>> there's no question, we're already behind schedule. he won't be at the white house at the time they said he would be here. we should also mention, maria, there's a little comment going on over the last couple of days about the portion of america -- this very first trip to america, it's really a sliver of the north eastern portion of this nation. he will not have the opportunity, at least during the visit -- we hope there will be future visits -- to see the breadth of this country, just washington, new york and philadelphia. >> that's correct. i had read that he had been thinking at one point of coming in through mexico. and this was a trip that was planned when benedict was the pope. and if he had had his druthers, it would have been in the west. but he' soing where catholicism started in the united states. there's so much admiration for

him. women are hoping that he'll address the role of women in the church. he's said currently that women will not be ordained as priests. but he's talked about the importance of women in the church. obviously others are waiting to hear from him about how they will part of a modern 21st century church. >> we're playing coy here because we've seen a copy of his remarks but we're not allowed to talk about it but we know that he will touch on many of the issues in the news in this country and around the world. >> that's appropriate for him to, as maria said, summon us to be our better self. i think we all have the sense, this is not a particularly glorious moment in american political history. maybe he can summon us to a bit more seriousness, a bit more moral seriousness about her common life. and i think the pope has a very

profound sense of what the united states means to the world. he wants to encourage us to be good role models. >> dud does he get us? >> i think this is going to be a learning experience for him. particularly in terms of the church in the united states. >> it's complex. >> it's complex, multifacetted, a mosaic. but i think will get encouragement from that. >> does it fit the mold that he sees for the church? >> i think this church in america is trying to be what he calls a church permanent's mission. not institutional maintenance. make the institutions the

platform for getting out and enadvantagizing and serving. >> he's now in the fiat, the one that got so much attention over the last 18 hours or so. he has a secret service escort, a formidable secret service escort. this is job one for the secret service right now. by the way, we should just look ahead as he comes to new york in the coming days, he comes at the same time that the u.n. general assembly is in session, the 70th anniversary. 120 of the world leaders will be in new york city along with the pope. almost impossible to even understand what kind of security undertaking that is. i was struck yesterday as i came to washington and went through the streets how empty the streets seemed. i think a lot of people have heeded the warnings and stayed home or gotten out of town or they're teleworking and trying not to jam the major arteries. but it did seem to be a bit of a ghost town in advance of his

visit. >> it occurs to me that while the u.n. is going to address, there may be more heads of state at this one than in any previous occasion because it coincides with the annual opening of the general assembly. >> you mean a lot of people that would have said no thank you are going to say yes, please. >> it won't be simply their ambassador to the u.n. when you were saying does he get us, the united states, there's a lot of people that i think before this pope didn't feel like they could call themselves good catholics. they had left the church. and you hear a lot of them now say, well maybe i can come back. maybe this man understands me. maybe i've gotten divorced. maybe i'm gay.

maybe i have different views on women. and i have a feeling that this man won't judge me. i have a feeling that i can come back. so i think that by his language and what he's emphasizing, a lot of americans do feel that maybe he gets ugs better than previous popes. >> let me ask the controller to put up a map that we have that will show the route that the pope will take to the white house, about three and a half miles long depending on quickly they travel, should take just a matter of minutes. he'll arrive here and be greeted by the president and the first lady and a lot of other dignitaries. peter alexander is with us in washington. i believe he's along the parade route that the pope will take a little later this morning. are you with me? >> yeah, i am. these folks have been streaming in here for five hours now. there were some folks that got her shortly after midnight last night for the opportunity to witness this moment.

only a short time from now, the pope, if he keeps the schedule, should be here for a matter of hours for the parade route after visiting with the president. what really is striking is just the enthusiasm, the energy, the joyfulness that you see in so many of the people here, many of them young, many of them with ailments all here saying whether or not they get touched by the pope physically, they've already felt touched and blessed by this visit. i was struck by some the things that the individuals said today. what's unique about this pope and why we want to be here is because he's accepting of us, he is forgiving and he is like one of us. another man i met a short time ago said to me, when i asked him about it, he said, i was hoping this pope would hear my confession, except unfortunately he's only here for about 48 hours. this is just an energetic crowd, a crowd that is joyful and looking forward to the moment. in terms of the security, because everybody will have gone

through secret service check points. everybody will have been frisked. there will be the opportunity, if the pope so chooses, for him to exit the souped up pope mobile. if he chooses to do that, does choose to greet the crowd in person, the law enforcement individuals that we've spoken to say, it's the pope. what he choose to do goes. matt? >> peter, sit a little like an inaugural parade where the secret service deals with the team and says if you are going to be spontaneous, these are the places we would like for you to be spontaneous at? >> i think it's right. it's been described to us as a mini inauguration recognizing this route not far from where you are, less than a mile long, 200,000 people in total that they anticipate will be here. it's the spontaneity that always

makes the secret sutter agents and others most anxious on days like this. there are counter assault teams, counter terrorism teams that are plain clothes officers in this crowds today to protect against the potential of any threat against the pope itself. there's been no credible or specific threat against the pope. but also to look after the safety of the individuals here. there is just a general positive energy here that is unique really, that i haven't seen on a day like this. so many people singing, they're saying prayers and they're patiently awaiting the pope's arrival. >> we'll check with you many times throughout the morning. the ceremony will take here at the white house. the welcoming ceremony. then the president and the pope will retire to the white house. they'll come out on the south balcony for a while to wave to the crowd. and a little later on they'll take part in the parade that

peter just talked about. we should understand and be able to separate fact from fiction. can you give me an example? >> everyone wants to wrap themselves in this right now. it's the political season in the united states. so all parts of the catholic world are trying to claim him, members of the congress are trying to claim him. my hope is that everyone sichly listens to him, listens to him on his own terms rather than through the filters that we apply here, left, right, republican, democrat. >> is that possible? >> it ought to be. it would be a show of respect

for his office. if he were not made into another political commentary. >> we understand we're two minutes now away from the pope's arrival here at the white house. you will hear a roar from this crowd the first time we see pope francis emerge in the white house that will send chills through our spine. >> i might hear it from me. >> you're supposed to remain professional. >> i will try to contain myself. this is a pope who's emphasized his own listening. i was talking a little bit about about his transformation. he went into that experience as someone who was authoritative and difficult and came out as o someone who wanted to be a listener. we might hear a lot about that theme, he wanted to talk to the america people, listen to them and hoping that we'll listen to him. and i think we're all enriched by listening to one another. i think that's something very

powerful. >> you mentioned 15,000 people gathering here at the white house more this historic event. chris jansing of nbc news is here as well. i think she's in the middle of the crowd. can you hear me? >> i can. i'm actually up above you. people who have covered many administrations say they've rarely seen anything like this. first of all, this is a ceremony that's only reserved for the rare visitor. but as we've talked about, the appeal that is so broad. he has a 74% approval rating among protestants, something all of the politicians who are here in washington would love to have. and i think it also is reflective of what we're going to see today. the pope is somebody who met with the president back in march and the president told him that he is a fan. he is someone who has really had this incredible impact in just

the two years. and he will talk about the things that are on the political agenda here in washington. even if his message isn't meant to be overtly political. and i think it's also worth mentioning that we have six of nine supreme court justices who are catholic. six of the republicans and one democrat who are running for president who are catholic, far more members of congress who are catholic than in the national population. so there are going to be people are listening and looking closely. the other thing i would observe is obviously washington is a place that's not very popular as you look at the polls across the country today. but this pope has brought an energy and excitement. as i was walking along the front line of the crowd, people h had been here for many hours, almost not able to believe their good for chun of being able to get one of these rare tickets. and then of course we'll be listening to closely to the public remarks but what we hear

when they go behind closed doors for 45 minutes. president obama met with the pope in the vatican last year, their meeting went longer than they expected. there is a strong political implication to this, even if the pope wants to be seen as very much a pastoral figure, matt h. >> how do you score a ticket to this? who got invited and who didn't? >> i'm not sure. i suspect a lot of the friends of the president are here. it's his house. i suspect there are members of congress here, diplomatic core. but i wasn't privy to the guest lest. >> there's quite a few nuns over there, i saw some missionaries of charity who worked under mother teresa, member of my own family over there, of course. i took my kids out of school. but i think there's a lot of washington people, there seems

to be quite a wide range of people. a lot of young people. some movie stars as i said earlier, sports people. and the and this is, unlike an inauguration which is a celebration of one party, there seem to be people of different religious here as well. an obviously different parties. >> we were talking, we had the bishop robert barren with us earlier and maria asked him an interesting question. he said there's almost a buddhist quality to pope francis. and i wasn't sure if the bishop knew how to take that. but i think he agreed with you. >> perhaps you can explain to me what you mean. >> his simplicity, the bounds of poverty his feeling of not being attached to worldly possessions. >> i think that was the experience for john paul, ii

too. he ne had a checkbook in his life. his clothes were falling apart. he used to wear those battered old brown loafers. these are men who live from the inside out. you can't really understand them from the outside in. pope francis, if he was woken up this morning at 4 o'clock by those people singing, i'm sure went straight to the chapel and spent a couple of hours in prayer. that's how they charge their human energy is through their ongoing conversation with god. >> she said that washington is not popular now. and clearly there are things about that country that pope francis disagrees but but one thing he agrees with is the vigorous democracy. >> because he hasn't known in in his own. argentina, as i was discussing

in 2012, is in a tragic way. it's one of the 12th wealthiest countries in the world. great people, wonderful clumt, never been able to put it together politically. and for a man who values plurality, difference, i think the pope will see in the united states how different can become serious democratic conversation. >> check in briefly with anne thompson who was on board the plane with the pope from cuba to the united states and i believe joins us this morning from the national shrine. ann good morning to you. >> good morning. pope francis told us a story questioned about a woman who says that pope francis is the anti-pope she claims because he doesn't wear the traditional red shoes that most popes wear. he started laughing.

on the plane he responded to the critics who tried to put him in a box of leftist capitalist box. he said no, if you look at what i've said, he said everything i've said you can trace back to the social doctrine of the church. it's important to remember as we watch these events unfold that we need to take off or political glasses and see these events through spiritual glasses because that's how pope francis approaches this. yes, there are hot button issues, climate change, immigration, that he will address on this trip. but hi approaches them as a pastor, not as a politician. he approaches them as someone who believe that we as people of god have a responsibility to take care of god's creation and we have not done a good job of that. he believes that as people of god we have a responsibility to take care of each other, to help refugees who are suffering.

it's why he's asked every parish in europe to adopt a refugee family to alleviate the crisis. he's look at the issues that we look at from a political standpoint but he sees them from a spear clul standpoint and he's bringing that viewpoint to the united states on this trip. >> thank you very much. he's bringing them on one of the most beautiful days that you could have here in the nation's capital. live at the white house. step ou out on the lawn and see 15,000 people looking back at him. he's see the powerful faces of this country in the seat the areas in front of the podium. he'll take his place along with the president. the president will offer some welcoming remark to the pope and then the pope will stand and speak in english for one of the few times of his visit here to the united states. someone told me of the 18 times we'll hear from the pope over the next six days only three or

four of those occasions will be in english, most will be in spanish. >> the pope english, in my experience, is in fact better than he thinks it is. he's much more comfortable in spanish or italian. and for this reason and to honor the spanish presence in the united states, he'll be speak in spanish. but he understands that addressing them in congress, he has to address them in in a language that most with grapple with. >> we're watching the doorway and we believe that the president was about to come out although i was under the impression that he was going to greet the pope as he drove up to the white house. let's see.

by the way, this ceremony that we're seeing now that seems so extraordinary, you have to remember that the pope gets some version of this in every country he travels to. >> you learn a lot of national anthems. ladies and gentlemen, the president of the united states and mrs. michelle obama. ♪ ♪

>> president obama exiting the white house. ma malia and sasha not with them today. they were lucky enough to be at the st. andrews air force base yesterday when they arrived. >> it's school day. >> i don't think for them it's a school day, george. >> we'll see. >> there are a lot of people in the crowd to our right in the bleacher sections and in the standing sections now stopping and turning and pointing toward the -- i think they believe that prance that is the direction that the pope acy riving from. we have not been told that. there are a lot of people craning their necks to see if they can get a glimpse of that motorcade. >> they're seeing something over

there because everybody's phones are up. i think it is a different entrance. >> actually, here he comes. over to the left now. he's come from the other side. there it is. >> we're watching the president arriving from our left and behind him, about to pull in to your view on the camera will be a security vehicle and then -- right there, and then the pope fiat right behind it. he's now arriving at the white house. >> look at that car.

a bit unfortunate, so many of the people who gathered here around us cannot get a clear view of pope francis at this moment, blocked by his vehicle and blocked by distance. but now he's coming around and they can see him. we're now going to be hearing the national anthem first. >> the national anthem of the holy king followed by the national anthem of the united states.

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♪ ♪ >> we just heard the national anthem of the holy sea and of the united states of america.

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>> the army pipe and drum corps concluding the honors portion of this ceremony. the pope will take his seat and we'll hear from the president of the united states.

good morning! what a beautiful day the lord

has made. holy father, on behalf of michelle and myself, welcome to the white house. [ cheers & applause ] i should explain that our backyard is not typically this crowded, but the size and the spirit of today's gathering is just a small reflection of the deep devotion of some 70 million american catholics. [ cheers & applause ] i reflecks as well the way that your message of love and hope has inspired so many people across our nation and around the world.

so on behalf of the american people, it is my great honor and privilege to welcome you to the united states of america. [ cheers & applause ] today, we mark many firsts. your holiness, you have been celebrated as the first pope from the americas. this is your first visit to the united states, and you are also the first pontiff to share an encyclical through a twitter account. holy father, your visit not only allows us, in some small way, to reciprocate the extraordinary hospitality you extended to me at the vatican last year, it

also reveals how much all americans, from every background and every faith, value the role that the catholic church plays in strengthening america. from my time working in impoverished neighborhoods with the catholic church in chicago, to my travels as president, i've seen firsthand how every single day catholic communities, priests, nuns, and laity are feeding the hungry, healing the sick, sheltering the homeless,

educating our children, and fortify the faith that sustains so many. what is true in america is true around the world. from the busy streets of buenos aires to remote villages in kenya, catholic organizations serve the poor, minister to prisoners, build schools, build homes, operate orphanages and hospitals. and just as the church has stood with those struggling to break the chains of poverty, the church has given voice and hope to those seeking to break the chains of violence and oppression. and yet, i believe the excitement around your visit, holy father, must be attributed not only to your role as pope, but to your unique qualities as a person. [ applause ] in your humility, your embrace

of simplicity, in the gentleness of your words and the generosity of your spirit, we see a living example of jesus' teachings, a leader whose moral authority comes not just through words but also through deeds. [ applause ] you call on all of us, catholic and non-catholic alike, to put the least of these at the center of our concerns. you remind us that in the eyes of god our measure as individuals, and our measure as a society is not determined by

wealth or power or station or celebrity, but by how well we hew to scripture's call to lift up the poor and the marginalized, to stand up for justice and against inequality, and to ensure that every human being is able to live in dignity, because we are all made in the image of god. you remind us that the lord's most powerful message is mercy. that means welcoming the stranger with empathy and a truly open heart, from the refugee who flees war torn lands, to the immigrant who leaves home in search of a better life.

it means showing compassion and love for the marginalized and the outcast, those who have suffered, and those who have caused suffering and seek redemption. you remind us of the costs of war, particularly on the powerless and defenseless, and urge us toward the imperative of peace. holy father, we are grateful for your invaluable support of our new beginning with the cuban people, which holds out the promise -- which holds out the promise of better relations between our countries, greater cooperation across our hemisphere, and a better life for the cuban people. we thank you for your passionate voice against the deadly conflicts that ravage the lives of so many men, women, and

children, and your call for nations to resist the sirens of war and resolve disputes through diplomacy. you remind us that people are only truly free when they can practice their faith freely. here in the united states, we cherish religious liberty. it was the basis for so much of what brought us together. and here in the united states recherish our religious liberty, but around the world at this very moment, children of god, including christians, are targeted and even killed because of their faith. believers are prevented from gathering at their places of worship. the faithful are imprisoned.

churches are destroyed. so we stand with you in defense of religious freedom and interfaith dialogue, knowing that people everywhere must be able to live out their faith free from fear and free from intimidation. and, holy father, you remind us that we have a sacred obligation to protect our planet, god's magnificent gift to us. [ applause ] we support your call to all world leaders to support the communities most vulnerable to a changing climate and to come together to preserve our precious world for future generations.

your holiness, in your words and deeds, you set a profound moral example. and in these gentle but firm reminders of our obligations to god and to one another, you are shaking us out of our complacency. all of us may, at times, experience discomfort, contemplate the distance between how we lead our daily lives and what we know to be true and right. but i believe such discomfort is a blessing, for it points to something better. you shake our conscience from slumber. you call on us to rejoice in good news and give us confidence that we can come together in humility and service, and pursue a world that is more loving, more just, and more free.

here at home and around the world, may our generation heed your call to never remain on the sidelines of this march of living hope. for that great gift of hope, holy father, we thank you, and welcome you, with joy and gratitude, to the united states of america. [ applause ] >> president obama's welcomes remark to pope francis. what comes out for you. >> he said there's a lot of excitement because he's the pope but also because of who he is as a person. and said that the pope is a living example of jesus' teaching. so true. and that he is an example to all of us of different faiths. let's listen.

>> good morning. mr. president, thank you for your welcome. i'm happy to be a guest in this count country. i look forward to these days of encounter and dialogue in which i hope to listen to and share many of the hopes and dreams of

the american people. during my visit i will address congress where i hope to offer words of encouragement to those who guide the nation's political f future. meeting families and is celebrate institutions and their families in this moment in the history of power.

[ applause ] mr. president, american catholics are committed to building a society which is inclusive. so individuals and communities, rejecting any form of injustice and discrimination. [ applause ] they are likewise concerned, society, respect their deepest

concern and their religious liberty. [ applause ] the freedom is one of america's precious protections. and the united states has reminded us all to be vigilant, precisely as good citizens and freedom from everything that would threaten or compromise it. [ applause ] mr. president, i am finding that

you're proposing an initiative for reducing air pollution. [ applause ] it seems clear to me that it is a problem and we can no longer be left to our future generations. [ applause ] we are living at a critical moment of history. we still have time to make the change needed to bring about

sustainable and integral change was we know that things can change. [ applause not only of the kind of world that we may be leaving for our children wu but also for the millions of people living under our system which has overlooked them. it cries out to heaven and which today powerfully strives, our

homes, our citizens, our society, the reverend martin luther king, we can say that we have it on a promissory note and now is the time to honor it. [ applause ] we know the creator never abandons us. they have the ability to work together in building our common

home. we wish to commit ourselves to the responsibility. mr. president, therefore we can be made to mend and open doors to cooperation along the path of reconciliation, justice and freedom. i would like all men and women

in this great nation to support the effort of the international community to protect the vulnerable in our world and to stimulate and be inclusive models of development. [ applause ] so our brothers and sisters everywhere may know the blessings of peace and prosperity which god wills for

all his children. mr. president, once again, i thank you for your welcome and look forward to these days in your country. god bless america [ applause ] >> pope francis addresses the crowd in english. he's not comfortable using that language, george. what stood out to you? >> he really made an effort to speak to us. i'm struck that by in in addition to the things we expected the two of them to talk about more or less at the same time, both hit the note of religion. that's going to be a large part of their private time. >> we're going to hear the choir before the two men, the pope and

the president retire to the white house for a few minutes, then come out on the south balcony and then they'll have a meeting in 45 minutes in private after that. let's listen. ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪

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♪ ♪ >> the choir of washington, d.c., the song is total phrase, appropriate for the moment that the pope and the president look on. george, i'll ask you to continue your thought about both men addressing the concept of religious freedom. >> the other thing that struck me, matt, in addition to that commonality was the pope is asking us to resist what you might call the tyranny of the unchangeable. some things just are the way they are. he doesn't accept that. he wants us to think through the

possibility of change across the board in our society. people respect life at all stages, people care for each other, more effective role -- >> welcome back. you've just watched pope francis's first address on u.s. soil to 15,000 plus people on the south lawn of the white house there. the pope bringing messages of hope, reunification and no discrimination in this country. >> it's been amazing to watch. now he'll go back into the white house and meet with proum much further. we'll continue our coverage on the today show coming up in moment. but let's get you updated. >> it will be another nice day. right now temperature are in the midwest 50s across the area. today, slightly warmer in spots for some areas. 74 degrees in the east bay, san francisco 67 degrees, 76 in the

peninsula and the south bay today up to 28 degrees, 80 in the north bay and a breezy light wind as we go into the afternoon, going hour by hour in oakland. expect the temperatures in the 60s and rising to the mid 70s. we'll have warmer air moving in by the end of the week. let's check in with mike for traffic. >> westbound 92, we had a crash on the approach to the toll plaza. things are smoother but still a slow drive. let's look at your map. we have the build traditional for hayward south 880, a crash on the shoulder maying your drive toward the san ma te'o bridge a little tougher. a nice build for that area. bay bridge, not much of a concern, a crash on the shoulder and one northbound 280 or just before you get there. we have activity on the shoulder there. northbound routes start to build

for san jose, 887, a big concern. guys i'm going to send it back to you because we have the breaking news, an amber alert. the bay area has an amber alert going on this morning. looking for the 2015 gray toyota tacoma pickup truck. the missing child, five-year-old boy jake seal. the suspect is a white male adult. we're working to get you more information and bring you updates throughout the today show in just minutes. it was a heavenly day out there for pope francis. we know he's going to hear more about his address. he's going to be speaking to congress tomorrow in english. >> a man of many languages as well. we'll continue to follow that as we give you live pictures from the white house this morning. the pope actually in the white house right now as the ceremony

that just concluded wrapping up. >> now he's ditching the fiat and going into the pope mobile to go around the streets of washington, d.c. we're going to leave was with these final images right now. >> have a great morning. ♪ here they are! [ cheers & applause ] you're looking at president obama and mrs. obama and pope francis on the south balcony of the white house. the president and first lady have just welcomed the pope to this country for the first time in his life. george weigel joins us here and maria shriver both commented on the need for religious freedom