Vatican: Pope was not singling out Trump with his remarks

FRANCES D'EMILIO, Associated Press


VATICAN CITY (AP) — A spokesman for Pope Francis insisted Friday the pontiff was "in no way" launching an attack on Donald Trump, a U.S. presidential candidate, nor was he trying to sway voters by declaring someone who advocates building walls isn't Christian.

The Rev. Federico Lombardi, in an interview on Vatican Radio, stressed that Francis often speaks about building bridges, not walls, and that his remark on Thursday wasn't "a personal attack" on the business mogul.

Flying back to Rome from a pilgrimage that included Mass at the Mexican side of the border with the United States, Francis, answering a reporter's question, had said that a person who advocates building walls is "not Christian."

Trump, who has repeatedly called for a wall to divide the U.S. and Mexico while campaigning for November's election, quickly retorted it was "disgraceful" to question a person's faith.

On Friday, Lombardi sought to put the pope's comments in context, saying they were "in no way a personal attack or an indication on how to vote." The radio interviewer told Lombardi that many have seen the comment as a kind of "excommunication, if we can call it that," of Trump.

"But the pope said what we well know, when we follow his teaching and his positions: that one mustn't build walls, but bridges," Lombardi said.

"He has always said this, continuously. And he has said it also about migration issues in Europe, very many times. Thus, it's not at all a specific question, limited to this case," the spokesman said.

Trump appeared pleased with the comments, referencing them at a campaign rally Friday.

"Yesterday, the pope was great," Trump told an audience in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina, where he is campaigning. "He made a beautiful statement this morning. They had him convinced that illegal immigration was like a wonderful thing. Not wonderful for us. It's wonderful for Mexico."

Some European countries have erected fences or raised the possibility of building fences and other barriers on their borders after hundreds of thousands of asylum-seekers reached the continent by sea and land, fleeing war or poverty.

"The pope said clearly that he wasn't stepping into voting issues in the electoral campaign in the United States," Lombardi added. He said the pope was also "giving the benefit of the doubt" on what Trump had said.

Trump alluded to this context as he softened his rhetoric about the pope, saying at a town hall event on CNN that he believes Francis' remarks were "probably a little bit nicer" than first reported.

-- (c) Associated Press 2016-01-20

The damage has been done. The Pope has stuck himself into the American political process. Not a very bright idea. He needs to get his own house in order.

It seems that the Pope is not beyond telling a few white lies himself.

Typical 'Devil Dodger' - should keep his nose out of all things political

It seems that the Pope is not beyond telling a few white lies himself.

He could be POTUS then ! 555555

The damage has been done. The Pope has stuck himself into the American political process. Not a very bright idea. He needs to get his own house in order.

Bright idea on the contrary. It does not give instructions to vote but it prevents the candidate to assert the principles of Christianity in his campaign.

Although the US are predominantly Protestant Pope voice is a recognized all over the world. I'm sure his remark will cut a large part of Trump voters.

And even an atheist this indication in response to a journaliste seems to me well in his role.

Bush, Carson and Cruz are all in favour of a wall.

Just sayin' like.

http://www.ontheissues.org/Immigration.htm

Edited February 20, 201610 yr by Chicog

GO TUMP GO..

Here we go again. Trump at the Top of the Headlines...now world-wide. Once again, Donald turns the tables and gets more publicity than ever imagined. He dominates the playing field, kicking back hard. Other candidates pretty much baffled on what to say. They either side with Donald, or remain silent.....same thing. Pope got used big time.

Even the pop can't put this genie back in the bottle.... you have said what you have said,

now stand behind those words or lose face completely....

"Pope was not singling out Trump with his remarks"

I think he was. And I think it was valid statement. It seems some people have to be PC but others can flourish gloriously by making waves and not being at all concerned about being PC.

(I am not religious at all)

The Vatican damage control team must have analyzed the tape for "clarification" (i.e; damage control). The "tape" that had the pope's words entirely was easy to defend and later generalize by the Vatican. However, the recording of the original, long question about Trump to the pontiff later surfaced giving correct context. So, not only did the pope directly respond to a question regarding Trump but the Vatican spin doctors attempted to evade the truth later by generalizing with no context; a frequent occurrence now with this pope. (Reminds me of Obama's office frequently stating that Obama said this, not that, or meant that, not that). Perhaps its necessary at times in order not to alienate a population or pacify certain people, but always only for politicians. Politicians need to placate and clarify all the time. The pope's script should be 2000 years old. There should be little spin necessary unless he is making it up as he goes- agenda- politics!

I hope this is but the first step in driving the Roman church out of American politics on all subjects.

So the Pope opposes building walls? Hypocrite! He should start at home then - here's the wall around the Vatican..

OK Vatican! Now explain the Pope's meeting with "Soldier in Christ" Kim Davis...This needs clarification too.

What seems to be forgotten in this debate is the idiocy of the entire concept of building a wall. There are a multitude of reasons it's never going to happen. And as far as Trump's claim that Mexico is going to pay for the wall?

Edited February 20, 201610 yr by up-country_sinclair

So the Pope opposes building walls? Hypocrite! He should start at home then - here's the wall around the Vatican..

60-vatican-city-walls.jpg

Vatican wall was built in the 800s. Trump wants to build walls in 2017. See the difference? Plus the Vatican is not complete surrounded by walls, and the walls weren't built to keep out refugees and migrants. You get the point.

I think he should go back to sh***ng in the woods and leave religion and politics to the bears.

I am not a fan of organized religion and don't have a close affiliation with the Catholic Church, but the Pope is the Pope and he has every right and probably a religious obligation to express his views and the views of the Church. Should he not be allowed to discuss abortion because it could sway voters? How about birth control? Is the death penalty off limits?

Perhaps Bill Graham, or I guess it's his son now, Franklin, or Jerry Falwell should all be silenced as well.

People whether they are famous or obscure have the right to express an opinion. The Pope's remarks didn't target any particular person, it targeted an idea.

So the Pope opposes building walls? Hypocrite! He should start at home then - here's the wall around the Vatican..

60-vatican-city-walls.jpg

This particular wall is around the Vatican Bank.

Why did the last "Pope" resign? the first to do so in 600 yrs. Why did they elect a Jesuit, the first since that order was created in 1540? If your not sure of the agenda of the Jesuits, just Google the Jesuit Oath of Induction, scary stuff.

Whoever it was that pointed out how often the Army and the Church walk hand in hand would have to add two more elements, nowadays : the Bank, and the Media.

I hope this is but the first step in driving the Roman church out of American politics on all subjects.

'Bout time ALL religion was driven out of American politics!

What seems to be forgotten in this debate is the idiocy of the entire concept of building a wall. There are a multitude of reasons it's never going to happen. And as far as Trump's claim that Mexico is going to pay for the wall?

Paying for the wall is easiest of all. Just slap a huge transfer tax on all those remittances sent back to Mexico by illegals working in the US.

So the Pope opposes building walls? Hypocrite! He should start at home then - here's the wall around the Vatican..

60-vatican-city-walls.jpg

This particular wall is around the Vatican Bank.

That's nice

So the Pope opposes building walls? Hypocrite! He should start at home then - here's the wall around the Vatican..

60-vatican-city-walls.jpg

Was this supposed to be funny? It's not clever at all.

It's patently irrelevant to the OP's article.

This is a bizarre post.

So the Pope opposes building walls? Hypocrite! He should start at home then - here's the wall around the Vatican..

60-vatican-city-walls.jpg

Was this supposed to be funny? It's not clever at all.

It's patently irrelevant to the OP's article.

This is a bizarre post.

So the OP is all about the Pope's personal attack on the Trump (a statement which he is seriously back-peddling on) about Trump's ideas that the US should build a wall around the country. Yet the Pope lives in a country which is 90% enclosed behind walls. You don't see the connection nor the irony?

So the Pope opposes building walls? Hypocrite! He should start at home then - here's the wall around the Vatican..

60-vatican-city-walls.jpg

Was this supposed to be funny? It's not clever at all.

It's patently irrelevant to the OP's article.

This is a bizarre post.

So the OP is all about the Pope's personal attack on the Trump (a statement which he is seriously back-peddling on) about Trump's ideas that the US should build a wall around the country. Yet the Pope lives in a country which is 90% enclosed behind walls. You don't see the connection nor the irony?

No, I do not.

Is it really "a wall around the country"? Is that what he said? That would include the very long border with Canada, if not also the coastal areas.

Don't be so gullible, he's playing on people's unfounded fears to get their votes. That's why he said things about the sending of armies of criminals and rapists or whatever the heck it was. Do you really think he studied this carefully?

Edited February 22, 201610 yr by helpisgood

"Pope Francis, tear down that wall"

Joe Scarborough, a former Republican congressman turned MSNBC host