No On Joe (And Tom Ridge, Too)

National Review: McCain Should Choose A Pro-Life Running Mate

(National Review Online)  This column was written by The Editors Of National Review Online.

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Conservatives who skipped the Olympics on Saturday to watch John McCain’s gold-medal performance at Rick Warren’s Saddleback Church saw a man they can affirmatively support for president, as opposed to a Republican candidate they merely prefer to Democrat Barack Obama. When he announces a running mate, McCain should seek to build on this momentum - rather than shatter it, as he would if he were to pick Connecticut senator Joe Lieberman or former Pennsylvania governor Tom Ridge as his running mate.

“As president of the United States, I will be a pro-life president and this presidency will have pro-life policies. That’s my commitment. That’s my commitment to you,” said McCain on Saturday. Nothing would do more to undercut this assurance - or to demoralize McCain’s base - than the selection of a vice-presidential nominee whose record and convictions don’t match this pledge. Also, although you would never know it reading the media, abortion is a winning issue for Republicans, and it’s not as though the party has so many of those that McCain can afford to throw it away. Yet he seems to be flirting with the possibility of a pro-choice vice-presidential pick. “I think that the pro-life position is one of the important aspects or fundamentals of the Republican party,” said McCain last week in an interview with Stephen Hayes of the Weekly Standard. “And I also feel that - and I’m not trying to equivocate here - that Americans want us to work together.”

If “working together” on abortion is the rationale, then Lieberman should immediately be disqualified from vice-presidential consideration. Lieberman, a Democrat-turned-quasi-independent, is a good man who has demonstrated an admirable ability to follow his conscience on important issues, the war foremost among them. On abortion, he’s just wrong. His voting record earns perfect marks from pro-abortion groups such as NARAL. He has even opposed a ban of partial-birth abortions, which is one proposal in recent years that has managed to unite confirmed pro-lifers and moderate pro-choicers.

There are other reasons to oppose the choice of Lieberman. Last year, he earned a rating of just 8 percent from the American Conservative Union - a single point better than Obama’s score of 7 percent. (McCain’s rating was 80 percent.) On issue after issue, Lieberman would clash with the man on the top of the GOP ticket. Rather than allowing McCain to snatch the mantle of post-partisanship, these abundant contradictions would threaten to sink the “Straight Talk Express” into a morass of disagreement and inconsistency.

When McCain made his comment about the need for pro-lifers “to work together” with pro-choicers, he wasn’t talking directly about Lieberman. He was talking about Ridge: “You know, Tom Ridge is one of the great leaders and he happens to be pro-choice. And I don’t think that that would necessarily rule Tom Ridge out [for the vice presidency],” McCain said. The comment was widely interpreted as a trial balloon. Whatever the motivation, the notion deserves pricking.

Although Ridge isn’t pro-life, neither is he a pro-abortion militant. Along with a majority of Americans, he supports reasonable restrictions such as a ban on partial-birth abortion and a requirement that minors obtain parental consent. He’s an adoptive father. But his nomination for vice president would still alienate many of the voters whose enthusiasm McCain needs.

And Ridge poses a deeper dilemma. He isn’t a conservative who happens to be pro-choice, but rather a moderate who has abandoned conservatives time and again. When Ridge was a congressman during Ronald Reagan’s second term, Congressional Quarterly found that he was more likely to oppose White House initiatives than to support them. Some of these quarrels involved labor policy, which was perhaps understandable given Ridge’s Erie-based congressional district. Others were strange, such as Ridge’s support of the nuclear-freeze movement and his hostility toward missile defense.

Finally, it must be said that Ridge never has been “one of the great leaders,” even in the rhetorically superlative world of American politics. His two-term governorship of Pennsylvania yielded no special hallmarks of conservative reform - instead, its missed opportunity to deliver school choice remains a frustrating failure. Likewise, Ridge’s tenure as the first secretary of the Department of Homeland Security was unspectacular at best.

Heading into the conventions, McCain remains an underdog. Yet his situation is far from desperate. For vice president, he should make a choice that’s conservative in both meanings of the word.

[jmurrieta1]

Given McCain''s advanced age, it''s significant who the VP candidate will be.

Regrettably, the repugs have nobody to offer, other than a bunch of losers, turncoats, war profiteers, and assorted slimeballs. Americans have had it with the fascist party.

This is why they are all staying away from St. Paul, MN, in droves.

Nobody wants the Bush-cheney stink on them.

[sassychick07]

Evangelicals need to start focusing on the issues that really affect mankind and the planet, and quit obsessing over abortion and homosexuals.

[sassychick07]

Evangelicals need to start focusing on the issues that really affect mankind and the planet, and quit obsessing over abortion and homosexuals.

[Syndicate]

Christians can Believe what ever they want just as soon as they remove their god from my money and my Pledge of Allegiance. Until then, they are fair game for ridicule.

[dewardbowles]

McCain lifted his Cross story from a Russian writer. The McCain campaign released a response saying Swindle, a long time campaign surrogate and Vietnam veteran buddy of McCain''s heard him tell the story in 1971.

Problem is Swindle did an interview with Politico in April of this year where he was ask about the Cross story and he said McCain had never told him about it.

Transcripts of McCain''s aides blackberrys have been released that show that they were feeding McCain Obama''s questions and answers and picking answers for McCain designed to make Obama look bad.

There is now proof that McCain cheated at the Saddleback forum and lied about the Cross story.

[afmca]

Once more the media uses a term that has no basis in reality. Republicans are not pro-life; they are pro-zygote or pro-fetus. The only reason is it is good politics. The men who lead this effort are all probably closet sexists wanting to return women to their second class status. Republicans, by the uncaring attitude post-delivery and their fascination with war have killed more children than their claim against family planning clinics. It must be nice to be so morally self-righteous and so blatently hypocritical.

To actually be pro-life one must care for the post-fetus child and I have yet to see a Republican or their evangelical base that qualifies. To REALLY be pro-life one must provide adequate health care, nutrition, housing, education, moral development, and an environment free of pollutants. The GOP fails on all accounts. Democrats may be pro-choice in allowing a woman to make a difficult decision as to letting her zygote continue to develop; but, once the baby enters into the real world, Democrats win the pro-life race every time.

[roach9703]

With Ridge and his color codes and Duck tape, this should be a red light for V.P.

[roach9703]

With Ridge and his color codes and Duck tape, this should be a red light for V.P.

[imnho]

I do not understand why the far right thiks that abortion is bad, but kids starving is ok. It seems to me that they have huge unresolved control issuses.

[noloyalisti]

Yes pick someone who is pro-life AND pro-war like the rest of the right wing nut Republicans. You know those that believe in two opposite things and think they are both right. Support stem cell research so we can grow them a brain!

[kman821]

Okay ... all you Goose-Steppers fall in line behind your Fuhrer! God, right-wing zealots make me sick!

McCain spent the entire time with Warren peddling his same old BS stump lines ... what a miserable excuse of a man. He''s a serial adulterer, but that''s okay with all you crazy so-called Christians ... McCain wouldn''t know Christ is he bit him on the ***!

[fhardeniii]

I''ve been a staunch life-long Republican for almost a half century. I''m Pro-Choice. Quite frankly, I don''t think a member of the GOP should have an insuperable aversion to voting for the GOP party just because one of the presidential or VP candidates is Pro-Choice. While the issue of abortion isn''t "Much Ado About Nothing," right now I think we Americans have many more issues of much more monumental importance. We currently have far more paramount problems to address, defeat and cure such as the economy, illegal immigration, energy and the war on terror, etc.

While I ideally want Senator McCain to choose Mitt Romney to be his VP running mate, for whatever cogent and compelling reasons I don''t intuitively feel that John McCain is going to do so.

If Senator McCain chooses a Pro-Choice running mate, realistically Bob Barr could garner up to 15% of the vote in November and that would be a resounding devastating defeat for Senator McCain and the GOP.

Conversely, I also believe that Senator McCain, ever the maverick, feels that he can get away with selecting a Pro-Choice VP running mate and still win because of the current visceral justifiable antipathy of the American people against Obama.

[fhardeniii]

I''ve been a staunch life-long Republican for almost a half century. I''m Pro-Choice. Quite frankly, I don''t think a member of the GOP should have an insuperable aversion to voting for the GOP party just because one of the presidential or VP candidates is Pro-Choice. While the issue of abortion isn''t "Much Ado About Nothing," right now I think we Americans have many more issues of much more monumental importance. We currently have far more paramount problems to address, defeat and cure such as the economy, illegal immigration, energy and the war on terror, etc.

While I ideally want Senator McCain to choose Mitt Romney to be his VP running mate, for whatever cogent and compelling reasons I don''t intuitively feel that John McCain is going to do so.

If Senator McCain chooses a Pro-Choice running mate, realistically Bob Barr could garner up to 15% of the vote in November and that would be a resounding devastating defeat for Senator McCain and the GOP.

Conversely, I also believe that Senator McCain, ever the maverick, feels that he can get away with selecting a Pro-Choice VP running mate and still win because of the current visceral justifiable antipathy of the American people against Obama.

[redhoffer]

geez,w hy worry about McCain''s "base". Evangelicals will show up to vote and they will vote republican regardless of McCains running mate. He could choose Oprah Winfrey or Roger Clemens, and they will vote for him.
Evangelicals make tons of threats about not voting, but their entire religion is largely based on the republican platform (Jesus has little to do with it unless He can be construed to support the republican platform).
Stop BS''ing NRO, your people will vote McCain anyway, they''d nevere stand back and potentially let a black man or any female become pres due to their lack of voting.

Evangelical Chrisitianity is being a republican, it what defines the movement and its entire substance.

[fhardeniii]

I''ve been a staunch life-long Republican for almost a half century. I''m Pro-Choice. Quite frankly, I don''t think a member of the GOP should have an insuperable aversion to voting for the GOP party just because one of the presidential or VP candidates is Pro-Choice. While the issue of abortion isn''t "Much Ado About Nothing," right now I think we Americans have many more issues of much more monumental importance. We currently have far more paramount problems to address, defeat and cure such as the economy, illegal immigration, energy and the war on terror, etc.

While I ideally want Senator McCain to choose Mitt Romney to be his VP running mate, for whatever cogent and compelling reasons I don''t intuitively feel that John McCain is going to do so.

If Senator McCain chooses a Pro-Choice running mate, realistically Bob Barr could garner up to 15% of the vote in November and that would be a resounding devastating defeat for Senator McCain and the GOP.

Conversely, I also believe that Senator McCain, ever the maverick, feels that he can get away with selecting a Pro-Choice VP running mate and still win because of the current visceral justifiable antipathy of the American people against Obama.

[fhardeniii]

I''ve been a staunch life-long Republican for almost a half century. I''m Pro-Choice. Quite frankly, I don''t think a member of the GOP should have an insuperable aversion to voting for the GOP party just because one of the presidential or VP candidates is Pro-Choice. While the issue of abortion isn''t "Much Ado About Nothing," right now I think we Americans have many more issues of much more monumental importance. We currently have far more paramount problems to address, defeat and cure such as the economy, illegal immigration, energy and the war on terror, etc.

While I ideally want Senator McCain to choose Mitt Romney to be his VP running mate, for whatever cogent and compelling reasons I don''t intuitively feel that John McCain is going to do so.

If Senator McCain chooses a Pro-Choice running mate, realistically Bob Barr could garner up to 15% of the vote in November and that would be a resounding devastating defeat for Senator McCain and the GOP.

Conversely, I also believe that Senator McCain, ever the maverick, feels that he can get away with selecting a Pro-Choice VP running mate and still win because of the current visceral justifiable antipathy of the American people against Obama.

[walt1944-2009]

It has been learned that the neocon Fascist Nazi propoganda machine, the National Review, has learned that "DRRRILLLLL!" McCain has chosen his running mate, who he feels will be a great choice for the neocon Fascist Nazi Republican Party and an excellent running mate.

It is Phyliss Diller!!!!!!

The National Review has leaked that it had learned McCain''s choice from "reliable" sources within the offices of the only news organization which truly reports what used to be the news; The National Inquirer!!!!

Stating that because of the paper''s "scoop" on the John Edwards affair, effective rubbing every newspaper and news service''s nose in it, the National Review will be using the Inquirer exclusively to find out who will be in McCain''s cabinet when (not IF!) he is elected!

Right now, the NRO is watching the Inquirer story that the Great Emperor Bush II and his first lady are going thru a nasty divorce, but because of its anti-family-values theme, NOT very closely.

SIG HEIL, BUSH!!!!!
sig heil, "SURRRRRRGE!" McCain!!!!!

[frankson2]

WHAT KIND OF A PARTY WORRIES ABOUT SINGLE CELLS, BUT IS MORE THAN HAPPY TO SACRIFICE 18 YR OLDS FOR SOME IDIOTIC WAR.

[ofbyfor1]

Roughly 85% of the electorate feels that Roe v. Wade should NOT be overturned. They feel this way NOT because they love abortion, but because they believe that this is a situation where the government should not be involved, particularly in the first trimester.

McCain has flip-flopped on this issue himself and is now simply pandering to the conservative Republican base that he feels that he needs.

He should be careful, because there are probably more voters that would be wary of his new ''pro-government in your business'' stance than those who would be for it. The 85% statistic speaks to that.

[ubrew12]

National Review: McCain Should Choose A Pro-Life Running Mate

Why don''t they dig up Terry Shiavo? I don''t think the Republicans have quite milked that woman for all the publicity they could get out of her, and propping her up beside McCain would convince Americans and the religious right how very very serious Republicans are about the ''right to life''.

Potential downside: She could upstage McCain by looking more alive than he does.

[broadwayphi]

Poor Long Gone John.

Caught between Iraq and a hard place.

[broadwayphi]

McCain lies.

www.factcheck.org

Non-partisan, critical of Obama, but accurately points out the pack of outright pathological lying lobbyists that is the McCain campaign.

[broadwayphi]

Life begins at conception.

And ends in Iraq.

[broadwayphi]

I''m all for defending the lives of the unborn.

I also want to defend the loves of the post-born.

My friend.

[andor3]

What the heck does it matter what a President or VP thinks about abortion? Hilliary was the only candidate in a position where she might have to make a real decision on the matter.

Far more important issues exist, and once again the rich corporate moguls hope they can distract Americans into voting for a bad leader with irrelevant wedge issues. They do not give a hoot for morality but are happy to take your money while lying.

[jankebenz]

Evangelicals need to start focusing on the issues that really affect mankind and the planet, and quit obsessing over abortion and homosexuals.

Posted by sassychick07 at 12:37 PM : Aug 19, 2008

In order to get your house (nation), back in order, one must clean up and throw out the trash

[oneworldusa]

-Roe V. Wade is not about abortion, but the right to privacy regarding medical care and procedures. Abortion is a medical procedure.

[oneworldusa]

-Roe V. Wade is not about abortion, but the right to privacy regarding medical care and procedures. Abortion is a medical procedure.

[sleepyric]

The picture says it all....it''s going to be McCain and Joe Slobberman....McCain needs Joe to tell him what to say....sort of like a Scientologist escort....can''t stand Slobberman...

[bmadeline-2009]

The world is going to hell in a bucket and all you fools can still think about is abortion. Get real.

[roger3815]

The ever tiresome obsession of conservatives with abortion--a minority position mind you--reminds me of Nero. They seem perfectly content to fiddle while America burns. Chasing toothless monsters and jumping out to go Boo! We are a doomed race of sheep if we vote for this guy.

[babooph]

Both parties need a GOOD general-not one of the nuts Bush pushes-govt. is NOT a business,the BS that it needs to be run in a business like fashion ,is pure trash.Ike looks more & more like a superman-stopped the war,very high tax rate for the rich,kept his foot on the warmongers at the pentagon & cia.

[superdem]

The insanity of the "pro-life" position is that there is a party involved they care nothing about - the poor woman who wants the abortion. It''s her body, it''s her life, it''s her choice. Nobody put a gun to her head and forced her into the clinic. I guess having a baby is her punnishment for having ***. "Small government" conservatives are insane to force government into the most private medical decision a woman can make. There''s nothing "conservative" about it - it''s just insane moralizing and hysteria divorced from reality, like most Republican positions. If Republicans really wanted to save lives, they''d care about polluting industries or food safety, but NO - those require "regulations". You''re on your own, Jack, the moment it costs some corporation a penny. Republicans who are "pro-life" might also oppose war, but they love it. They want war again, against the Russians. There''s nothing "pro-life" about the Republicans and their "every acorn is an oak tree" stupidity.

[labrat9999]

Again I ask my question to the pro-life folks and McSame. Serious answers only please. If someone broke into your house, raped your 14 year old daughter, she became pregnant, is this God''s seed or Satin''s? She MUST have the baby, right? Second question, if your wife is pregnant, is in danger of dying because of the pregnancy, does she die because this is the will of God or the work of Satin? I really get the God Satin thing confused and trying to figure out who is doing what...I mean the whole good and evil thing. So please answer.

[labrat9999]

By the way, just to be clear..I personally don''t agree with using abortion as a form of contraception, but I''m not so naive that I don''t undersand that with the law, and the pro-life movement, it is all or nothing.

[bobnjersey]

[You could''''nt muster 20% from the right wing. You need to go back to math class.]
[Posted by gunfighter51 at 09:52 PM : Aug 19, 2008]

and without that 20% mccain will have to go back to arizona.

[ubrew12]

sassychick07 said: "Evangelicals need to start focusing on the issues that really affect mankind and the planet, and quit obsessing over abortion and homosexuals."

jankebenz said: "In order to get your house (nation), back in order, one must clean up and throw out the trash "

Isn''t that what Hitler said about the Jews?

[jjreding-2009]

I can''t believe that in this era of runaway deficits, over-the-top fuel prices (and I''m not just talking about gasoline), out of control food prices (have you seen the size of the increases in food prices over the past year - and that includes foods that have stayed the same while their packaging has shrunken to absurd sizes) and all the other woes that this country has suffered at the hands of the current regime, that there are still fools out there that put abortion at the top of their list of factors to consider for appointing a successor government. Absolutely ridiculous - and these are NOT the people I want representing me in this country.