According to the BBC, the smart money right now is on African Cardinal Francis Arinze being the next pope (4-1 odds).
That, and about 2 Euros, will get you a cup of Starbucks in Rome.
Let's assume that there is either an African or Hispanic pope.
What happens when those members of the Catholic who are racist (I'm not guessing as to percentage) get presented with the fact that the Pope, who is not just a spiritual leader, but the King of the Catholic Church, is not someone like them.
What happens to relations between conservative Catholics and Conservative Evangelicals when one the Catholics, according to church law, have to submit to the orders of a non-white?
If Kerry were running in 2008, and the Pope was black, the Republicans would put out Willie Horton style ads saying that "John Kerry gets told what to do by this man" (Cue black and white photo of black face).
More importantly, will white Evangelicals start worrying about a "Tunnel to the (Black) Pope"?
You know that they would do this.
What's a scum who converted for political advantage (Jeb Bush) to do?