Transcript: Mayor de Blasio Speaks with W-ABC7's Dray Clark About The Papal Visit

September 24, 2015

Dray Clark: Good morning, guys. We’re outside of the home of the papal nuncio here on East 72nd Street, and this morning Mayor Bill de Blasio was kind enough to speak with us. Obviously Mr. Mayor, thanks for talking with us first of all. An exciting day for you, an exciting day for the city with the pope coming here later on this evening. You said earlier this week that the city – you’re absolutely confident that the city is prepared and that the security measures and plans that are in place are more than sufficient. What makes you so confident?

Mayor Bill de Blasio: We have an extraordinary team lead by Commissioner Bratton. We’re doing great work together with the Secret Service and the FBI. I’m absolutely confident in these preparations – extraordinary amount of personnel being applied to His Holiness’ safety and the safety of all New Yorkers simultaneously. So I think it’s something we’ve never seen these kind of preparations before for so many world leaders and the Pope at once in our city, but the NYPD is absolutely up to the job. And I think it’s also important to note – this is going to be an incredibly energizing moment for the city of New York, an inspiring moment. What His Holiness has done all over the world is called people to really act differently, to think differently about each other as human beings and about our earth. His message is going to resonate very strongly here in New York City. 

Clark: And along those same lines, what are you hoping ultimately that the message will be from Pope Francis when he visits here in New York City?

Mayor: I think what he has been talking about for over two years – all of us working towards a more just and equal society, protecting the earth, addressing climate change, addressing the fact that there are some amongst us who are still not included in this society. He is really setting a higher standard for all of us, and he’s calling us to action. The amazing thing about this Pope is people listen. Every faith, every nation, people are listening. And he has an ability to make humanity really think differently about our commonality – what we have to do together. I think that’s going to help in New York and around the country for us to find a way to work better together and move towards a more just society. 

Clark: Because the mayor – I’m sorry, the Pope is such a humble man, and he likes to reach out and touch the people, in the planning of this, which obviously has been in the works for months, how important was it for the Pope and the people to have that warm interaction and not be so distant?

Mayor: We wanted to make sure that everyday New Yorkers would have a chance to get close to His Holiness. That’s why we created the procession in Central Park – looks like about 80,000 people will be a part of that. There’ll be some other opportunities as well. We know His Holiness is spontaneous. We know at some point it’s likely he’ll stop and connect with the crowds around him, as he already did in Washington, and that’s who he is. It’s authentic. He wants to be close to people. We’ll be ready to protect him when he does. But what I’m thrilled about is tens of thousands of people are going to have a chance to see him around the city. Obviously many people will be attending the mass at Madison Square Garden. And again, I think what’s so powerful about him is he energizes people. He helps people think differently about what we can do. That’s why he’s not like a political leader – he’s a moral leader. He’s a moral leader that sets a different standard for all of us – and people are listening. 

Clark: Mayor Bill de Blasio, thanks for talking to us this morning. 

Mayor: Thank you.

Clark: There you have it, guys. Mayor de Blasio here, like so many other New Yorkers eagerly anticipating the Pope’s arrival later on this evening.