Transcriptof

America
interviewwithVicePresidentBiden.
Interviewvideoat:http://papalvisit.americamedia.org/2015/09/21/bideninterview/

Fr.

MattMalone,S.J.:
Mr.VicePresidentthankyouverymuchforbeingwithustoday.

VicePresidentJosephBiden:
ImflatteredtobeinvitedFather,thankyou.

MM:
Atleasttwoofyourpredecessorsasvicepresident,JohnAdamsandThomasJefferson,
itswellknownamonghistorians,thattheywerenotbigfansoftheJesuits.Now,amere50
yearsago,wehadadebateinthiscountryaboutwhetheraCatholiccouldbeelectedpresident,
shouldbeelectedpresident,weestablisheddiplomaticrelationsbetweentheU.S.andthe
Vaticanonlyinthe1980s,andnowthisJesuitpopeiscomingtoaddressajointsessionof
congress.Whatdoesthatsayaboutourcountry?

VP:
Ithinkit'ssortofthehistoryofthejourneyofthiscountry.Ifyouthinkaboutit,itsalways
beeninthedirectionofinclusiveness,alwaysbeeninthedirectionofacceptance,alwaysbeen
inthedirectionofexpandingrightsandrecognizingdifferences.Ithinkwhetheritsthecivil
rightsmovement,whetheritstheattitudetowardtheCatholicChurch,whetherit'stheattitude
towardminorities,itsaconstantprogression.IthinkitswhatmakesAmericatheuniquecountry
inworld.Itsaboutpolicy.Itsaboutthewholeideathatanythingispossible,anditsabout
progression.Iknowthatsounds,maybethatsoundstoonativistthatImsoproud,butitreallyis
whoweare.Youknow,look,inthenottoodistantfuture,Father,weregonnabe,caucasiansof
EuropeandescentaregoingtobeanabsoluteminorityinAmerica.Itsareflectionofwhowe
are.Soitsnotallsurprising.

MM:
Andthatwillchangenotonlythefaceofthecountry,butalsothechurchinthiscountry.

VP:
Itwillchangethefaceofthechurch.Anybytheway,youandIbothknow,Ishouldntbe
interviewingyou,buttherearesomerealdifferenceswithinthechurchintermsoftoneand
directionandjusthowfarweshouldreachout.ThethingIloveaboutthispope,Igottomeet
himwhenIwenttohisquote,inauguration,Ialwaysthoughtitwasaninstallation,andIhad
thegreatpleasureofrepresentingtheUnitedStatesofAmerica.MysisterwaswithmeandIsat
atthealtar,andafterwards,asyouknowFather,youlineupinalphabeticalorderinthebasilica
andtheHolyFatherstandsatthefootofthealtar,andhegreetseveryheadofstateoracting
fortheheadofstate.TheUnitedStates,wereattheveryend,andsoIwalkedupandthere
wasawonderfulIrishmonsignorwhohadsatinwithmeinalonginterviewordiscussionIhad
withPopeBenedictjustseveralmonthsearlier.Heturnedandsaid,Oh,Mr.VicePresident,he
said,HolyFather,andthepopereachedoutlikethisandhegrabbedmyhandandhesaid,I
know,Mr.VicePresident,yourealwayswelcomehere.Thatisthemessagethathessending
totheworld.

MM:
Andthatisthetonethathesstrikingeverywhere,isntit?

VP:
Absolutely.Thatswhyhesthesingularmostpopularfigureintheworldtoday.Andnotjust
inCatholicnations,acrosstheboard.Andyouknowitsbecausehestheembodimentofthe
CatholicsocialdoctrineIwasraisedwith.Theideathateveryoneisentitledtodignity,thatthe
poorshouldbegivenspecialpreference,thatyouhaveanobligationtoreachoutandbe
inclusive.Imean,lookattheencyclicalonclimatechange.Itsallabout,wehave
responsibilities,wehavetohusbandthisplanet.Imean,Imexcitedquitefrankly,asapracticing
Catholic,Iamreallyexcitedbythewholeworldisgettingtoseewhatarethebasicessential
elementsofwhatconstitutesCatholicism.Wecanargueaboutdogma,wecanargueabout
someofthe
defide
doctrinethatsbeendeclared,butthisisbelowitandaboveit.Thisis
somethingmuchlarger.

MM:
AndhesgoingtoaddressthisjointsessionofCongress,firsttimeapopehaseverdone
so,itsgoingtobereallyinterestingtowatch.

VP:
Illbesittingrightbehindhim.

MM:
Youregoingtobesittingrightbehindhim,andyouandSpeakerBoehner,bothfaithful
Catholics,differentpoliticalperspectives,obviously,haveyouandSpeakerBoehnertalked
abouttheopticsofthis,like,areyougoingtostand,areyougoingtosit,areyougoingtoclap?

VP:
NotintermsoftheHolyFather,wealwaysjoke,wevenowdonesevenStateoftheUnion
addressesandwejokewithoneanother,andJohnwillsay,Dontstandoneverything,willyou
please?andIsay,WellIgottastandonthepartsIhadsomethingtodowithintermsofwriting
them,notwritingthem,butyouknow,arguingforthem.Johnsagoodguy,youknowIthink
wellbesittingtherewithagreatdealofpride.

MM:
Andhewillhavesomething,wontheinthatjoinsession,tosaythatwillchallenge,and
affirm,everyoneinthatroom,wonthe?Differentthingsfordifferentpeople.

VP:
Ithinkwhatpeopleconfuse,Father,Ivereadalotofwhatyouvewritten,youdont,the
ideathatfundamentalreligiousconvictions,inalltheconfessionalfaiths,notjustCatholicism,
areincapableofbeingseparatedfrompoliticswithasmallp,notacapitalPnot
DemocratRepublican,liberalconservative.AnditgoesbacktowhatIsaidaboutCatholicsocial
doctrine.Imean,weare,wesayeveryoneisentitledtobetreatedwithdignity.Myguessis,I
dontknowwhatthepopewillsay,tostatetheobvious,butIwouldbesurprisedifhedidnt
enunciatetheprinciplesunderlyingallthemajorconfessionalfaithsandparticularlyours,and
implythatthereisacollectiveobligationtotrytogivemeaningandlifetothoseprinciplesweall
sayweagreeto.

MM:
AndyoumentiontheencyclicalLaudatoSi,whichhadanenormousimpact.Somefolks
inthiscountry,someofthecandidatesforpresident,aresayingthepopeshouldstayoutof
politics.

VP:
Hedidstayoutofpolitics.Buttheyrewrongaboutthat.Hedidntgetintopolitics.Hemade
itclear,itisnotthepapacysroletobethescientistinchiefand/orthepoliticalarbiter.Butwhat
hetalkedaboutarebasicfundamentalassertions.Look,thewayIreadit,andIreadit,isitwas
aninvitation,almostademand,thatadialoguebegininternationally,todealwithwhatisthe
singlemostconsequentialproblemandissuefacinghumanityrightnow.

AndsothefactthathetalkedaboutImeanevenourdepartmentofdefensehaswrittenlong
papersseveralyearsagotalkingaboutwhatadangertonationalsecurityfailingtodealwiththis
is.Sealevelsriseanotherfoot,youvegottensofmillionsofpeoplebeingdisplaced.Youthink
thereisamigrationprobleminSyria,watchwhathappenswhenhundredsofmillionsofpeople
inSouthAsiaaredisplacedtryingtofindnewterritorytolive.LookwhatshappenedwithDarfur.
Darfurisallaboutclimatechange.Itsaboutarablelandbeingevaporated,figurativelyand
literally,andwarringoverland.SoIthinkitsatotalmisrepresentationofthepopesencyclicalto
sayitsapoliticaldocument.Itsahumandocument.

MM:
AndyoureadthisencyclicalbothasapublicservantandasaCatholic,andIwonderover
thecourseofyourpubliclifehowyouhavenavigatedthosedifferentpartsofyourself,thespace
betweenthem.

VP:
Wellyouknow,beforewesatdownweweretalkingaboutamutualfriend,Fr.ODonovan,
whoIhaveagreatadmirationfor,andwhenhewaspresidentofGeorgetownheaskedme,my
sonwasamemberoftheJ.V.C.,theJesuitVolunteerCorps,andheaskedmetoaddressa
retreatatGastonHall,thisisthebighallatGeorgetown,andIsaidIdbehappyto.Thenhe
gavemethetopic.Hesaidhedlikemetotalkabouthowmyfaithhasinformedmypublic
policy.AndIhadnevertalkedaboutitthosetermsbefore.ButIworkedreallyhardonit.And
youknowwhatIfoundout,insortofaselfexaminationuntilyouusedtowritespeeches,
untilyouactuallyputthewordstopaper,itforcesyoutoreallyfocus.Iwasraised,thegreat
newswasformewhereIveneverhadanyconflict,isthewayIwasraisedandthesocial
doctrineandthereligioustheologyIwastaughtweretotallyconsistent.

ItwassummedupbestasIthoughtaboutit,allthethingsthatanimatedmypassions,whether
itwasthecivilrightsmovementorwhatsgoingoninBosnia,whatwasgoingoninBosnia,
wereallaboutwhatmyfatherwouldsay.Myfatherwouldsay,Thecardinal.Myfather
wasntanoverlyreligiousmanmymotherwasveryreligious.Butmyfatherwouldsay,The
cardinalsinofallsins,Joey,istheabuseofpower.Whetheritsamanraisingahandtoa
woman,whetheritseconomicpowerbeinginvokedandassertedoversomeoneelse,whetherit
isthegovernmentabusingitspower,andthatshowIlookatwhatthisisallabout,whymyfaith
issoconsistentwiththepublicpolicy.

Look,ImapracticingCatholicIreallydobelievethatIbelievefaithisagiftitsnot
somethingyoucan,youknow,youcantlearntoacquireititsagift.Andourchurch,asIneed
nottellyou,Father,youknow,youlookat,youknow,Godintermsof,youknow,thefirst
obligationweallhaveisLoveyourGod,thesecondoneisLoveyourneighborasyourself,
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andthen,thewayIkindofalwaysthoughtaboutit,thewayIwasraised,is,althoughIdonttalk
aboutJesusChrist,butJesusChristwassortofthehumanembodimentofwhatGodwantedus
todo,andeverythingJesusdidwassortofconsistentwithwhat,generically,weweresupposed
todo.Treatpeoplewithdignity,MaryMagdalene,leper,Imean,everyonesentitledtodignity,
everybody,itdoesntthat'sabasictenetinmyhousehold.

Butwhenyoulookatit,itgetsdownto,whetherthepope'sencyclical,orwhetherit'stalking
aboutthepoor,orwhetherit'stalkingaboutourobligationstoothers,it'sallaboutfightingthis
notionofabusingpower,nomatterwhatformitisin,includingthepowerofthechurch,or
institutions,orandIthink,that'swhy,Imean,Iamsoexcitedaboutthispope,andit'snot
thatIdidn'thavegreatrespectandreverenceforthelasttwopopes.Igottomeetthem,Ispent,
IhadfourprivatemeetingswithPopeJohnPaul.ButthethingthatIthinkissoelectricaboutthe
HolyFatheristhathe'stakingitallbacktowhatmydadwouldsay,wehaveanobligationto
fightagainsttheabuseofpower.Ifindthattotally,thoroughly,consistentwitheverythingthata
DemocratoraRepublican,itdoesn't,it'snotcantrytoimplementintermsofpolicynow,
we'lldisagreeonapolicybasishowbesttodealwiththatabusewherewethinkitexistsorifit
exists,butIdon'tthinkthere'sanyfundamentaldisagreementthat,youknow,thatweholdthese
truthsselfevident,thatallmenarecreatedequal,youcansayitanotherway,thepopesaysit,
everyhumanbeing'sentitledtobetreatedwithdignity.SoIfindittotallyconsistent,and,bythe
way,it'snotjustCatholicism,it'salmostallconfessionalfaithshavethesamebasicprinciples.

MM:
Andyettherehavebeentimes,whentalkingaboutspecificpublicpolicies,whereyou've
hadtotakepositionsthatwereatoddwiththebishopsofthiscountryoncontentiousquestions
likeabortion.Hasthatbeenhardforyou?

VP:
Ithasbeen.Ithasbeenhard,inonesense,becauseI'mpreparedtoacceptdefidedoctrine
onawholerangeofissuesasaCatholic,eventhough,asyouknow,Aquinasarguedabout,in
SummaTheologica,abouthumanlifeandbeing,whenitoccurs.Impreparedtoacceptasa
matteroffaith,mywifeandI,myfamily,theissueofabortion,butwhatI'mnotpreparedtodois
toimposearigidview,apreciseview,rigidsoundspejorative,apreciseviewthatisbornoutof
myfaith,onotherpeoplewhoareequallyGodfearing,equallyascommittedtolife,equallyas
committedtothesanctityoflife.I'mpreparedtoacceptthatatthemomentofconceptionthere's
humanlifeandbeing,butI'mnotpreparedtosaythattootherGodfearing,nonGodfearing
peoplethathaveadifferentview.

EvenIdon'twanttostartatheologicaldiscussion,Illgetintrouble,it'sabovemypaygrade,
althoughit'smyavocation,butthere's,youknow,there'sevenbeendisagreementinour
church,notthatabortionisalwayswrong,butthere'sbeendebate,andso,there's,forme,at
apointwherethechurchmakesajudgment,asweCatholicscall,defidedoctrine,said,thisis
whatourdoctrineis.Alltheprinciplesofmyfaith,Imakenoexcuseforattemptingtoliveupto
Idon'tallthetime.ButI'mnotpreparedtoimposedoctrinethatI'mpreparedtoacceptonthe
restofandIactuallyhadthatdiscussionwithPopeBenedict.ItwasIhadawonderful
meetingwithhimseveralmonthsbeforehesteppeddown.Itwaslikegoingbacktotheology
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class.Andbytheway,hewasn'tjudgmental.Hewasopen.Icameawayenlivenedfromthe
discussion.

MM:
IsthereaplaceintheDemocraticPartyforpeoplewhoareprolife?

VP:
Absolutely.Absolutely,positively.Andthat'sbeenmypositionforaslongasI'vebeen
engaged.

MM:
Iwonderifwecouldtalkforamomentabouthowyou'vehadtolivealotofyourfaithin
publicview.Andyou'vespokenabouttherolethatlossandtragedyhaveplayedinyourlife,and
Iwonderifthathasbeendifficulttoo.Imean,there'sacertainlonelinessineverymourning,and
youtalkabouthowyoufeelcomfortedbyyourfaith,byyourfamily,byyourfriends.Butitmust
beaverydifficultthingtodothatpublicly.

VP:
Well,it'skindofadoubleedgedsword,Father.Ifyouforgiveme,Iknowyoulostabrother.

MM:
Idid.

VP:
AndIknow,Ican'timagineyourfather,havingbeenafirstresponder,respondedtoan
accidentandfindoutit'shisownson,thathe'slost.Butlook,Ihaveoverwhelmingadvantages.
Somanypeoplehavegonethroughwhatyourfatherwentthrough.Somanypeoplehavegone
throughsomuchmorethanIhavewithoutthesupportstructureIhave.Andironically,Father,
thesituationrelatingtothepublicsideofthis,is,youknow,somanyhundredsofthousandsof
peopleaffirmingtheinspirationthatmysonprovidedisuplifting.Andwe'vealldecided,Father,
thatwedon'twanttotalksomuchanymoreaboutpubliclyorevenprivatelyabouttheloss.
Wewanttotalkabouttheinspiration.Imean,hisbrother,Hunter,isdroppedeverything,and
isworkingontakingcareofeverythingfromfinancialarrangementstoliterallyspendinghe
hasthreebeautiful,Ihavethreebeautifulgranddaughters,hisdaughters.Butwiththeir
overwhelmingsupport,he'sspendinginordinateamountoftimewithBeau'stwochildren.My
daughterisregularlyshelivesinPhiladelphiabutspendinginordinateamountsoftime.
Thisfamily,this,youknow,Jill,Hunter,Ashley,mychildren,Imean,wealldecidedthatwe
shouldfocusontheinspirationheprovided.

VickiKennedy'sagoodfriend,andVickiwrotemeoneofthemostbeautiful,heartfeltletters
whenBeaupassedaway.SheknewBeauwell.Sheenclosedacopyofaletterthat
AmbassadorKennedy,Teddy'sdad,hadwrittentoafriend,Ithinktheyearwas'54,'53,'55,in
thatrange,theearlytomid'50s.Averygoodfriendofhishadlosthissontragically.And
AmbassadorKennedywassendingacondolencelettertohisverygoodfriendaboutthelossof
hisson.AndVickisaidwhenTeddydownheusedtopullitoutofthedrawerandreadthe
paragraphthatI'mabouttodescribetoyou.AmbassadorKennedysaidandI'mmakingthe
nameofhisfriendup"John,Iknowthedepthoflossthatyouareundergoing.Ishareit.But,
John,I'vedecidedthattheonlyway"andhisson,Joe,remember,theeldestKennedywas
shotdowninWorldWarIIandkilled"I'vedecidedthewaytogivelifetoJoe'slifeistowork
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onthosethingsthatJoewasdedicatedto."Thatsthedecisionweveallmade,thatregardless
ofwhatIdoinpublicorprivatelife,wearenotgoingtowalkawayfromthethingsthatwere
thatmadeBeauslifeinhismind,beyondhisfamily,worthwhile.Sowevesetupafoundation.
Hefeltsostronglyabouttheabuseofchildrenandwomen.Wesetupafoundationinhisname,
raisingmillionsofdollarstohelpchildrenindistress.Hecareddeeplyaboutthenotionthatthere
wasaneedfortheequalapplicationofthelawacrosstheboard.

So,nomatterwhatwedo,allofus,asafamily,aregoingtostayengagedandworkonthose
thingsthatBeauinspiredpeopletocareabout.Andsoindoingthatinpublic,quitefrankly,is
thebestwaytoavoidwhatweallfeelselfconsciousabout.Wefeelselfconsciousaboutthe
focusonus.Idontwantanybodyfeelingsorryforme,orthefamilies.Again,somanypeople
havegonethroughsomuchmore,withsomuchlesssupport,yettheygetupeverymorning,
father,andyousawit.Theyputonefootinfrontoftheother,andtheymoveon.Mydadusedto
haveanexpression.Wheneveryougotknockeddown,whetheritwasafootballfield,oryougot
turneddownforthedate,oryoudidntwintheprize,orsomethingbadhappenedtoyou,hed
saytwothings:Joey,wheresitwrittenthatlifeowesyoualiving?Andthenextonewas,Just
getup,pal.Getup.AndthatswhatBeauwantsustodo.ThatswhatBeauexpectshisfather
todo.Sowerejustgettingupandmovingon.Weregoingtodogoodthings,inhisname.

MM
:Thatsalsoagiftofourfaith,asCatholicChristians.InthejourneyfromGoodFridayto
EasterSunday,youbegintoexperiencethepeoplethatyouvelostinyourlife,notjustasan
absence,butalsoasapresence,right?

VP
:Yeah.Ivesaidthisbefore.MywifeJill,whenshewantstoleaveamessagethatshewants
tosinkin,sheliterallyScotchtapesitonmymirrorwhileImshaving.Shetapedabout,Iguess
almostayearago,onmymirrorathome,aKierkegaardquote,wherehesaid,Faithseesbest
inthedark.Thatsthegiftoffaith.ThatsthegiftGodgivesyou,thatyoureabletoseebest,
faithworksbest,whenyouknowtheleast,whenyouaremostfrightened,concerned,notsure
ofwheretogo.AndIfinditextremelyreassuring.

IhopeIdontsoundlikeImproselytizing.Imean,forrealagain,everymajorconfessionof
faithhasthesamebasictenet.Inourchurch,thewayIwasraised,youthinkofitintermsofthe
HolyGhost.NowHolySpirit,butweusedtosayHolyGhost.Thatsthesourceofthefaith.
Christwasabout,youknow,hisdyingonthecrosswasaheroicactbutwhatitreallysays,the
waymymomwouldtranslateitisthat,sheusedtosaybraverysliesineverymansheartand
atsomemomentwillbecalledupon.Anditwasabout,canyoustepupforthingsthatmatter?
Canyousacrificeforthingsthatmeanagreatdealtoyou?ThewayIwasraised,theway
priestshadraisedme,thenuns,mymother,myfather,itwasneverintermsofheroicnotions.It
wasjustbasicprinciples.Basicprinciples.

Onmywayover,IwastellingastorytoMikeaboutmydad.Mydadwouldnothavebeen
viewedaspracticing.HedidnotgotochurcheverySundaywithus,toMasswithus.But,my
dadwasretiredandwentbacktoworkandwewerewalkingdownthestreetinPhiladelphiaand
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abeggarwalkedby.AndIdon'tknowwhyIsaidit,andhewalkedbyme,andjustbeingaI
neverdidthisbeforeandIsaid,asafriendofmywouldsay,"I'mworkingthissideofthe
street."Myfatherdidn'thaveanymoney.Myfatherstopped,openeduphiswallet.Hehada
totalof40dollarsinhiswallet.Hetakesitout,givestheguy40bucks.Andhelookedtome,
like,youknow,probablywithyourdaditwasthesameway.Mydadneverraisedahandtome,
butwhenIgotthatlook,"I'mdisappointedinyou,"itwaslikehitmewithabaseballbat.Andhe
said,"Joey,Joey."AndIsaid,"ButDaddy,he'sjustgoingtogetittogobuyalcoholor
something."Hesaid,"Joey,doyouthinkhe'dbeonthestreetifhehadachoice?Whatdoyou
think?Whatdoyouthink?"

That'sitwasn'taboutyougivetothepoorand,youknow,yousellallyourbelongingsand
followJesus.Itneveritwasjustpracticalstuff,justpracticalthings.Somebodyneedshelp.
MyentiretimethatIlivedwithmyparents,wehad,withtheexceptionoftwoyears,arelative
livingfulltimewithusinathreebedroomhouse.Itwasjusttherewasn'tanyandbythe
way,itwaswonderfulforkids,forthekids,Idon'tknowhowmyparentsdidit.Butitwasjust,I
guesswhatI'mtryingtosayisthattranslatingmyfaithwasneverdiscussedorviewedin
dogmaticorheroicterms.Itwasjustpartoftheexperience.Andthat'swhyIgetback,Iend
whereIbegan.Catholicsocialdoctrine.Wecanputitin,thebishopssayitverywellinsevenor
tenpointstheylayoutIforgetexactlyhowmanybutitjustgetsdowntobasicthings.
Dignity.Thepoor.Inclusiveness.Youknow,reachingout.It'snotthatcomplicated.It'shardit's
notthatcomplicated.

MM:
Finalquestion.Hasanythingchangedinyourthinkingsinceyourlastpublicstatements
aboutwhetheryouwouldseektheDemocraticnomination?

VP:
No,Father.Andyouknow,Iknowfromexperience,likeyouknowfromyourexperience,
andmillionsofAmericansknow,itcomesoritdoesn't.I'vejustgottobecertainthatifIdothis
I'mabletolookyouintheeyeandeveryoneelseandsayI'mgivingitallmypassionandallmy
energyandIwillnotbedistracted.Andsecondly,equallyasimportant,theotherpieceisthis,
doesthismoment,isthisthebestthingforthefamilyasaunit?Andbytheway,youknow,I
nevertalkedaboutfamilybefore,buteveryone'skindoffoundoutabouthowIamaboutfamily.
But,youknow,everypersonwhodecidesorconsidersrunningforpresident,Democrat,
Republican,itdoesn'tmatter,bothsidesoftheaisle.Everybodythinksit'sallaboutwhatdothe
numberssay,youknow.That'sacalculation,whetheryouthinkit'spossible.

Butthat'snot,youknow,I'veknownalmosteverypersonwho'srunforpresidentsinceI'vebeen
29yearsold,personally.Andit'sall,getsdownto,personalconsiderations.Becauseyoudon't
getto,youhavenorightto,asanindividual,todecidetorun.Yourwholefamily'simplicated,
yourwholefamilyisengaged.Andsoforus,it'safamilydecision,andIjusthavetobe
comfortablethatthisis,thatthis'llbegoodforthefamily.Inthepastallourpoliticaleffortshave
actuallystrengthenedthefamily.It'sbeenlikethere'sajokethatalocalDelaware
magazinecalledDelawareinaDay,yearsago,whenBeaugotelected,said"FamilyBusiness."

Well,it'ssortofbeen,youknow,mywife'sa,mydaughter'sasocialworker,mywife'sa
teacher,mysonHunter'sagoodlawyer,buthealsoischairoftheWorldFoodProgramUSA,
stillengagedin,it'sallbeensortofpartofourmysister,mybrothers,andwejustyou
know,it'snotquitethereyet.Anditmaynotgetthereintimetomakeitfeasibletobeableto
runandsucceed,becausetherearecertainwindowsthatwillclose.Butifthat'sit,that'sit.But
it'snotlikeIcanrushit.It'snotlikeiteitherhappensoritdoesn'thappen.Iknowthat'snot
satisfyingtoanybody.Butpeoplewho'vebeenthere,Iknowtheyunderstand.

MM:
Well,Mr.VicePresident,thankyou.Ihopeyouknowthatourprayersarewithyouand
yourfamily.

VP:
AndIappreciatethatverymuch.

MM:
BestofluckinwelcomingtheHolyFathertothiscountry.

VP:
I'mexcitedtoseehim.

MM:
Thankyouforyourtime.

VP:
Thankyou,Father.