Reply #8: I'm going to ask him to be careful.

[CBHagman]

I mean this very, very sincerely. I noticed he traveled in an open car, and being a good baby boomer, I get a sick feeling in the pit of my stomach when I see any major leader travel in an open car (exceptions will be made for the Labor Day parade in Kensington, MD, where all we need worry about are rude Republicans). I do hope he will use a Popemobile or the like.

Of course, when he's meeting small groups, the security concerns are quite different.

As for the cat stories, I was really amused to read the humanizing profile in one of the American papers (Was it the San Francisco Chronicle?), particularly the parts about how he loves cookies and was a friend to the cats who hung out at a particular church.