Bernie Sanders won't get to meet the Pope while he's at the Vatican
Sen. Bernie Sanders is visiting the Vatican on Friday, and while he might be hoping to bump into Pope Francis, it looks like that's not going to happen. "There won't be a meeting with the Holy Father," Vatican spokesperson Rev. Federico Lombardi told The New York Times, ruling out the possibility of a rendezvous.
While in Rome, Sanders will attend a conference hosted by the Pontifical Academy of Social Sciences where he is scheduled to deliver a 10-minute speech on creating a "moral economy" and "addressing the planetary crisis of climate change." Sanders says he is the "only American public official speaking at the gathering."
His trip comes at an unusual time — he jetted off right after wrapping his contentious Brooklyn debate against Hillary Clinton and is leaving New York just days before the state's April 19 primary. But Sanders says it's an opportunity he couldn't miss. "I would just be kicking myself for the rest of my life if I rejected this opportunity," he said, "so I'm delighted to be going."
The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.
Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
-
NY attorney general asks public for ICE raid footageSpeed Read Rep. Dan Goldman claims ICE wrongly detained four US citizens in the Canal Street raid and held them for a whole day without charges
-
Trump’s huge ballroom to replace razed East WingSpeed Read The White House’s east wing is being torn down amid ballroom construction
-
Trump expands boat strikes to Pacific, killing 5 moreSpeed Read The US military destroyed two more alleged drug smuggling boats in international waters
-
Trump demands millions from his administrationSpeed Read The president has requested $230 million in compensation from the Justice Department for previous federal investigations
-
Trump nominee in limbo after racist texts leakSpeed Read Paul Ingrassia lost Republican support following the exposure of past racist text messages
-
Trump begins East Wing demolition for ballroomspeed read The president’s new construction will cost $250 million
-
Appeals court clears Trump’s Portland troop deploymentSpeed Read A divided federal appeals court ruled that President Trump can send the National Guard to Portland
-
Millions turn out for anti-Trump ‘No Kings’ ralliesSpeed Read An estimated 7 million people participated, 2 million more than at the first ‘No Kings’ protest in June


