by Mark Silva
With the arrival of Pope Benedict XVI at the White House tomorrow, the ceremonies on the South Lawn will include the singing of The Lord’s Prayer.
“I think we’ve struck the right balance, and that it’s perfectly appropriate,” said Dana Perino, the White House press secretary, asked today about religious overtones at a state event.
This is not only a head of state who is visiting, but also the leader of the Catholic Church, she notes. Even the president’s plans to greet the Pope on arrival at Andrews Air Force Base today are unusual for an arriving head of state. The president typically greets such visitors at the White House.
The two – who met last year at the Vatican — will hold a private meeting at the White House, which acknowledges that there are points of disagreement between them.
Such as the war in Iraq. And the death penalty.
“I really don’t think the president plans to spend a lot of time talking about .. Iraq… with the Pope,” Perino said.
But, Perino notesd today: “There is much more agreement than there is disagreement.” And the president will underscore some of those areas during his public remarks in the welcoming of the pontiff: Addressing human rights as well as the sanctity of life.