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

[loax]

Like Hell they would!

[PoliticoJonze]

The issue would be given McCain's age, should McCain be unable to serve out his term, Ridge would become President and thus his abortion views would now be paramount. There is no way McCain will choose a pro-choice VP because it will take the huge wedge issue out of play and doom his candidacy.

[FACINGREALIT]

He is already doomed the MSM just won't admit it - they did the same thing with pretending Hillary had a chance after Feb 5.

If anyone was paying attention to the votes garnered in the democrat/repug primaries they would have noted that the demcratic votes Obama received by himself (not including Hill's) in each state was most often more than all the votes combined for the repugs. Go back and look. And this doesn't even count the new registrants that have come forth after the primary.

So McCain is fighting an uphill battle and the repugs know this which is why McCain flip-flopped on going negative. This election is the greatest of illusions or is that delusions.

[Mitchell4A]

BSG fans may be aware of the fact that McCain had to be pandering at Saddleback, because he can't actually be a Christian, at least as they are understood on this planet.

"The Twelfth Cylon Revealed"
http://msa4.wordpress.com/

[FreedomFries]

McCain would be wise to pick somebody who is pro-life support.

[Tropiholic]

ROFL! good one!

[NYC07]

John McCain " What's all this I hear about " Youth In Asia" we need to be concerned about are own youth"

[zitlight73]

It doesn't matter. This election has been stolen before the first ballots have even been cast. All you have are two candidates that will further the ongoing agenda. Read Matt Taibbi's(sp?) article in the new Rolling Stone, the big money is backing both candidates. Campaign money is just the controlling strings of the puppeteers. With Obama's vote for the new spy bill and his refusal to come out and said he'd re-instate habeous corpus and Constitutional law I'm beginning to think he's just a Trojan horse. Pity because I was starting to warm up to the guy, but alas it's a rigged game.

[FACINGREALIT]

Then you are in a win-win situation aren't you?

[mydoglucky]

Let's hear from some of the sane conservatives. How do they feel about Ridge?
Would they stay home over a pro choice VP? If I were a conservative, I wouldn't.
I hope Obama picks Biden. He would be great!

[Toonadude]

Someone tell Ridge that Cindy McCain distributes Budweiser ....not Republican Kool-Aid.

[4real]

MCCANE + RIDGE = STILL BUSH

[DaOne]

Frank Rich; bang on on Mc Same

http://www.nytimes.com/2008/08/17/opinion/17rich.html?_r=1&hp&oref=slogin

[kellygrrrl]

I also never thought the Republicans would accept a lying cheating War Mongering Criminal

apparently I misjudged

[FACINGREALIT]

They thought they were getting the Maverick - but he died in 2000. This is his clone - Bush-lite!

[kellygrrrl]

apparently, Republicans will accept anything Dear Leader serves them

[TrumanHugh]

Please, please, PLEASE pick Ridge!! My Friends, Tom Ridge would be the perfect running mate for McCain. Oh please, oh please, oh please!!

[kellygrrrl]

I'm still hoping for Mittens.

I want the Depends / Magic Underwear 08 yard sign - with a big red X

[nualak]

Good idea. These people will do anything - anything for the Empire. McCain is so anti-choice that he now wants to call birth control - ABORTION. I seem to remember it took around one hundred years to have birth control pills approved by the Government. What the hell business of their's is it if I take birth control.

As an aside, I keep wondering in what capacity did Karl Rove meet with the Georgian President for three days just before the "war" broke out. Was it as a representative for McCain? Isn't this against the law?

[rajoro]

THE REAL MCCAIN!!!

http://www.crooksandliars.com/2008/08/16/open-thread-900/

[Budokan]

Ridge must be living in La La Land if he thinks GOPers will EVER accept a pro-choice candidate.

[VungTauVet]

They will just so they can prevail at the polls. The GOP
isn't doing anything about abortion anyway.

[sandiegoconservative]

There are more true conservatives out there that would than you know. Apparently, you do not have a diverse circle of friends.

[k6007]

Republicans? Yes.
Rightwingdingbats? No.