[ken5050]

Re the "election process"...FYI..check out this story here in today's NY POST...sounds like the new Pope had help from Karl Rove...or the Curia equivalent..

[american colleen]

I read the NYPost article and it seems that the paper is asserting B16 'campagned' but provides no evidence beyond the statement of the paper itself.

For anyone familiar with the Vatican, even remotely (someone like me), I have known who Ratzinger was for years. He has always written books and newspaper articles & given media interviews. He has always been one of the most accessible personalities in the Vatican. Very open and approachable.

Did he want to be pope? Well, reading this thread and knowing that he asked to retire three times in the past 15 or so years, I'd say no.

[StAthanasiustheGreat]

Where the heck do they get that information? No one knows how many votes Ratzinger got except the Cardinals. I am sick of their political speculations.

[dangus]

>> [S]ounds like the new Pope had help from Karl Rove... <<

Hehe. Have you seen the DU rantings?

"It's like Bush dying after four terms and finding out the new President is Karl Rove."

And yes, it IS all Bush's fault! Dozens of posters have ranted about how Bush did it.