Barack Obama was the first presidential candidate to issue a statement welcoming Pope Benedict XVI to the United States ahead of his arrival tomorrow:

On behalf of our family, Michelle and I want to extend our warmest welcome to His Holiness Pope Benedict XVI as he arrives for his historic apostolic journey to the United States. As committed Christians, we join millions of Americans – Catholics and members of all faith communities – in offering our prayers for the success of the Holy Father’s visit.
At a time when American families face rising costs at home and a range of worries abroad, the theme of Pope Benedict’s journey, “Christ Our Hope,” offers comfort and grace as well as a challenge to all faith communities to put our faith into action for the common good. It will not only be Catholics who are listening to the Holy Father’s message of hope and peace; all Americans will be listening with open hearts and minds.

Obama may have fallen to a “6” with his seemingly derisive remark about small town Americans clinging to their faith, but he sure bounces back quick–unlike a certain Republican nominee for president who God-o-Meter has been tracking.

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