Posted on 08/19/2008 12:17:41 PM PDT by GOPGuide
John McCain is seriously considering choosing a pro-abortion-rights running mate despite vocal resistance from conservatives, with former Democratic vice presidential nominee Joseph I. Lieberman (I-Conn.) very much in the mix, close McCain advisers say.
Under strong consideration: former Pennsylvania Republican Gov. Tom Ridge, and Lieberman, who was Al Gore’s running mate in 2000.
Multiple GOP sources say that party officials in Washington and in the states have been contacted by the McCain campaign in the past two weeks and asked about the fallout from such a choice. One person familiar with the calls said the party was being instructed to prepare for different candidate prototypes — including one in the mold of Lieberman, who is an independent but still caucuses with the Democrats.
One obstacle for Lieberman may be legal. A GOP official said that since he is not a Republican, Lieberman may have a challenge being certified on some state ballots.
But GOP sources say McCain and his close friend Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.) still haven’t given up hope on making what some believe would be a game-changing decision by tapping Lieberman.
Lieberman’s office declined to discuss the topic. “Those questions are best left to the McCain campaign at this time,” said Erika Masonhall, Lieberman’s Senate press secretary.
Ridge also appears to still be on the short list, GOP sources say. McCain likes the fact that Ridge is a Vietnam War hero with a working-class background. Ridge worked in the White House as Bush’s homeland security adviser before becoming Secretary of Homeland Security, and could help McCain with his further reform of the nation’s intelligence apparatus.
“He’s McCain’s kind of guy,” said a close friend of the candidate.
McCain, who in the past had said it would be hard to choose a supporter of abortion rights, told Steve Hayes of The Weekly Standard last week that he would not rule it out.
One source close to the campaign who is sympathetic to such a plan sketched out a scenario in which Lieberman was the choice.
“First, if your instinct is to run on experience, it doesn’t hurt to have a vice president who’s got it, too,” said this source, a conservative.
But more than that, according to this source, picking Lieberman would dramatically support McCain’s theme that he puts “country first” above all else.
“It would fit well into the narrative of his not having any politics in the White House,” said the source. “No more Dick Morris, no more Karl Rove — we’re governing here. It’s an easy, natural message for McCain and it implies a one-term pledge without actually saying it.”
As for the inevitable blowback from the right, this person acknowledged the convention would be “a messy week,” representing a “shock to the system of a pro-life party.”
But would it be worth it? “The question is: On Sept. 15 or 25, is he in better shape or not?” the source asked.
McCain allies are hopeful that the candidate’s strong statement on abortion Saturday night at Rick Warren’s California church could assuage any concerns from the right-to-life community about what a supporter of abortion rights on the ticket would mean.
“I will be a pro-life president and this presidency will have pro-life policies,” McCain said at Saddleback. “That's my commitment; that's my commitment to you.”
Others in the party — including several veterans of President Bush’s past campaigns — say such a choice would be untenable and are dreading the prospect of what Lieberman, or perhaps even Ridge,would mean to a base that is already less than enthusiastic about McCain.
“Lieberman would blow things up,” said the American Conservative Union’s David Keene. “That would be like Obama picking some right-winger that agrees with him on one thing.”
As for the convention, Keene said Lieberman’s selection would set off some sort of “protest” among the party’s rank and file. Tapping Ridge, Keene said, wouldn’t be as bad, but would still “overshadow” St. Paul.
Already, one website has begun a petition aimed at dissuading McCain from tapping a supporter of abortion rights.
“Please keep Senator McCain and his key advisers in your prayers as he nears a decision on his VP pick, and please sign the petition and pass on to like-minded pro-lifers,” Billy Valentine, a young Republican and former supporter of Kansas Sen. Sam Brownback’s presidential bid, writes above the petition on “Catholics for McCain.”
Other Republican regulars, speaking anonymously so as not to anger the party’s nominee, warn of the consequences.
Another well-placed Republican official who is in regular contact with McCain’s campaign predicted a contentious gathering in St. Paul.
“You will not have a unanimous vote at the convention, that much I can tell you,” said this source. “There will be some blowback.”
Many leading conservatives have strongly pushed back on McCain’s suggestion that he might choose a pro-choice running mate.
For the third day in a row, talk radio guru Rush Limbaugh castigated the idea Tuesday on his radio show, saying the mainstream media — “the drive-by media,” in his parlance — is enthralled by the idea.
“The drive-bys are just hoping for it, because they know the base will totally turn on McCain if this is the case,” Limbaugh said. “If he picks a pro-choice running mate, it’s not going to be pretty, and the drive-bys know it."
“The question is how to get the message to McCain," he said. "You don’t get in McCain’s face and say, ‘Don’t do it.’ That’s a dumb thing to do. [You have to say something like] ‘Sen. McCain, we know you’re smart … and we know you don’t want to lose.’”
The answer to what McCain is thinking could come soon. Republicans were told that barring a change, McCain plans to appear with his pick at an arena in Dayton, Ohio, on Aug. 29 — a week from Friday, and the day after Barack Obama accepts the Democratic nomination in a Denver stadium.
Campaign advisers said Obama’s performance is likely to be so strong they think it will “scare” Republicans, and they’re eager to change the conversation to their own No. 2 the next morning.
Obama is likely to make his pick this Friday, Saturday or Sunday, according to advisers. But they warned it could come any time.
“John McCain is seriously considering choosing a pro-abortion-rights running mate despite vocal resistance from conservatives, with former Democratic vice presidential nominee Joseph I. Lieberman (I-Conn.) very much in the mix, close McCain advisers say.”
I will not vote for that ticket.
Lieberman knows if he is on the ticket McCain will NOT win...
And I'm pretty sure Lieb wants a McCain win...hell ask for favors after wards...
I’d go with Palin or Pawlenty or some other fresh young face - choosing Leiberman seems like lunacy to me. But McCain’s going to do what he’s going to do, good or bad - the man certainly doesn’t follow the path of least resistance.
As much as I dislike McCain and his Politics over Principle approach to his position on the issues (just see my posting history) this doesn’t make any sense at all even with how dumb McCain is.
He is announcing in Ohio of all places.
That is not the place to announce you are going to add a liberal anchor around your neck in the form of a Pro-Choice VP.
Doesn't mean they are actual GOP members.
False. These are "unnamed sources" introduced to gullible fools by the liberal press as "McCain's people". Apparently there are suckers for this.
And if Lieberman becomes the President of the Senate, how will he vote if there is ever a tie? Does he side with the President’s party of does he side with the members of his party?
And I thought the “ haloed one” was the dumba**.
That's all you need to know...............
But he is not the right choice.
Some Republicans I know assumed he is anti-abortion because he is an orthodox Jew.
They were surprised when I told them otherwise.
I think Ridge would be tolerable if he endorsed the Republican Pro-Life Platform, and agreed to be a supporter of John McCain’s Pro-life views during the entire four year term.
I think that would work out, and the pro-life people would be unreasonable to accept such a deal.
Lieberman is much more of a problem . . can’t say that will help us win the election . . Ridge might do the trick . plus Ridge and McCain are great friends and both are military veterans as well.
“McCain allies are hopeful that the candidate’s strong statement on abortion Saturday night at Rick Warren’s California church could assuage any concerns from the right-to-life community about what a supporter of abortion rights on the ticket would mean.”
If he picks a VP that favors the murder of children, then what he said at Saddleback was a bald-faced lie.
Rush and Hannity are both saying they’ve heard the same from Republican delegates.
What you said....bump
Agree 100 percent. And I'm afraid it works. They have floated this balloon in more than one story over the last couple of weeks, and it gets the same reaction from Freepers and on other conservative blogs, from people reacting before they really think about it.
Lieberman is a good guy, one of the last of the Scoop Jackson type of Democrats - and I would be fine if he gets another cabinet position, but I doubt it will ever be McCains VP.
She thinks Carter, Mr Jimmy she calls him, was a great president.
Hope you’re right.
there are alot of moderates who like Lieberman alot. He’s very strong on terror obviously and well liked in his state.
I don’t think the abortion issue with the VP is important, but I’m perplexed as to what else Lieberman brings to the ticket.
Ridge doens’t imress me.
Were they named?
Why would his statement assuage anything once it's learned he'd been considering a pro-choice running mate even before making those statements?
This is absurd. I've made my sentiments known to the John McCain campaign twice today on this. We all can at http://www.johnmccain.com/Contact/ or at info@johnmccain.com, or by phoning (703) 418-2008.
If this is what McCain's intentions were when he made his policy statement at Saddlebrook, then he's a liar. He stated unequivocally he'd have a pro-life administration. So much for John McCain's honor should a pro-choice selection be made.
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