Red, White and Blue Smoke

Pope Leo XIV
Pope Leo XIV appears on the central loggia of St. Peter’s Basilica after being chosen the 267th pontiff of the Roman Catholic Church, at the Vatican. Alessandra Tarantino/AP

Today’s notice: A pope who could post online about whether New York or Chicago’s pizza is best. Lawmakers gearing up to ban their own stock trading. An Appropriations Chair navigating Trump 2.0. Republicans navigating reconciliation. Judge Pirro’s shoes to fill.


American Man Elected, Other Elected Americans Excited

Pope Leo XIV, born Robert Francis Prevost in Chicago, has a degree from Villanova. Also, 20 years in Peru plus joint citizenship there. But after it was revealed yesterday the white smoke was for him, lawmakers in Congress were saying two words: American Pope.

“I called my family in Chicago,” Sen. Ruben Gallego, a Catholic Democrat, told our Hill team. “They’re doing research to see if we ever went to mass with him.”