McCain VP Candidate Ridge: Republicans Would Accept Pro-Choice VP (VIDEO)

Former Pennsylvania Gov. Tom Ridge said Sunday he thinks Republicans would accept a vice presidential candidate who supports abortion rights.

But, he said, whomever John McCain picks as a running mate should defer to McCain on the issue.

McCain opposes abortion rights, but he riled some conservatives last week when he suggested his running mate could -- like Ridge -- support abortion rights.

"What he was saying to the rest of the world is that we need to accept both points of view," Ridge said in a broadcast interview. "He's not judgmental about me or my belief. He just disagrees with me."

Ridge is believed to be on McCain's short list of vice presidential candidates, though it would be a major break with Republican orthodoxy for McCain to pick a running mate who supports abortion rights.

"I think that would be up to, first of all, to John to decide whether he wants a pro-choice running mate; then we would have to see how the Republican Party would rally around it," Ridge said. "At the end of the day, I think the Republican Party will be comfortable with whatever choice John makes."

McCain's statement last week was seen as an appeal to centrist voters. On Sunday, Ridge tried to soothe conservatives by stating that McCain's view on the issue would prevail in a McCain administration.

"The last time I checked, the vice president is not an independent voice. He echoes the position of the president of the United States," Ridge said. "I think it's the responsibility of the vice president. If you're unwilling or unable to do that, then I think you should defer to someone else."

Ridge was interviewed on "Fox News Sunday."

Comments

[Shannon2008]

Ridge is kidding himself if he thinks McPro-Life is going to put him on the ticket. If McPro-Life does, the evangelicals we consider McCain a liar.

[SamEllison]

With these two the 3 am call will be to go to the bathroom. ahhhhhhhhh....

[Janco54]

The only person more boring to listen to than John McCain is Tom Ridge. My God - talk about a ticket that could substitute for Ambien!

[speeddeeps]

Does this mean that PA is in McCane column now?

[Secure214]

HAHA...I like the "McCane" quip

[matandch]

I live in Pennsylvania. I consider Tom Ridge to be the WORST governer EVER in the history of the Comonwealth. Pa historians consider him a 6 year place holder with nothing more to offer the state than someone at the helm should something need attention at the state executive level. i.e. he showed up for work and attended to routine matters. That's it. Otherwise he showed little iniative.

[schicklett3]

McCain stated very clearly at the church forum that he and his VP will be pro-life. Period.
Now we wait and see if tries to wiggle out of that statement.
I think he will choose Huckabee - I would bet on it.

[Gary47]

If all this comes together, how is anyone anywhere going to avoid referring to it as the "sleeper ticket"?

Grandpa's - its where you go to visit, not where you go to vote.

[NYC07]

"The last time I checked, the vice president is not an independent voice. He echoes the position of the president of the United States," Or Visa -Versa

[diogeron]

Please, please pick Tom Ridge. If he does, game, set, match, Obama.

[LanguagePolice]

"Or Visa -Versa".

That would be "vice-versa". Latin. Not capitalized.

[DRaymond]

Oh come on, McCain pounds the desk and proclaims at the Saddleback Church forum just last night about how Pro-Life his presidency is going to be and then he's going to turn around and the next week name a pro-choice VP!

[nyckingpin]

Imagine that. The Republican presidential candidate with a pro-choice running mate. And then there's the possibility of an Obama/Kaine ticket. The presumptive Democratic nominee for President with a pro-life running mate.

Obama/Kaine vs McCain/Ridge

I presume this would put this wedge issue to bed for this election cycle, right?

[adzeman]

The GOP are victory whores. They'd vote for Charlie Manson if he was able to run. Sure they'll carp and complain but they will vote for McCain and (any living object).

[Gary47]

that's what makes 'em repubs - total followers - as long as they got their guns and their sacred right to judge others.

[JackND]

Let's find out together.

[corsair1917]

I just heard from a source - trying to find information to prove this - hoping that someone else knows something about this.... Story comes from a plastic surgeon. He swears that this is on the internet too but I haven't found it yet.

Years ago when Cindy McCain's father was still alive, Cindy McCain had an affair with a personal trainer. John McCain supposedly found out and beat her silly - requiring plastic surgery. Her father Mr. Hensley then told John McCain that if he touched his daughter again, he would personally kill him. Supposedly this is well known in Phoenix - especially in the world of plastic surgery.

Anyone heard any thing of this nature? What really cause her back problems that lead to the drug addiction?
Not spreading rumors as some will attest to, just wanting to know the truth.

[adzeman]

It sounds entirely plausible to me. I know two factors that make that work: One, McKanes volcanic temper and Two, Hensleys dislike of McCain.

[NTO08]

Then why are you putting this up? Scurrilous if false.

[YellowDogInRedCounty]

Do it, McCain. Do it! Do it! I dare ya! C'mon!

[Gould123]

Did you hear! He made fools of those christians at that forum last night! He Plagiarized "The Gulag Archipelago" by Alex Solzhenitsyn with the Cross in the sand Pow story he told! How crazy is that? I wonder how those christians feel know about John Mccain! Clap people Clap!

[NYC07]

You know and I know this story will die because his buddies in the MSM will kill it.

[Maury66]

This is the first I have heard of the story belonging to Solzhenitsyn....if true, it goes way beyond plagiarism.....its lying...

[Cautious]

I'm very surprised to see that apparently no one else has noticed McCain's incredible poor judgment in what he said regarding the situation in Georgia.

After 9/11, several countries responded by saying "We are all Americans". McCain's statement that "We are all Georgians" dishonors our own national tragedy in a very sick way- the man is willing to dishonor our national tragedy to get elected. Why has no one picked up on this and said something?

[FACINGREALIT]

They notice but to say anything is to bring their own poor judgment into question. That's the problem with repugs, they care more about WINNING to keep their money then they do anything else on this earth. They don't worry about their sons/daughters going to war because they will hide them out in some fancy college or academy. So to the rest of the world be damn.

[Cautious]

Well, I kinda sorta meant someone on the other side, like, say, Olbermann or HuffPo. Or even Jack Cafferty. That's a really cynical and ignorant thing to say- again, it's really diminishing the value of the American experience after 9/11. I was thinking maybe one of us who has some visibility in the media should say something.

I guess I was sort of saying that maybe WE should (yet again) bring their poor judgement (and their cynicism and ignorance) into question. We. Us. Nosotros.

[NYC07]

By defer to McCain doesn't he really mean, Flip-Flop on their own beliefs to try and win the election?