There were more than 15,000 ticketed guests at Wednesday morning’s gathering for Pope Francis on the South Lawn of the White House.
Vice President Joe Biden and wife Jill were there, of course. As was evangelical Pastor Rick Warren of Saddleback Chruch.
President Obama’s other invitees included:
* Ethel Kennedy. The widow of the late Attorney General Robert Kennedy, who was assassinated in California in 1968 as he sought the Democratic presidential nomination.
* Eva Longoria. An Obama supporter, the actress is scheduled to performed at the Kennedy Center concert event honoring Pope Francis. Miss Longoria was expected to read a speech that Special Olympics founder Eunice Kennedy Shriver gave in 1987.
* Current D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser and her predecessor, Vincent Gray. Both are Catholic and Democrats.
* Newt Gingrich and wife Calista. Mrs. Gingrich is a devout, lifelong Catholic. The former House speaker was confirmed in 2009.
* Donna Brazile. Obama supporter and Democratic playmaker.
* Gene Robinson. He became the first openly gay Episcopal bishop in 2003.
* Sister Simone Campbell, pro-abortion executive director of the lobby group NETWORK. Sister Campbell also is expected to attend the pope’s historic address to Congress on Thursday.
* Former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, a Catholic and Democrat.
* Sen. Bernard Sanders of Vermont. A presidential candidate, he also is Jewish.
• Deborah Simmons can be reached at dsimmons@washingtontimes.com.
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