Obama “hugely impressed” with Pope Francis

To me, the fact that he’s impressed isn’t as surprising as the fact that a reporter in the mainstream media brought up the subject in the first place—and this, during an interview about a looming financial catastrophe.

From USA TODAY: 

President Obama’s interview with the CNBC business news channel included high praise for Pope Francis.

“I have been hugely impressed with the pope’s pronouncements,” Obama said, describing Francis as “somebody who lives out the teachings of Christ. Incredible humility — incredible sense of empathy to the least of these, to the poor.”

Obama was asked about Francis’ recent comment that Catholic Church has become too “obsessed” with issues like gay rights and abortion.

Obama also said:

“He’s also somebody who is — I think first and foremost — thinking about how to embrace people as opposed to push them away; how to find what’s good in them as opposed to condemn them.

“And that spirit, that sense of love and unity, seems to manifest itself in not just what he says, but also what he does. And, you know, for any religious leader, that’s something — that’s a quality I admire.

“And –I would argue for any leader period — that’s a quality that I admire.”