We reported that Joe Biden had met Pope Francis yesterday.
However, the press was denied access to live coverage. Even the Vatican — which was going to broadcast the meeting and usually broadcasts such meetings with foreign leaders — decided against it. Later, they provided video edited for the press.
Some journalists were upset by their being cut.
Fox News
Washington Times White House reporter Jeff Murdock fumed the summit was an “embarrassment for the freedom of the press” and took a shot at White House press secretary Jen Psaki.
“Today’s Biden-Pope Francis summit is an embarrassment for the freedom of the press,” he wrote. “[Psaki] dodged questions about press access and then meekly hid behind the Vatican, throwing up her hands with a “don’t blame us” attitude.”
Even the Washington Post’s reporter covering Biden was upset.
The press access for the pope-Biden meeting is dreadful. We’ll see Biden arrive and then… nothing. The Vatican yesterday abruptly cut plans for the press to be there for the initial greeting and pleasantries.
— Chico Harlan (@chicoharlan) October 29, 2021
There was speculation as to why they were cut out, including that perhaps that Biden’s handlers didn’t want any gaffes with the approach to be caught on video. As we noted, though, even with the edited video they released, they still showed Joe rambling at the Pope and even confusing his translator at one point.
But then this enabled Biden to cast the meeting any way he wanted. He did exactly that — claiming that they didn’t talk about abortion, that the Pope told him that he was “a good Catholic” who “should keep receiving Communion.”
ICYMI: “We just talked about the fact that he was happy I’m a good Catholic. I should keep receiving Communion,” Biden said on his conversation Friday with Pope Francis https://t.co/UGVbSdE3tT pic.twitter.com/WXExpkPLZH
— Bloomberg Quicktake (@Quicktake) October 30, 2021
When asked if they discussed the U.S. Conference of Bishops –a reference to criticism of Biden for his support for abortion from some American bishops — Biden then claimed that was a “private conversation.”
Does anyone actually believe this characterization by Biden — the man who can’t stop lying and telling debunked stories? He often mischaracterizes situations in order to get his political benefits. Get real!
So, if there was a “private conversation” about the Conference, that would suggest there was a discussion. This comment seems like Biden is contradicting himself. What, then, did they discuss, if he claimed they didn’t discuss abortion?
Biden is trying to cite the Pope in his battle with the American bishops and that’s pretty low, because whatever the Pope actually said to him, one of the few things the Pope is very un-liberal about is abortion. The Pope would not allow Biden to cut off Communion. However, he isn’t a supporter of abortion. While I believe he may not bring it up at such short notice, I don’t think he would be able to ignore the American bishops. I doubt he would even say what Biden claimed.
It seems just like many other stories that Biden tells to pump himself up that are not true, and I’d really love to see a take from the Pope on this.
Also, does someone want to tell Joe that supporting abortion and lying a lot tend to be frowned upon, generally, by Catholicism, not exactly making one “a good Catholic,” even if you publicly go to church every Sunday?
But, while I doubt that Biden is accurately characterizing what the Pope said to him, he did get the CNN seal of approval — even after the press was cut out of the meeting. CNN described him the “most devout U.S. leader in decades.” Devout, if devout means violating basic principles of the Church.
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