Pope Francis and 2016......

[jojoju1998]

How will the Pope affect the 2016 election ?

[Sprouts Farmers Market ✘]

The DNC will remind everyone of this nightmare weekend swinging PA to Safe R as Philly votes 90% Trump/Carson thanks to Wharton offering their brightest alternative.

[Amenhotep Bakari-Sellers]

He isnt rigid like Pope John Paul in going around denying communion to every Dem voter.

There are liberal idealists in the Church

[All Along The Watchtower]

Probably not much. Candidates from both parties will selectively quote from him,  and the media will make a big fuss over anything he says that sounds vaguely different from what other Popes have said.

It's not like the RCC in general has much impact on most Americans'  - even most Catholics - political views (leaving aside the issues with tying to put the Church into a 21st century American ideological spectrum).

[MisSkeptic]

I agree Pope Francis will have little effect with the 2016 election. However, I can see the success of Pope Francis restoring full diplomacy with both the U.S and Cuba will benefit democrats who are more for peace and diplomacy.   

[Higgs]

The Democrats will have a brokered convention and Pope Francis will be offered as a compromise candidate at the DNC.

The Republicans will win the protestant vote in a landslide and also make huge gains among atheists.

Pope Francis/Fidel Castro - 254 EV
Ted Cruz/Richard Dawkins - 284 EV

[eric82oslo]

At some stage, Pope Francis will definitely dance some tango with Kasich, so it will definitely have some impact indeed.

[ElectionsGuy]

He should not have an effect on 2016... He's a pope, not a political figure.

[Badger]

He should not have an effect on 2016... He's a pope, not a political figure.

ummmm..............

[ElectionsGuy]

He should not have an effect on 2016... He's a pope, not a political figure.

ummmm..............

yes?

[bagelman]

He could have more of an impact than previous popes; one of the catholic congressmen supposed to attend his address to congress has refused on the grounds that the pope believes in climate change.

[Blue3]

He should not have an effect on 2016... He's a pope, not a political figure.

The Pope is a political figure.

See: Roman History, the Dark Ages, the Renaissance, Colonization of the New World, the Scientific Revolution, the Progressive Era, Decolonization liberation movements, end of the Cold War...
being a Head of State and Head of Government... etc.

In addition to all that, most political issues are political issues because people see them as moral issues. Such as climate change, poverty, immigration, abortion, gay marriage, etc. All things the Catholic Church has spoken on.

Also, Catholics are a huge and influential demographic in the United States. There's also a sizable number of Catholics in Congress and the Supreme Court. The Pope is the most powerful religious figure, both in theory and in practice, in the world... particularly Pope Francis. And Catholicism, which is over 1 billion people, in addition to being the largest denomination of any religion is also the most unified, and accept the authority of the Pope.

And the Pope is about to give an unprecedented joint address to Congress.

That is why this has the potential to be a big deal.

[ElectionsGuy]

He should not have an effect on 2016... He's a pope, not a political figure.

The Pope is a political figure.

See: Roman History, the Dark Ages, the Renaissance, Colonization of the New World, the Scientific Revolution, the Progressive Era, Decolonization liberation movements, end of the Cold War...
being a Head of State and Head of Government... etc.

In addition to all that, most political issues are political issues because people see them as moral issues. Such as climate change, poverty, immigration, abortion, gay marriage, etc. All things the Catholic Church has spoken on.

Also, Catholics are a huge and influential demographic in the United States. There's also a sizable number of Catholics in Congress and the Supreme Court. The Pope is the most powerful religious figure, both in theory and in practice, in the world... particularly Pope Francis. And Catholicism, which is over 1 billion people, in addition to being the largest denomination of any religion is also the most unified, and accept the authority of the Pope.

And the Pope is about to give an unprecedented joint address to Congress.

That is why this has the potential to be a big deal.

Around the world yes, but not for US politics. This board is known as the 2016 presidential election board, so he shouldn't have an effect on the election. Honestly its a bit of a double standard hearing the left complain about right-wingers calling them "bible-thumpers" when they're cheering on a pope to speak to Congress who happens to agree with their beliefs. I certainly have never understood or liked the fact that one man has so much influence in this religion, and the secular left folks should certainly be consistent about that. The pope can speak to Congress, that's fine, but cheer-leading him to have an impact on the 2016 election is certainly stretching it.

[/]

The Democrats will have a brokered convention and Pope Francis will be offered as a compromise candidate at the DNC.

The Republicans will win the protestant vote in a landslide and also make huge gains among atheists.

Pope Francis/Fidel Castro - 254 EV
Ted Cruz/Richard Dawkins - 284 EV

I would die if Richard Dawkins endorsed a Republican for President.

Anyway, the Pope will probably just endorse Sanders or Biden and leave it as it is.

[Lexii, harbinger of chaos and sexual anarchy]

The Pope won't endorse any candidates, and remember that he's a SoCon on a lot of issues that matter to all Dem candidates.
And IIRC he never directly endorsed any specific candidate during his time as archbishop (he is a political person, but he is far from being partisan)

[Blue3]

He should not have an effect on 2016... He's a pope, not a political figure.

The Pope is a political figure.

See: Roman History, the Dark Ages, the Renaissance, Colonization of the New World, the Scientific Revolution, the Progressive Era, Decolonization liberation movements, end of the Cold War...
being a Head of State and Head of Government... etc.

In addition to all that, most political issues are political issues because people see them as moral issues. Such as climate change, poverty, immigration, abortion, gay marriage, etc. All things the Catholic Church has spoken on.

Also, Catholics are a huge and influential demographic in the United States. There's also a sizable number of Catholics in Congress and the Supreme Court. The Pope is the most powerful religious figure, both in theory and in practice, in the world... particularly Pope Francis. And Catholicism, which is over 1 billion people, in addition to being the largest denomination of any religion is also the most unified, and accept the authority of the Pope.

And the Pope is about to give an unprecedented joint address to Congress.

That is why this has the potential to be a big deal.

Around the world yes, but not for US politics. This board is known as the 2016 presidential election board, so he shouldn't have an effect on the election. Honestly its a bit of a double standard hearing the left complain about right-wingers calling them "bible-thumpers" when they're cheering on a pope to speak to Congress who happens to agree with their beliefs. I certainly have never understood or liked the fact that one man has so much influence in this religion, and the secular left folks should certainly be consistent about that. The pope can speak to Congress, that's fine, but cheer-leading him to have an impact on the 2016 election is certainly stretching it.

The Catholic Church has an effect on every election. It's an essential part of US politics. Even if they never officially endorse. The US isn't magically immune to the influence of the Pope. Your comment is weird.

(and my post has nothing to do with who's "side" he's perceived to be on)

(also, it's as much or even more about Pope FRANCIS, than it is POPE Francis.)

[All Along The Watchtower]

America is at heart a Protestant culture, so idk how influential the Vatican is for us.

[ag]

I doubt it will have an immediate impact, but longer term is different. The Pope chooses bishops, and bishops are influential in catholic communities: not, perhaps, in terms of directly advising on the vote, but definitely in setting the tone. So, chances are the younger US bishops will be relatively liberal, relatively less concerned with some of the social issues, etc. There will be a longer-term impact, certainly.

[bobloblaw]

The Pope will have ZERO impact.