Asked by Newsmax about Biden’s feelings on the Francis-Sistani meeting, White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki would only say that she has “not spoken with the president about his personal feelings about the meeting that they have today [Friday].”
“As you know, broadly speaking, the president believes that the path forward should always be led by diplomacy,” the president’s top spokeswoman told us, “But I don’t have the details of their meeting, or — or I’m sure they may do a readout of sorts. And if so, we’re happy to give a comment on it.”
Sistani, 90, is considered increasingly reclusive. On Saturday, the Pope came to his home and had a thirty-minute meeting with the Shiite Muslim cleric considered the leading religious figure in Iraq.
Sistani is also regarded as a pivotal figure in the Pope’s vision of peace and cooperation between Shiite and Sunni Muslims and Christians.
Speaking Friday at the Our Lady of Salvation Church, where terrorists from an al-Qadeda-affiliated group attacked in 2010, the Pople declared that violence was “incompatible with authentic religious teachings.”
John Gizzi is chief political columnist and White House correspondent for Newsmax. For more of his reports, Go Here Now.