Recent Poll- Most Americans Really Like the Pope and Want to Hear More

Father Z has the details at Americans “overwhelmingly” favorable toward Pope Benedict

Father Z notes this part:
The poll reported that about half of Americans said they would like to hear Pope Benedict XVI on issues like abortion and stem cell research, while .57 percent wanted to hear his views on marriage and the family.

Now this among all Americans. This seems to defeat the common wisdom that is bantered about that people are turning against religious ideas in the public square I think that this attitude cannot be just to Benedict alone. That is the fact that non Catholics are interested in what Benedict is saying way over in Rome seem to indicate that they would and are indeed listening to their local religious leaders (Protestant or Catholic or Jewish) and in fact want them in the conversation.