[sinkspur]

Cardinals in outlying dioceses simply don't know each other, or the Curial cardinals, very well.

Americans and Europeans won't pick the next Pope without strong support from the third world.

[AmishDude]

That seems true, but I'm just arguing that it's less so now. The prevalence of English around the world helps the outlying Cardinals, too. I read that one candidate for the papacy is a longshot because he can't speak English.