full of greed and dislike of economic ethics or morality.

[msanthrope]

28. This Pope met with Kim Davis and Bernie Sanders. Interesting, how he likes to play

in American politics.

[karynnj]

33. He also met with the Obamas, the Bidens, and John and Teresa Kerry

Why would he not meet with Sanders?

[riderinthestorm]

38. The Catholic Church has ALWAYS played international politics

The guy who arranged the Kim Davis photo op was forced out.

Bishop Sorondo got the nod from the Pope himself to meet Bernie.

I think the Pope is sending a pretty clear message.

[George II]

87. Well, in a manner of speaking - Kim Davis was thrust upon him unwittingly and....

...the Sanders entourage basically manipulated a "chance" meeting with the Pope by conveniently staying at the same hotel where the Pope is living.

This isn't going over well with Catholics in New York.

[MFM008]

30. Things are crazy here

If he met with him good for him. This place is turning into the Daily Caller with all this HRC hate.

[karynnj]

36. This did not have to be made political and it was the HRC people who did that

Ever since it was announced that Bernie was going to an academic conference on a topic that is intrinsic to who he is, there has been consternation. Think of all the attacks. He invited himself, then questioning if he would speak, then mocking that it was just 10 minutes, then saying the Pope was going out of his way not to meet him. Why was this necessay?

All the whole ignoring that he was staying in the Vatican. I would assume that the Pope, who personally helped the US open relations with South America was like his friend happy for an American leader willing to meet with the South American leaders there.

Just like other powerful people, whether they are the Obamas or the Clintons, the Pope controls who he meets.

[geek tragedy]

48. so DUers forced Bernie Sanders to brag about the meeting

with the Pope and use him as a political football?

[karynnj]

59. This is crazy. It is a big deal for someone to meet the Pope

Bernie did not brag about meeting the Pope, he spoke about the Pope and what it meant to him.

I remember both Kerry and Biden saying similar things when they met the Pope and it had nothing to do with politics.

I have seen posts here when people met either Clinton and were impressed.

[geek tragedy]

67. Did they use campaign funds to fly campaign reporters

to Italy so those reporters would cover the story?

[beam me up scottie]

77. LOL! You guys are making this even more fun with every post.

[Bluenorthwest]

91. You could find lots of verbiage to adopt from the Republicans' tantrum over Obama's trip to Berlin

as candidate. They were all about the massive expense (it was very costly) and words like 'ego' and 'celebrity' and 'cult of personality'. That rally cost nearly a million bucks and Berlin did not produce it, the campaign produced it. In Berlin.

[grossproffit]

40. Yep.

[beam me up scottie]

49. Aww, that crow not agreeing with you?

[mainer]

60. They're choking on Birdie Sanders

Not going down well.

[beam me up scottie]

65. LOL! Well played!

[GeorgiaPeanuts]

83. LOL

Reading is fundamental!!!!

[NurseJackie]

50. I can do that too. Did you know that I met with Carol Burnett several years ago.

This was before the age of selfies and even before digital photography, but, I "met with" her at LAX.

TRUE STORY!

Want the real details? I spotted someone that I thought looked like her, so I moved in to get a closer look, and it WAS her. I kept staring at her and she spotted me staring and I said "You're Carol Burnett, aren't you?" She said "Yes I am, what's your name?" So we shook hands and I told her how much I enjoyed her show (which was still on the air at the time.) She thanked me and said she had to leave. I said I hoped she had a nice flight, and she said "You too." --- That was it. Not even an autograph. (Sigh.)

[2pooped2pop]

63. Difference is no one gives a shit if you did or did not meet her or anyone else.

[Tarc]

47. Like passing off a conference attendance as "an invitation by the Pope"

It's more likely that a wave while walking down the hall is now "a meeting".

Edit - Oh my, Sanders managed to "bump into the pope" in the foyer. Yea, that wasn't staged at all....

[2pooped2pop]

55. Just can't stand it can you?

Lol. Hillarians are hilarious.

[Tarc]

56. We call out lies and exaggerations when we see them

Y'all give us quite a workout.

[2pooped2pop]

61. You call out lies and exaggerations when you see them, yet support the biggest liar in politics?

You guys really don't get irony do you?

[Tarc]

64. No, I do not support Sanders, the biggest liar in politics

Do try to keep up.

[2pooped2pop]

68. See what I mean?

You guys and your jealousy is making my fucking day. You go ahead and keep it up.

[beam me up scottie]

70. It's hilarious, isn't it?

[2pooped2pop]

72. Yes, I've been laughing hard this morning at them.

Its hard not too.

[Tarc]

73. As long as you try to spin a 5-minute ambush in a foyer as "an audience with the Pope"

Sure thing, kid.

[2pooped2pop]

76. But that makes it five minutes longer than Hillary's meeting.

[Tarc]

78. Since she spent time here raising funds to beat Sanders, and eventually the GOP

I'm fine with that.

Congrats on your 10,000-mile trip for 2nd place, kid.

[Human101948]

82. She spent time sucking up to hedge fund managers for big, big money donations...

and they will be repaid if she makes it to the White House. You, on the other hand, will be on the outside looking in and wondering why nothing changes.

As the saying goes, the rich get richer and the poor get poorer.

[2pooped2pop]

96. So sorry, I didn't go.

but Hillary was shilling for more from the rich. She never will learn. She is a person who is incapable of making good decisions. She would be more dangerous than Bush was as POTUS. She scares the fuck out of me in the respect.

[passiveporcupine]

98. never heard of a prearranged ambush before.

[stonecutter357]

75. +1000

[Contrary1]

58. Yes they are.

[randome]

62. It was Pope Francis' glow-in-the-dark cross that was the 'radiance' Sanders thought he saw.

[hr][font color="blue"][center]I'm always right. When I'm wrong I admit it.
So then I'm right about being wrong.[/center][/font][hr]

[DrDan]

51. I read somewhere that Bernie suggested they go for a walk on the Tiber . . .

[randome]

52. Did he look like this?

[hr][font color="blue"][center]I'm always right. When I'm wrong I admit it.
So then I'm right about being wrong.[/center][/font][hr]

[LuvLoogie]

69. Good for Bernie. The Pope is a nice guy.

We'll see how this plays out this week.

[72DejaVu]

79. Bernie Battles The Establishment!

By, um, schmoozing the Vatican.

[beam me up scottie]

80. ...

[George II]

81. Pope Francis has chosen to live in a small room at a hotel rather than...

....the customary residence in the Vatican.

The Sanders entourage conveniently stayed at the same hotel (even though Jane told Andrea Mitchell they were getting back on the plane as soon as the speech was over).

Note to the Sanders campaign: when you get back to New York today you're going to find that this has backfired - many Catholics in New York are offended by this whole scenario.

[beam me up scottie]

86. HRUMPF!! OFFENDED I SAY!!!

[Bluenorthwest]

88. The building is not 'a hotel' it is Domus Sanctae Marthae or St Martha's House and it functions as

guest house to visiting clergy and exists specifically to house the College of Cardinals when they are all called to Rome. A person can't stay there by choice or for convenience, the Vatican must extend an invitation for you to stay at St Martha's. During the times of WW2, St Martha's housed refugees, many of them Jewish. The Papal summer home at Castel Gandolfo also housed a large number of refugees at that time. St Martha's is run by the Daughters of Charity of Saint Vincent de Paul.

St Martha's is protected by Swiss Guard and is not accessible to visitors.

[George II]

94. This is the news report of the encounter:

http://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2016/apr/16/bernie-sanders-meets-pope-francis-at-the-vatican

"Sanders and his wife, Jane, stayed overnight at the papal residence, in the Domus Santa Marta hotel in the Vatican gardens, on the same floor as the pope, and were spotted at the hotel reception carrying their own bags.

Dr Jeffrey Sachs, a Sanders foreign policy adviser and adviser to the UN on climate change, said there were no photographs taken of the meeting.

He said the couple met Pope Francis in the foyer of the hotel as he was leaving for Greece. The meeting lasted about five minutes, Sachs said."

[George II]

95. And now, as reported on CNN minutes ago, the REAL story about the "meeting"!

(and also documented at the link below)

This happened about 4:00 AM - Pope Francis' EXACT words:

“This morning as I was leaving, Senator Sanders was there,” Francis said. “He knew I was coming out at that time, and he had the kindness to greet me.”

“When I came down, he introduced himself, I greeted him with a handshake, and nothing more,” the pope added. “It’s common courtesy, this is called common courtesy.

So much for a five-minute "meeting" and Sanders chatting with him!



http://www.cruxnow.com/church/2016/04/16/pope-francis-calls-sanders-greeting-only-common-courtesy/

[Lucinda]

97. Geez...

This just keeps getting worse!

[uponit7771]

99. Sachs is now trying to say the meeting was prearranged... no one believes Sanders camp caused they'v

... lied before about this type of stuff

[George II]

103. Looking at the Pope's comments, he wasn't expecting Sanders' et. al. to be in the lobby that early.

[lumberjack_jeff]

105. Of course it was prearranged. That's what "he had the courtesy to greet me" means. n/t

[gordyfl]

102. Consulting With Higher Powers

Bernie Sanders and Hillary Clinton spent the day thousands of miles away from New York consulting with higher powers.

Dinner and a Selfie for $33,000.