Earnest: Obama, Pope Francis ‘Have So Many Values in Common’

‘The way that President Obama has prioritized those kinds of issues, even before he arrived in the presidency, shows how important he thinks this meeting is’

EARNEST: "... who have so many values in common, to talk about the efforts that they are taking in their respective and quite different roles, to advance those shared values and --" 
ACOSTA: [indecipherable] Is there less on their agenda then it was there previously? Would you say this is more of a social --"
EARNEST: "No I wouldn't -- I think the president is looking forward to it. I think the president thinks it will be an interesting meeting that he's looking forward to, but I wouldn't describe it as a social meeting. I think that -- that -- that the that the way that both of these men have dedicated their lives to advancing values related to social justice, and prioritizing those who are less fortunate, and -- they pursue those values with a sense of conviction, I think gives them a lot of serious things to talk about. And certainly the way that -- that the President Obama has prioritized those kinds of issues throughout his career, even before he arrived in the presidency, I think should give you an indication of how important the president thinks this meeting is. OK, Jim."

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