Keller @ Large: Trump Vs. The Pope - The Main Event
BOSTON (CBS) - It began with a reporter's question to Pope Francis on the flight home from his six-day visit to Mexico: What did he make of Donald Trump's most famous campaign pledge, to build a "great wall" on the US-Mexico border to stifle entry by undocumented immigrants?
"A person who only thinks about building walls -- wherever they be located -- and not building bridges is not a Christian," said the Pontiff. "This is not in the Gospel."
Trump's angry response: "For a religious leader to question a person's faith is disgraceful."
Was that a mistake? Some think so.
"There are certain non-negotiables when it comes to being a Christian," said Father James Martin, editor of the National Catholic Review.
But keep in mind, only 13 percent of the GOP primary vote in South Carolina four years ago was Catholic. And this pope's outspoken advocacy for immigrants and the poor has angered arch-conservatives, who sometimes refer to him as a "communist." For them, Trump is once again being the fearless leader speaking politically-incorrect truth to power.
Tellingly, Trump's competitors fled from the controversy like it was Kryptonite.
Ted Cruz took a total pass. Marco Rubio changed the subject to the need for tighter immigration control. And at a CNN town hall Thursday night, Jeb Bush, who has called Trump a "jerk" among other choice adjectives, said: "I just don't think it's appropriate to question Donald Trump's faith."
Moments later, Trump came onstage and was asked about the contretemps:
Q: "Was there a moment when you first heard the Pope had said something about you that you thought you might have to ask for forgiveness?"
A: "No, ha ha, no."
