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Posted on 08/16/2008 7:54:52 AM PDT by kellynla
Top conservative activist and leader of the Eagle Forum, Phyllis Schlafly — a legendary militant pro-lifer — reacted to John McCain's remark that former Pennsylvania Gov. Tom Ridge's pro-choice position would not rule him out as a vice presidential running mate by telling Newsmax, "I think [McCain] would be making a mistake."
Schlafly was not alone in warning McCain against picking Ridge or any other pro-choice advocate as his running mate. Other top conservative leaders chimed in, showing that McCain, already getting only grudging support from the GOP’s right wing, might drive conservatives to desert his cause and torpedo his chances of winning in November.
Family Research Council President Tony Perkins said, “I think McCain has to have a running mate that clearly connects with social conservatives in the party. That is where he is lacking. So if he picks a pro-choice running mate, I don't see how he can win this race."
When asked if social and religious conservatives would walk away from Sen. McCain if he chooses Ridge or some other pro-choice running mate, Perkins explained, "I'm not going to say people will stay home, but there is a core of voters whose level of enthusiasm influences people further from the core. So if McCain picks a pro-choice running mate, the strength of turnout on election day is not going to be there for him."
Former Pennsylvania Sen. Rick Santorum told LancasterOnline.com that McCain cannot anger conservatives, as choosing a pro-choice running mate would do.
“Obama’s got to lose,” Santorum said. “It doesn’t matter. I’m a believer that John McCain can’t win the race, but that Obama has to lose it. This is not a knock on McCain. I don’t know of any Republican candidate who can overcome the Democrats in this environment without the Democrat disqualifying himself.
(Excerpt) Read more at newsmax.com ...
“{This is just crap designed to rattle the base since McCain has been performing VERY well for weeks now.”
It is McCain who made the statements about Ridge! And it’s his campaign (and maybe him, also) who’s been floating Lieberman’s name.
Maybe what really needs to happen is, McCain needs to stop behaving like a child and floating names just to irritate and needle part of the base. That serves no purpose whatsoever, even if he plans to pick one of those two. He needs to stop playing the silly maverick game day-after-day and present a coherent set of issues to the voters.
And, it is McCain floating Ridge’s name, not the press. This will be a campaign decided by whether McCain acting like a kid puts the more independent voters off enough to drown out their many questions about Obama, or not.
Ditto. I have gone a long way from Hunter and Thompson to support McCain. I can’t stomach the thought of Obama as President. I plan to vote for McCain, but if he has someone like Ridge on the ticket he can blow it. I will NOT vote for Ridge or any other pro-Abortionist.
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BS it is the Press reading into McCains words
“Ler Obama choose first. There is no rush to pick a VP.”
When the pick is made is not the point. McCain needs to stop this silly and childish behavior of constantly playing the maverick and throwing out ideas he knows will create controversy in his own part.
And, I bet the decision has already been made, which would make all this doubly ridiculous.
Keep it up folks. We’ll get Obama and a Dem house and senate as well as 2 more socialist supreme court justices.
And out kids will be screwed, and their kids and the next generation
Out=our
Your numbers are wrong. 50 to 70 percent are prolife “except in cases of rape and incest”
Such hand wringing.
If McCain picks a social moderate it will be Tim Pawlenty
At 71 he belongs in her shadow....
..but he would be wise to listen (doubt that he will)
I am thankful for Phyllis Schlafly's excellent record of defending life, family and the Constitution.
Not at all.
Although the field does bear slim pickings
“BS it is the Press reading into McCains words”
Oh, really? From USA Today:
“Republican John McCain says he has not ruled out choosing Pennsylvania’s popular former Gov. Tom Ridge as a running mate despite his support for abortion rights, a hot-button issue that could inflame some voters among the party’s conservative base.”
http://www.usatoday.com/news/politics/election2008/2008-08-14-mccain-ridge_N.htm
So, are you saying McCain never actually mentioned Ridge? And, I believe I saw video of him making those remarks. More:
“And also I feel that — and I’m not trying to equivocate here — that Americans want us to work together,” McCain added. “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 would rule Tom Ridge out.”
Yeah, that great and inspiring leader, Tom Ridge, renowned from sea to shining sea.
Great reply! You nailed the issue.
USA today? L0L!!!
A bastion of journalism!
Mentioning Ridge is hardly sanctioning abortion.
This is just spin to knock McCain down. He has shown in past weeks that he IS the only choice worthy of consideration.
Lets apply the sane standards to Obama. The choice is clear
Yes. I feel very unhappy saying it, but I didn’t make this mess. The RNC did, by front-loading the primary process with liberal states and crossover states. It was basically liberals and crossover Democrats who nominated McCain in the early states.
I can hold my nose and vote for McCain if I see some future hope for the party down the line, but not otherwise. McCain-Ridge or McCain-Feingold would basically remove any future options to vote the liberals out. How would you throw them out? Vote Democrat?
Lets Hold Johns feet to the fire AFTER he is elected
Yes, they did outlaw partial birth infanticide - and Obama promises to repeal that ban (and any state restrictions on abortion)as his first act in office.
It's the left that has made elections be about abortion via judicial activism - getting its way through unelected courts. We, the mere citizens and voters, have had to battle back tediously for decades to try to respond to the impact of these rulings. Same sex marriage is just another example of the same thing.
McCain picking a pro-abortion VP would be a serious error.
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