Paula Ebben's Papal Visit Blog: Next Stop, Congress
WASHINGTON (CBS) - The Pope's historic speech to Congress is coming Thursday morning, and the straight-talking 'Pontiff of the People' pretty much showed all his cards on Wednesday.
When he spoke at The White House welcome, and spent the majority of his remarks on climate change, and then when he forcefully denounced abortion to the U.S. bishops - he deftly laid out what members of Congress can expect to hear.
Classic Pope Francis: carefully worded, elegantly crafted, Jesuitical arguments wrapped in reason that don't judge, but also don't let anyone off the hook. Can't wait to hear the spin room after this speech - each party will want to claim him.
Check: Pope's U.S. Visit Schedule
What strikes you about Pope Francis in person?
His vulnerability. I think it's his secret weapon. He has a shy demeanor, but when he makes eye contact his eyebrows go up and his smile lights up his face. The way people respond to him is positively touching. The sound is warm affection. I heard it on the South Lawn (see my Twitter feed from the event here) and again at the canonization. It's very moving to see how people respond when he suddenly appears.
Seeing Pope Francis at the White House with President Obama made me think how much George Washington would have liked him - and approved of his self-effacing style.
In "John Adams," author and Boston resident David McCullough writes about an electric moment between Adams and Washington over deciding on the President's title. Adams wanted something with a real ego-satisfying flourish (like the British aristocracy) such as "President of the United States, Supreme Commander of the Armed Forces, His Eminence the grand Pooh-Bah of the blah blah blah...." Washington looked at Adams and simply said "It will be 'Mr. President... and nothing more." No ego, focusing on what really mattered.
You can picture Pope Francis saying the same kind of thing. Pope Francis would have been a patriot.
Read: The Pope Or Belichick? Brady Says 'In Bill We Trust'
And speaking of patriots, the pope officially made California's Junipero Serra a saint. Why should that make Patriots nation smile? Tom Brady is a graduate of Junipero Serra High School in San Mateo, California.
Next up, as Coach Bill Belichick would say, "It's on to New York!"
You can follow Paula on Twitter @PaulaEbbenWBZ
Watch: Paula Ebben reports from Washington, DC