Rendell On Papal Visit: 'Boggles The Mind Why We Have To Put A Fence Up'
PHILADELPHIA (CBS) -- With less than forty days to go until the Papal visit, Mayor Nutter and officials have begun to roll out plans on how the city is going to handle the expected million-1.5 million people.
Former Pennsylvania Governor Ed Rendell shared his thoughts on how he thinks officials are handling the highly anticipated event.
"I think the secret service has sort of run over the city," Rendell told Angelo Cataldi and the 94WIP Morning Show on Wednesday.
"The secret service has one goal---that the principal or in this case the Pope, doesn't get hurt. And they couldn't care less if nobody showed up and watched the Pope, as long as the Pope doesn't get hurt on their watch."
Listen: Ed Rendell on the 94WIP Morning Show
"The city has just started to push back a little on that and the Mayor and I think, most recent perhaps, is beginning to push back. But as I said on radio a couple of weeks ago Angelo, the Pope went to Bolivia, Ecuador, and Paraguay and there was no fence. It boggles the mind why we have to put up a fence in the United States of America. And I think if the Pope knew what was going on, that seniors are going to be asked if you live in New Jersey to walk four or files miles across the Ben Franklin bridge up to the Parkway, I think the Pope would be aghast."
"I think they should have pushed back earlier," Rendell continued. "I mean, I think that Mayor Nutter has done a great job in handling the entire visit and convincing the Pope to come to Philadelphia. And remember he was only coming to one city originally and that was going to be Philadelphia and then New York and Washington spalked so much so he decided to lengthen the trip. But I think the Mayor has done a good job, but he's starting to push back now on behalf of our businesses and behalf of the people, but it's late and hopefully it will work. We've still got a month to go."
