can't blame the messenger. not today and not tomorrow. let's play hard ball. >> good evening. you want to get a message across send the right messenger. be careful you don't attack the messenger. today it came in beautiful pictures. louis armstrong singing it's a wonderful world. everybody responding. the weather glistened. the president giggled and the crowds were biblical. pope francis arooived and then out came the words as softly as announcer or as a commentator. on income and equality, freedom of religion.

one hot button after another pounding their way. just in time to set up the big address to the u.s. congress tomorrow. afterwards they held a private meeting for 40 minutes this morning and then the pope paraded from the white house waving to the thousands of supporters lining the streets of d.c. stopping for the security detail to bring babies and children to receive his blessing. the security risks were abundant. he celebrated mass for thousands of people he also canonized the spanish priest who founded missions in california in the 1700s. the first time a saint has been canonized on american soil. the politics are what republicans and democrats heard today. pope francis went for the hot

stuff beginning as personal advocate for immigrants. as the son of an immigrant family i am happy to be a guest in this country which was largely built of such families. >> pope francis also talked about climate change and air pollution. >> the urgency, it seems clear to me, also, that climate change is a problem we can no longer be left to a future generation. he said climate change had a harsh effect. he did say martin luther king jr.

>> the face of the reverend martin luther king we can say that we have defaulted on our promissory note and now is the time to honor it. >> backing up the country's catholic bishops the pope talked about the right to religious liberty calling one of america's most precious possessions. i am joined by special anchor, huffington post director and thank you all for joining. it's great to have you on the show. thank you for this coming from the kennedy family it is stunning to hear from you and because you are a working kennedy and always have been. you have covered everything. i don't think i have seen a day like this.

>> i think it was so inspirational. it was so hopeful and one of the few times i felt growing up in this city or being at something that didn't feel partisan. it felt american with all its different facets. it felt international and american. it felt moving. it felt aspirational. you felt that the president was moved and happy and excited and kind of showing off with his backyard and everything. you got a sense of look at what we have. and great deal of respect. it felt very respectful and very moving. it was really i found it incredibly inspirational. >> i have come to love and chose to live here. everybody is proud. usually spring days. today was like a spring day. the city like come see our house.

here thunderstorm president, a cool customer. michelle obama was really smiling. it seemed like they were just like kids. >> the way i viewed it and i have lived here for a long time, too, is that this power was occupied by the armys of faith. you had a lot of things happening today. i am jewish. you have the muslims starting very important holiday tonight. you have the pope here. it's as though all of the usual concerns of washington amid the beautiful weather were put aside by the charm and the message of this man who, by the way, is a fantastic politician. he has a theme. his theme is our common home. everything comes under that. immigration, income equality, climate change and freedom of religion and the conception.

all of it under one theme embodied by a man with a smile. anybody who wants to lead in any realm of life, politics or anything else can study what this man did in this city today. >> the cuomo rule, a little lecture, but leaving them feeling like you can do this thing. >> i don't think people feel he is lecturing them. i think his tone, his shift of language. >> you realize how soft his voice was? >> he seemed to be making an effort to speak in english. >> i think if you back up to pick up what howard said people feel better about him than they do about the church at large, absolutely. our polls show that that they feel like their values match up with him.

they appreciate that he says who am i to judge. he is asking people to come back. he feels inclusive, that he is leading with issues of social justice and poverty and not condemning people if you have been divorced or gay, engaged in premarital sex. it used to be growing up if you did any of these things you were going down stairs. if you did you felt so ashamed. >> you don't mean nuns. >> i think they are the best. your thoughts. i just think the nuns weren't there today. it was a completely man world. >> today? >> the male structure in the catholic church vivid martial arts display. all bishops, everybody in the political power here. the trumpeters. i thought since the catholic church is run day to day by the nuns doing real work of teaching and keeping schools together in

tough neighborhoods they didn't get a lot of attention today. >> i will give you that. i think that might have been the one demerit to what was a really grand celebration. i think for a church that has had its issues this was the best of what the catholic church can be, just the beauty of that gorgeous church, this mass was so serene and beautiful. this was the church at its best. there is a line of peace that says goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life. this is a man that embodied goodness and mercy. i think he is a warrior really. he is a warrior for goodness and for mercy. and i think that is a beautiful thing. this made me really compelled by the church again. he forces you to listen because he speaks so softly. i think it is so significant. this is a latin american man

speaking with that accent as an immigrant to a country where immigrants are really under duress right now and being targeted by bigotry. i think that in and of itself was so moving and really wonderful. >> he started that way bringing up immigrant background as son of immigrants coming from italy. it is interesting that the president pronounced the capital of argentina with a very spanish accent. he just said buenas aires. >> 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 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. >> we live in a world where people's religions are being questioned by political people. >> that was one of my favorite parts of the whole speech and got a rousing applause when he said this gathering has something to do with you being pope but much more to do with you as a person. i think this last at the canonization mass talked about everybody urging people to give themselves away in service because that is how you experience the gospel and that you have to fight against apathy. and i think he challenges all of us on the small things as well to treat our neighbors with kindness, with joy and compassion, not with apathy. when he talks about global

warming he gives you concrete things you can do in your own home. i think particularly about turning to your neighbor, being aware of the suffering. he has spoken about his own suffering, his own challenges. i think that makes him very human for when he talks about that he himself has struggled. then you feel like he's more like me. >> the little car. i think -- i'm sorry, but pictures say a thousand words. he shows up in a fiat. it was a small car and here is a guy you are used to limos pulling up to the white house. this little italian car. this guy gets out like a thousand clowns getting out of a little car. this is the message we will remember a year from now, not the words but the fiat. >> the fiat is awesome. you get the sense he would just want to put on sweats and do his whole thing.

he is auch a casual down to earth person that the idea that he is the figure of christ in the words of church but this common man who wants to be common. he wants to be ordinary and doesn't want the ostentatious stuff. he wants to be an ordinary man and touch people and talk to people and bless people as he walked which i'm sure the security team it was driving them insane that he wanted to talk and touch people. make no mistake about it this is a man not afraid to weigh into controversial topics, right in washington but does it with a soft touch and gentleness and ordinariness it is compelling. >> his real genius is his ability to connect the personal with the global and the moral with the political. that car and the pope mobility that he had with open sides you

remember the phrase that they used during the iraq war we are going to up armor everything. he down armored. >> it's dangerous, though. >> he is about taking off the armor of the self and the selfishness of society because we all live in one common home. that is his theme. >> what grabbed me was the tactile nature. these guys were grabbing him. one guy wouldn't let go of him. he didn't mind. >> everybody that i have talked to that has known him and watched him said he actually wasn't like that before he became pope and that he has talked to people about feeling a grace that came over him when he became pope that he is now much more demonstrousive and talked movingly about his time when he was exiled. >> that's the second city of argentina. >> he was sent there because his style of leadership --

>> last question to you, how do people know they can touch him? i can't imagine somebody touching benedict. reaching out and grabbing him with complete impugnity. >> people just want to hug this man. they feel like he understands their struggles and suffering. >> there were a couple going along pushing people out of the way. >> he reaches out to them. that is his metaphor. >> i am so proud of my city today and the reception they gave the pope. i hope he says he likes us. i think the city was at its best today. maybe he will be back. >> he is bringing me back. >> the old boyfriend kind of thing, maybe i will go back. thank you. it's a treat having you here. coming up, where are the women? we have seen pope francis surrounded by cardinals and bishops.

where are the nuns? we delve into the role of women in the catholic church. what issues will the pontiff address in his speech before joint meeting of congress tomorrow. i hope it is in partisan. turning to the presidential campaign we have to do it. donald trump takes the signature off the table. he doesn't want to discuss president obama's birth place. who is going to request that? who will let him get away with that and not ask is the president the president or illegal immigrant? reasonable question to start with. guess who is surging in a new poll of democrats. it's not hillary clinton. it's joe biden. he is really surging. this is "hardball," the place for politics.

a new poll shows pontiff with 64% favorable rating.

we see if that number changes after his address to congress tomorrow because he is going to say things that matter to people. we will be right back. life of now

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for my time working in poverished neighborhoods to my travels as president i have seen first-hand how every single day catholic communities, priests, nuns feeding the hungry, healing the sick, sheltering the homeless, educating our children and fortifying the faith that sustain so many. >> and that is all true. that was president obama welcoming pope francis to the white house this morning acknowledging the hard work of

nuns in the united states who work tirelessly for the needy in mind, body and spirit. that is all true. on the center stage of the south lawn it was a sea of black. absent was signs of american nuns. the holy father said mass filled with bishops of the church all front pews. it is true pope francis changed the tone about some women's issues in the church including those who have had abortion but for some catholics looking for a real change there has been some disappointment. early in papacy when asked whether women should become priests francis said the church has spoken and said no. joining us now sister campbell and both of my guests were on the south lawn this morning for the white house ceremony. first of all, thank you for joining us. thank you for your work.

just tell me what your feelings are about watching it all today, what you saw and what you didn't see and wish you had? >> i was so touched by pope francis's candor in immediately going to the issue of immigration and the issue of climate and including the economic crisis in our times on the lawn at the white house. i thought his presence was really a powerful statement and one of the things that i enjoy most was watching president obama sit on basically the edge of his chair leaning forward hearing every word that pope francis said. that was so hopeful. when i saw the picture of the cathedral with all of the bishops in very neat rows it kind of took my breath away and made me think we have so far to come when everyone gets invited into leadership and all can hear and be pastoral.

i know so many of my sisters serve pastoral roles yet couldn't be there. >> i know you see women playing a much larger role. here is the question. in the united states we were a little slow. we had emancipation in the 1860s during the war and then civil war and then the 15th amendment to legally bring black freedom and the right to vote. women finally got it after world war i because of suffrage. why did that work and this isn't working? i will be very personal here. could it be men have to be encouraged to open the door to equality by women and wives probably played a big role and since these guys don't have wives nobody is pushing them to do the obvious which is women can do almost everything a man can do. i'm not getting into who is physical. on the spiritual stuff please tell me the big difference. there isn't any. there is equality and why can't the women have a role that men

play. women are better dealing with people than men. more sympathetic and understanding and they get along with each other. men want to fight to see the bosses. >> we do get along better. i think that is a lot of it. i think they are so insulated. they have mothers and sisters and yet they have resisted the calls. i was so struck today. i had the honor to walk in with a group of nuns from the bus. that was beautiful. but i had the same reaction when i saw that all male hierarchy. >> the men are in the periphery. they showed after the pope left the embassy today that was all beautifully done. then if you kept watching our network you saw these very humble nuns come out cleaning the place up and make the food. that's fine. that is all they are allowed to

do. that is the weird part. your thoughts? >> when you look at the leadership we provided we are able to take the gospel to where it wouldn't be otherwise. all the other people we meet along the road so many of them are not churched, are not connected to church but that we can be in touch with them. i think as a catholic sister i have a tremendous freedom to be in relationship that spiritual leadership relationship without ordination. >> you can be a figure. >> absolutely. >> you know how the word churched used to be used? which of you wants to remind us how bad it was. you had a body and had to go to church and be cleansed. >> and to be unchurched was a terrible thing. so i am sister means that -- >> if you had a baby you were unclean and had to go to church to be cleansed for having had a

baby. >> i love this pope. i respect him and admire him. as he is listening i hope he listens to the voices of women who found it so painful, so hurtful to hear one of the first things out of his mouth say no i'm absolutely closing the door to this. >> i think he should open it at least to married couples. not just former episcopalen priests. we can use nice families running the church. you are very nice and very thoughtful and also very patient. coming up, pope francis heads to capitol hill tomorrow. what will his message be? i will speak with a great guy, senator from pennsylvania next. this is "hardball" place for politics. skrch... skrch... what are you doing? i just gotta scrape the rest of the food off them. ew. dish issues? cascade platinum powers through this brownie mess

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on many familiar themes of his papacy calling for action on climate change and says millions of people have been overlooked and quoting martin luther king. >> such change demands on our part a serious and responsibility not only of the kind of the role we may be leading to our children but also to the millions of people living under our system which has overlooked them. the face of reverend martin luther king we can say that we have defaulted on our promissory note and now is the time to honor it.

>> many thinking what the pope might say. tomorrow members of both parties will assemble for the joint meeting of congress. joining me now bob casey of pennsylvania. senator, thank you. i think i heard every word as if coming out of the mouth of casey. i thought this was pure catholicism. most sounded progressive. your thoughts? >> it's really an inspiration to hear the message from the holy father to focus on such central issues like climate change, wages and lifting up the poor. it was just a preview of tomorrow maybe. it was really enlightening and really inspiring. and one song that keeps coming back to me every time i think about the kind of pope he has been but the idea of being a servant we have heard in our church servant leaders as a lot of people in washington that probably emphasize the leader

word. this guy really gives new meaning and really is a personification of that kind of service. >> when you talk to republican members i'm sure you do i'm just wondering how is it going to be? is this going to be an embarrassing night like some people stand up on one side of the aisle and then reversed? are we going to see some of that or a coordination and a symphony of positive reaction, i should say? what are we going to see tomorrow? >> i think it will be very affirmative. i think he will affirmative and probably will gently if not aggressively challenge both parties. that's good. but in terms of our decorum we have to make sure we don't do tomorrow what happens at the state of the union. no one should be standing up. if you don't want to clap you don't have to. no one should be treating it like a pep rally. should have the dignity and

decorum that any faith leader should be accorded in that circumstance. >> let me ask you about this. is it over between the church and the government regarding how you find accommodation for institutions catholic and others with regard to implementation? i know you are for affordable care act. that fight is still going on in the courts. >> i think there is probably still some dispute about how to reconcile those. i really believe we can get there, that we can respect faith tradition, any faith tradition when it comes to affiluted institutions and differentiate from institutions that have a connection but provide a service to the wider public. it is a tough issue to get right. we always recognize it in the tax code. i think our policy should reflect that. i don't know if he will get that far down the list tomorrow.

i think they will probably have a message that will inspire both sides but will also be a message that will challenge us. >> september 23, wednesday. in about a week and a half it looks to me you are the expert and voting in the senate. are we going to have a government shutdown over planned parenthood? is this coming? >> i sure hope not because it makes no sense to shutdown the government. certainly not to have a repeat of 2013. that didn't work out well for the country especially. i don't think it worked out well for republicans. i think they should rethink that strategy if that is the way they are going. i hope that their leadership gives meaning and value and integrity to what they promise which is no more shutdowns. they said that over and over again. they need to deliver on that praumsh. >> thank you so much. senator bob casey. let's go to massachusetts avenue. we are watching pictures where casie hunt is awaiting the arrival of the pope in the vatican embassy where he is going to sleep tonight.

>> reporter: good to see you. the crowd has been steadily growing over the course of the past few hours as people are waiting to see the pope. there are catholic school children led into the area where the pope will be getting out of his fiat momentarily. they closed down all of central washington for this motorcade. he drove straight through dupont circle. a lot of people who gathered here are neighbors of the apostolic -- many saw on tv that this was happening not far from their home so they decided to take a look. others have been waiting for hours. as you can hear i'm sure the wild cheering behind me people waiting just for a glimpse of this pope. i have to say, chris, this really caps off a day that has been remarkable in washington. i know you have covered so many major historical figures in your time in washington but i think

that both reporters and secret service agents said this was elevated beyond anything they were used to dealing with here in washington. it transcends politics and was really a moment to witness in history. we talked earlier to a woman and her daughter who had come here. the woman had pulled her daughter out of school just to come see pope francis for a quick few seconds. they weren't able to get very close. she was raised in hungary and said this is a moment in history. her own mother had worshipped as a catholic during time when it was very dangerous to practice catholicism openly. there is a lot of different layers for so many different people in washington. >> just watching this in human terms. he is 78 years old. all of these kids just going crazy over him like a rock star. it's just an amazingly human experience.

the only thing that compares to this was when gorbachev came when he and reagan ended the cold war. finally gorbachev they got together. when he came to town i was jumping on the sidewalk. this is much bigger. >> gorbachev you will remember, though, also credited pope john paul ii with ending the cold war. i think that one of the things we have already seen is the pope start to wade into the political. the speech at the white house hit several political notes that are likely to divide many people that he is speaking to tomorrow in congress. the reality is popes do have a long history of impacting world affairs in a significant way. i think we have seen this pope step on to that stage. >> how many divisions does the pope have? he has different kinds of powers as we know.

thank you for joining us. great to have you there. she is very patient to wait this out. i love that scene. up next donald trump takes his most famous issue off the table. why is this gop front runner refusing to talk birtherism now? i think he needs to answer the question. if you don't accept the legitimacy of the president you shouldn't be the next president. you are watching "hardball," place for politics.

welcome back to "hardball." donald trump dodged a question about president obama's birth place this time on the late show with stephen colbert the latest opportunity to put the issue to rest and trump whiffed. let's watch. >> i'm going to throw you a big fat meat ball for you to hit out of the park right now. this is the last time you ever have to address this question if you hit the ball. big old like sauce all over my hands meat ball is so big. >> barack obama born in the united states. it's a meat ball. it's hanging out there right there. come on. >> i don't talk about it

anymore. i talk about jobs. i talk about our veterans being horribly treated. >> that meat ball is being dragged down the steps of the subway by a rat. >> trump can't escape the fact that he has been the most vocal champion of the birther movement all along. here is how he fuelled the theory in 2011. >> why doesn't he show his birth certificate? i wish he would. i think it is a terrible pail hanging over him. >> if he has a birth certificate he should release it. all i want to do is see this guy's birth certificate. the reason i have a little doubt, just a little is because he grew up and nobody knew him. nobody comes forward. nobody knows who he is until later in his life. very strange. >> why wouldn't he just solve it? i wish he would. if he doesn't it's one of the greatest scams in the history of politics and in the history period.

>> now as the front runner for the republican nomination trump is trying to avoid the issue as much as he can and birther business lends credence to recent car cuture. the message even clowns can't stand donald trump. i'm joined by the round table. syndicated columnist. good work. >> thank you. >> it's a hard fight. let me start with you. everybody knows my position. i find this a revolting, disgusting disgrace that somebody running for president who won't accept the legitimacy of somebody who is obviously a part of america whose only difference from donald trump is the color of his skin. this nonsense perpetrating. i can say who he is playing to. he is playing to the races. >> i agree with that. it is also ridiculous. you didn't mention that.

>> not for the 35% who believe him and 25% of his supporters who think he might be right. >> he is clearly playing to those people. i think he also recognizes that it is ridiculous and doesn't want to have to be saddled with it anymore. this is why he is trying to change the subject. >> why doesn't he admit he is wrong? >> he doesn't admit he is wrong on anything. he back tracks and changes the subject. >> the argument is so absurd. he is saying barack obama's mother is not his mother. he is arguing the inarguable. >> he will not admit that he is wrong because it is a wink wink and nod to say you know what i mean. you know he is really a muslim or really born in kenya. >> or wherever. as long as where people are dark and not american. your kids won't have to look at it. he won't be there because in our

hearts he is not really president. >> he is pandering to the lowest life form that we have existing in the united states today. it is horrific and absolutely embarrassing and he is pandering quite frankly to all of the people in all of the states that have these show me your paper immigration laws all over the country. i would like for someone to say show me your papers. >> suppose he said tomorrow i played around with that issue. i thought about it. it's not right for me to keep talking like that. i'm going to drop it. >> clearly the right thing to do. what would happen to his base? >> he has this base not based on this question. >> you think he went clean on this? >> the reason he keeps leading in polls is not because he is questioning the president's birth location. it's because he is appealing to people that are so disgusted about washington, conservatives who feel like the supreme court, congress, obama is out of control. it's not a racial -- >> he started on this issue.

this was his business that got him into politics. >> that is who is supporting him. he has been selling this crap since day one. it's his thing. >> that's how he got in the club and the club is his base. >> ends justify the means. >> he doesn't have to say it anymore. i think your suggestion is the only one that is available. >> why do people let him do phony interviews? it's phony interview. >> fox said they are not interviewing him anymore because he won't deal with substantive issues. >> you think fox will stick to that? >> they might. he is saying he fired fox. >> he calls in and they put him on. he is getting coverage because he continues to call in night after anight, day after day. >> the man walks around talking about silent america, make america great again, calls mexicans rapists.

he is not going to apologize about what he is saying. >> the idea of him saying he is not based on no information is appealing to racism. anybody who asked the second question if he dodges this one shouldn't be in the business. it's not okay. he has to answer the question. the round table with us right now. up next, look at the numbers now. vice president joe biden surged in a new poll. can his popularity keep rising. once you are in it gets hotter. this is "hardball" the place for politics. hands...where it belongs. olay regenerist. it regenerates surface cells. new skin is revealed in only 5 days. without drastic measures. stunningly youthful. award-winning skin. never settle for anything less. the regenerist collection.

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the 2016 presidential debate schedule has been set for the fall of next year. locations set for wright state university in dayton, ohio, washington university in st. louis, university of nevada las vegas. the vice president will be held in farmville virginia. locations and dates set by the commission on presidential debates. that's all news. we know where they are headed now. we will be right back.

the 2016 presidential debate schedule has been set for the fall of next year.

in the latest bloomberg politics national poll, clinton now leads by only eight points. she's at 33. catch these numbers, joe biden, they're both at about a quarter of the democratic vote. they're very close. biden ahead. what do you make of this? >> i think this is huge news. he is not even in the race. and he's that close to hillary clinton. if i'm hillary clinton and anyone who is advising her, this looks like -- >> what is causing -- >> it is -- >> what is causing the numbers to go the other way? >> it's a sin of omission. people don't trust her. and it is part of the clinton distraction and a reminder that with bill or hillary or both, there's always something. >> go ahead. >> bad campaign, they bungled this e-mail question. >> what makes it so sticky? >> well, they can't get one answer continually. give one answer continually. now we're going to see the e-mails because the fbi has apparently found them. >> and they're digging through them.

>> and they're not destroyed like her lawyer -- >> that's right. and we're going to find out. >> i would get a new lawyer. if my lawyer said don't worry about it. >> are they all about yoga appointments? we'll find out. >> what do you think? >> i don't know. >> the worst-case scenario is she believes that the republicans are out to get her and she has this complex, and she wants to hide. >> that's not the way it works. >> when you're secretary of state, you can't do it. it's illegal. >> there's something in here. >> but the republicans are out to get her. >> but it's illegal. >> any mention of benghazi. that's the worst-case. >> you know more about than i do. any time benghazi or libya -- do a search. >> i've been through three or four of these. do a search. >> why doesn't the government do that right now? >> because she got rid of them. >> now we're going to find out. >> i think it's the least of her worries. donald trump is -- donald trump is allegedly -- >> she lied on every sunday show right after --

>> what does that have to do with what happened? >> well -- >> i know your trick. somehow because they didn't come clean afterwards, that -- >> do you think it's okay to go on the sunday shows and came up with a lie? >> no. but it didn't cause to get killed. >> the american public hates politicians -- it hurts hillary clinton. >> thank you, kathleen. thank you. >> let me examine why george w. bush let the country get hit and 3,000 people get killed. we could all play that game. when we return -- >> i'm kathleen parker. >> something that wasn't said today. kathleen? >> kathleen parker, not -- i love her, but i am kathleen parker. welcome to "hardball," stay with us.

let me finish tonight with something i think is really important. something that wasn't said today. everything about today was great, of course, pope francis was simply wonderful, especially in the way he let people touch him, let himself be gripped by the thousands who came out to see him. he showed a love equal to that of the crowd. and that was a lot of love. our city, the u.s. capital was radiant. not just the weather, but the glow on the trees, the eagerness of the president, the bright smile of the first lady. and i loved it all, yet, i believe, i must add another picture to your memory bank. one more endearing, loving, late yesterday, i attended a funeral mass for my aunt. it was held outside philadelphia.

the chapel was alive with the sisters of st. joseph who shared aunt eleanor's life, her calling, vocation, her commitment to teaching, including those most vulnerable who find learning basic learning beyond their good-given reach. well, this is the true catholic church. this is where christian charity lives, not just on big days of the white house, but on difficult days. those of relentless challenge. my aunt eleanor, sister eleanor spent 73 years teaching in the philadelphia and area schools, 73 years. many of those years teaching kids who find learning brutally hard if not impossible. special especially for a reason because it takes special people to perform it. people of patience, people able to work on god's time. well, this is the true world of christianity. where jesus' work is getting done, far from the fanfare without a tweet from a celebrity or a dollar is spared. this is where the catholic church, my church, lives at its best. and yes, its brightest. as pope paul said today, god bless america.

especially this part, the caring part. and that's "hardball" for now. thanks for being with us. "all in with chris hayes" starts right now. good evening from new york, i'm chris hayes. moments ago, pope francis returned from the vatican's diplomatic residence in washington, d.c. after a truly historic day. earlier, the pope gave his first speech on u.s. soil weighing in pointedly on matters of the political debates and the 2016 campaign. immigration and climate change most notably. the pope not only endorsing the president's environmental policies specifically, but urging immediate action. it all took place in the nation's capital the first stop in the three-city tour of america. thousands of well-wishers hoping to catch a glimpse of pope francis and his little black hatch back fiat. greeted before heading to a welcome ceremony on the south lawn.