[Plutarch]

Bush selected Gov. Ridge in general because he is qualified, but in particular because he is keen to appeal to the voters of Pennsylvania, whose Electoral Votes he covets in 2004.

This position will groom Ridge to be V.P. candidate in 2004 to replace Dick "Bad Ticker" Cheney.

As a former Governor with National Security executive experience, Gov. Ridge will be supremely qualified for V.P.

At some point on Election Night, probably after Gore was projected the winner, Bush regreted selecting Cheney over Ridge. PA's electoral votes would have come in quite handy that night.

[Norwell]

Let's hope that Bush is not grooming a Ridge for the Vice Presidency. If he is, he has not learned the lesson his Dad did about angering a basic constituency. As a "Roman Catholic", Tom Ridge is not allowed to speak in any Catholic Church as a result of his proabortion beliefs.

Could you think a bigger insult to Roman Catholics than to raise to the Vice Presidency a man who has been forbidden by The Bishop of Erie from speaking in any Church in the Diocese?