More in the cross-post on the MRC's NewsBusters blog.
During a live NBC special report minutes after Pope Francis concluded his address to Congress on Thursday, Meet the Press moderator Chuck Todd hailed the speech and hoped it would prevent a possible government shutdown over defunding Planned Parenthood: “I can’t help – and I apologize for bringing in crass politics into this, but we are six days from the government possibly shutting down and I can’t tell you how relieved I am to hear the Pope give these words.”
Todd continued: “And maybe it changes the tone, even for a week, which could save us a sort of silly political fight in a week. These members of Congress needed to hear something like this.” Today co-host Matt Lauer fretted: “...there have been other moments in history where messages like this have been delivered in Washington and all too often they seem to last only momentarily.”