Jason Horowitz

It's also going to be interesting to see if his Americanness, if his nationality is used against him by the American administration, because perhaps he seems less foreign. Perhaps he seems less special because he's, you know, he's one of ours. So there's a fear, I think, within the church that he might be drawn into political fights that popes don't want to be drawn in.

It's also going to be interesting to see if his Americanness, if his nationality is used against him by the American administration, because perhaps he seems less foreign. Perhaps he seems less special because he's, you know, he's one of ours. So there's a fear, I think, within the church that he might be drawn into political fights that popes don't want to be drawn in.

And I think he's going to be very reluctant to be drawn into that. I think what he wants, and this is especially from what he said out on the balcony, I think he really sees himself possibly being a bridge and perhaps a bridge back to America and to the bishops there and maybe even to the administration there just to say, well, let's lower the temperature. Let's see if we can work together.

And I think he's going to be very reluctant to be drawn into that. I think what he wants, and this is especially from what he said out on the balcony, I think he really sees himself possibly being a bridge and perhaps a bridge back to America and to the bishops there and maybe even to the administration there just to say, well, let's lower the temperature. Let's see if we can work together.

Yeah, and I think it also reflects the way the church sees the world a little bit. I don't think that they see Leo as an American. I don't think nationality is what they're looking at. I think that they see him as someone who has this deep experience in the things that they care about, right? It's not where you're from necessarily. It's what you've done in a way.

Yeah, and I think it also reflects the way the church sees the world a little bit. I don't think that they see Leo as an American. I don't think nationality is what they're looking at. I think that they see him as someone who has this deep experience in the things that they care about, right? It's not where you're from necessarily. It's what you've done in a way.

He's sort of checked all the boxes, but I think the one that's most important is that he has sort of the blessing of Pope Francis. It might be a posthumous blessing at this point, but for followers of Francis, I think when Leo stepped out onto the balcony...

He's sort of checked all the boxes, but I think the one that's most important is that he has sort of the blessing of Pope Francis. It might be a posthumous blessing at this point, but for followers of Francis, I think when Leo stepped out onto the balcony...

And when he spoke in a language that they understood to be the language of Francis, they felt much more comfortable than perhaps if somebody else had stepped out there as Pope. Well, Jason, thank you very much.

And when he spoke in a language that they understood to be the language of Francis, they felt much more comfortable than perhaps if somebody else had stepped out there as Pope. Well, Jason, thank you very much.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Happy to be here.

Happy to be here.

Can you just describe that scene to us? Sure. Well, earlier in the day, a strange sort of scene because it was mostly tourists and you had a feeling that a lot of people didn't even know what had happened. But as the day went on and pilgrims and people who were there to mourn Francis started arriving, and you could really sense a sort of somber feeling take over.

Can you just describe that scene to us? Sure. Well, earlier in the day, a strange sort of scene because it was mostly tourists and you had a feeling that a lot of people didn't even know what had happened. But as the day went on and pilgrims and people who were there to mourn Francis started arriving, and you could really sense a sort of somber feeling take over.

And by the end of the evening, there were tens of thousands of people there paying tribute to a pope who had led the church for a dozen years, but more important than that, who had pointed the church in a new direction. That a lot of them really hoped the church would continue following. And some were there also, maybe hoping it took a turn.

And by the end of the evening, there were tens of thousands of people there paying tribute to a pope who had led the church for a dozen years, but more important than that, who had pointed the church in a new direction. That a lot of them really hoped the church would continue following. And some were there also, maybe hoping it took a turn.

In a new direction, or an old direction, depending on how you look at it.

In a new direction, or an old direction, depending on how you look at it.