Rev. - Pope 'more forceful' on poverty

WAS OBSERVED IN ACCORDANCE WITH APPLYING THE LAW. >> JOINING ME NOW, REVEREND JAMES MARTIN. HE'S ALSO AUTHOR OF "JESUS, A PILGRIMAGE." THANK YOU FOR JOINING ME. >> MY PLEASURE. >> IN LOOKING AT THE RAPPORT OF THE PRESIDENT AND THE POPE, THEY SEEM TO BE GETTING ALONG WELL. IS THIS THE BEGINNING OF A LONG FRIENDSHIP? >> WELL, I WOULD HOPE SO. THEY WERE ALL SMILES AFTERWARDS AND THE POPE SAID I REALLY FEEL THAT YOU SHOULD FEEL AT HOME HERE. I THINK IT'S A START OF A GOOD RELATIONSHIP. >> ONE OF THE GIFTS THAT THE POPE GAVE THE PRESIDENT WAS HIS APOSTOLIC AND THAT BOOK WAS FAMOUS FOR CRITICIZED WESTERN CAPITALISM. DO YOU THINK THAT KIND OF TOPIC CAME UP AND DO YOU THINK THERE MIGHT HAVE BEEN A MESSAGE IN THAT GIFT? >> I THINK IT'S A GENERAL GIFT TO GIVE HIM. IT'S NOT SURPRISING HE WOULD GET THAT. BUT CERTAINLY POVERTY CAME UP IN TERMS OF IMMIGRATION REFORM. THOSE ARE GENERALLY POOR PEOPLE AND HUMAN TRAFFICKING AGAIN. THE POPE IS, INTERESTINGLY, MUCH MORE FORCEFUL ABOUT INCOME INEQUALITIES THAN PRESIDENT OBAMA IS. SO IF ANYONE IS KIND OF TAKING THE LEAD ON POVERTY, IT'S THE POPE HERE. >> LET'S TALK FOR A MOMENT ABOUT THE POPULARITY, IF WE CAN. IF YOU LOOK AT FRANCIS' POLLS, THEY ARE GREAT. 89% APPROVAL RATING AMONG CATHOLICS. THAT IS ALMOST DOUBLE PRESIDENT OBAMA'S APPROVAL RATING HERE AT HOME. DO YOU THINK HE'S TRYING TO GET A LITTLE BIT OF THE AURA OF THE POPE BY MEETING WITH HIM AND BEING SEEN WITH HIM? >> HE MIGHT. IT'S LOGICAL THAT THE PRESIDENT WOULD WANT TO MEET WITH THE POPE AND POPES HAVE BEEN MEETING WITH WORLD LEADERS SO I THINK IT'S MORE OF A COURTESY VISIT. YEAH, IT WOULDN'T HELP OBAMA TO GET A LITTLE OF THE FRANCIS EFFECT. HOWEVER, I'M NOT SURE THAT FRANCIS WANTS THE OBAMA EFFECT. >> I WANT TO READ YOU A LETTER THAT'S IN "THE NEW YORK TIMES" TODAY. IT'S CATHOLICS FOR CHOICE. POPE FRANCIS IS OUR SPIRITUAL LEADER BUT NOT OUR POLITICAL LEADER. FRANCIS' INTERPRETATION OF CHURCH TEACHINGS DOES NOT REPRESENT THAT OF THE MAJORITY OF CATHOLICS, ESPECIALLY ON ISSUES RELATED TO SEXUALITY AND PRO PRODUCTIVE HEALTH AND FAMILY LIFE. THEY MAY HAVE A POINT. 50% SAY THAT THE CHURCH SHOULD RECOGNIZE SAME-SEX MARRIAGE. DOES THE PRESIDENT HAVE THE BACKING OF AMERICAN CATHOLICS ON THESE ISSUES WHICH HE MIGHT HAVE BROUGHT UP OR THAT GET INTO A DISCUSSION WITH THE POPE TODAY? >> FIRST OF ALL, CATHOLICS FOR A FREE CHOICE IS A FRINGE GROUP. I'D AVOID DRAWING CONCLUSIONS BASED ON THAT. ON THE BASICS, THE CATHOLICS ARE WITH THE POPE. THE GOSPEL, CHRIST IS RISEN, THEY ARE RIGHT WITH THE POPE