Barack Obama & Pope Leo XIV Have More In Common Than You Think

Barack Obama and Pope Leo XIV quite literally share common ground since they both call Chicago home. The former president even acknowledged this surprising fact in his congratulatory post on X, formerly known as Twitter, for the newly-elected Catholic leader, by labeling the Pope a "fellow Chicagoan." While Barack moved to the Windy City after snagging a job in the Developing Communities Project in 1985, Pope Leo XIV is a born and bred native. The Obama family settled in Hyde Park and the future pontiff spent his formative years in Dolton, which is just south of the iconic city. 

However, when Pope Leo XIV grew more serious about his faith, he attended the Catholic Theological Union in Hyde Park, bringing him even closer to the future president. The southern suburbs of Chicago have a dear place in Barack's heart since his wife, Michelle Obama, grew up in the area. The South Side also holds political significance since it was a large part of the 13th district, which Barack represented as an Illinois State Senator in 1996. 

Needless to say, the two world leaders couldn't have lived in Chi-town without developing some polarizing food views. During a 2016 interview with CNN, with beloved chef Anthony Bourdain, Barack confirmed that he preferred Chicago-style hot dogs by proclaiming that adding ketchup to the classic food "was not acceptable past the age of eight," (via Today). Meanwhile, Pope Leo XIV's elder brother informed OSV News that the religious leader preferred to keep ketchup away from his hot dogs, too. In addition to agreeing on this iconic snack, the pair also falls on the same side of the White Sox vs. Cubs debate. 

Shortly after news of Pope Leo XIV's papacy broke, the Chicago Cubs took to X to share a photo of the Wrigley Stadium marquee emblazoned with the words: "Hey, Chicago. He's a Cubs fan!" However, Pope Leo XIV's brother John Prevost clarified to CBS News that the pontiff had been a loyal White Sox supporter from his childhood days. Prevost revealed that they even cheered the Sox on from the sidelines on numerous occasions. Barack Obama's loyalties lie with the same team. In 2016, the then-president joked that as a White Sox fan, he wasn't too pleased to see Bill Murray walking around the White House proudly wearing a Chicago Cubs jacket. Funnily enough, the unlikely pair's similarities aren't limited to the city they call home since they also share some progressive views too. 

For starters, the Pope and the bestselling author agree that protecting our planet against climate change is the need of the hour. In contrast, the Catholic leader doesn't have much in common with Donald Trump, which made his praise for the new Pope seem as real as his spray tan. In fact, even the divisive politician's second-in-command, JD Vance, was embarrassed by the new Pope shortly after his papacy began. Unfortunately, his wife wasn't saved from the embarrassment because Usha Vance wore a pilgrim cosplay next to Pope Leo XIV, which was a fashion Hail Mary that didn't land. Suffice it to say that Barack and Michelle Obama would likely have fared far better with the new pontiff.