What matters in cardinals' decision of new pope?

>> get to other news.

>>> tomorrow 115 cardinals will enter the papal conclave to begin the process of selecting a new pope. the man who faces the challenge of leading the church in awe new directi direction. many in rome before heading into seclusion. unlike eight years ago when joseph rat sizinger was to replace john paul , ii. cardinals are hope to energize the catholics by selecting a pope from outside italy. however popular italian cardinal scola said to be the favorite cardinal. american cardinals dolan and o'malley of boston are believed to be in the mix. let's go to our papal conclave desk and mike barnicle . what is important about the choice this time and what direction should they be thinking about?

>> it's a krichlt moment for the catholic church . especially here in the united states given the sexual abuse scandal. i think it's critical the next pope realize the principal function of the next pa papacy is open the windows. it's filled of secrecy and corruption and scandal. the next pope has to address all of that. that is to give catholics both here in the united states and around the world a sense that he gets it. that, you know, the secrecy that has surrounded the papacy the last 20 years has to be eliminated. the church belongs to the people, not to the cardinals gathered in the vatican. it belongs to the people. if it's going to survive, it will survive. if it's going to prosper and grow, it has got to grow in sunlight.

>> i'm trying to say this the right way. if they hired me as a marketer. no, being serious. serve them well to maybe put someone who is a little younger, to make a statement. visually you look at -- no, seriously. this is a church , obviously, in turmoil right now. to have somebody that physically appears they are of this time for, for lack of a better word, would immediately send a signal.

>> it's important.

>> i think i'm the only one here who can say i've been inside as a former augustinaugustinian. i think the church has to make that step forward. the church is looking for a manager. it's looking for someone to come in and do the very things you're talking about. will that person be younger? i think they will be. not because they have to be but because everyone understands that is where the church needs to be. and so i believe that there is an earnest effort afoot by the cardinals right now to really drill down to the next level. you had the past two popes have been pastors and men who have spoken to the spirit and the intent of vatican ii , for example. now, in the course of that, what has happened? you've had the banking scandals, sexual abuse scandals and all of these things that have happened have gone to the management, the running of the church and physical control of those institutions to make them more responsive to the people and open up their doors and windows for people to see. i think that is the pope that the cardinals is going to be looking for and hopefully the holy spirit will guide them into the right mindset.

>> can i say something?

>> yes, congresswoman.

>> yes, i was remembering how in the 'seventh during the turmoil in latin america and overthrow of horrific throw of governments that had massive human rights abuses that the church was there. the church is a kril relief organization, even now pakistan. there is a past and maybe a future for this church if the -- if the stain can be eliminated that is magnificent. and i think many, you know, millions and millions in this world are catholic and revere the spirituality of the church and the next pope maybe this fellow from latin america . i think quite quickly if he can just clean up some of the remaining mess can lead the church in -- can restore the church to a magnificent role in the world.

>> to jane harman 's point. that is the universal catholic church . i've never been anywhere in the world never encountered where go. that is the church .

>> before we go. congresswoman, i went down memory lane with michael steele and mike barnicle . how do you not remember the studio 54 days with me?

>> yeah, and my "saturday night live" days, i forgot those two.

>> that is when michael was an augustinian fryar.

>> the president might be open for a revenue what is calls serious entitlement reform but can he get others on board? senator johnson will join us on the set. down do you know what you're eating? frank bruni tackles horse meat in his latest "the new york times" column and he joins us and along with rana foroohar and chuck todd . first, bill karins with a look at your forecast.

>>> after the snowstorm on friday that clobbered new england we had a pretty nice weekend and good deal of know melting. clouds and not as much sunshine today as over the weekend. forecast for today, no rain for the big cities on i-95. not today. we will see rain buffalo to pittsburgh but notice how warm it is. temperatures in the 50s and, in some cases, up near 60. tuesday is the rainy day in the northeast. we are going to have a line of showers and possibly even some heavier rain moving through, 8:00 a.m . tomorrow in d.c. your morning rush ohour tomorrow will be wet and noon to 1:00 rain exits and over philly and new york. on tuesday afternoon new england gets the heavy rain and possibility of maybe flooding problems with that snow melt . keep that in mind. want to update you on the potential for the rain in the northeast and the travel delays tomorrow. today we got rain out there from louisville south wards to nashville and around new orleans and as far as the cold goes it's in the northern plains . i feel sorry for my friends in margin o fargo. minus 4 windchill to start your monday morning in march. cold in the northern plains and one more warm day for everyone on the eastern seaboard . you're watching " morning joe ." we are brewed by starbucks. it may