“Pope John Paul II himself was kind of a rather independent, creative man. I remember being told by somebody who worked very close with him in preparation for his first visit to the United States in 1979, he studied our normative documents, Declaration of Independence, the Federalist Papers, the Constitution. And he was amazed. He called his priests first thing in the morning and he said, he said, I thought America was a pagan country.”
![“His [John Paul II] humanity, combined with his extraordinary spiritual authority, was unlike anything I've ever met.” quote by Chris Matthews](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/f0f/chris-matthews-1682_authority_his-john-paul-ii-humanity-combined-with_3169522.jpg)
![“I think that the candidates who are doing it [not debating] are doing a great disservice to the party. It's a sign of an unhealthy institution.” quote by Chris Matthews](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/54b/chris-matthews-1682_candidates_i-think-that-the-candidates-who-are-doin_34506.jpg)
![“I don't sense an [Barack] Obama party. I think politics is transactional for him.” quote by Chris Matthews](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/a21/chris-matthews-1682_barack_i-don-t-sense-an-barack-obama-party-i-th_84737.jpg)
