Would McCain consider a pro-choice running mate?
Just a few months ago, Chris Matthews asked John McCain if he would consider a pro-choice running mate, such as former Pennsylvania Gov. Tom Ridge. “I don’t know if [his position on the issue] would stop him, but it would be difficult,” McCain said.
McCain is saying something different now.
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.
McCain appeared to be testing the issue — weighing the benefits against the costs of picking Ridge, who could help the Arizona senator win Pennsylvania. […]
“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.”
Chatting with the Weekly Standard, McCain was pressed a little further, and reminded that he told Republican primary voters that he wouldn’t consider NYC Mayor Michael Bloomberg for the ticket because he’s pro-choice. McCain told the Standard that Republicans should be inclusive, and the party’s voters could find Ridge more palatable because Bloomberg “is pro-gay rights, pro, you know, a number of other issues.”
In other words, the GOP should be open to voters who support abortion rights, but not gay rights. Republicans should be tolerant, but not too tolerant.
How open minded of him.
I should add, by the way, that McCain’s remarks about considering a pro-choice running mate might lead some to believe that McCain is some kind of “moderate” on reproductive rights.
Sarah Blustain had a great item in The New Republic this week, explaining just how big a “zealot” McCain is on this issue.
During his political career, McCain has participated in 130 reproductive health-related votes on Capitol Hill; of these, he voted with the anti-abortion camp in 125. McCain has consistently backed rights for the unborn, voting to cover fetuses under the State Children’s Health Insurance Program and supporting the Unborn Victims of Violence Act, which allowed a “child in utero” to be recognized as a legal victim of a crime. He has voted in favor of the global gag rule, which prevents U.S. funds from going to international family-planning clinics that use their own money to perform abortions, offer information about abortion, or take a pro-choice stand. And he has voted to appoint half a dozen anti-abortion judges to the federal bench, as well as Samuel Alito, John Roberts, Clarence Thomas, and Robert Bork to the Supreme Court. During the Bork hearings, McCain attacked the Court’s creation of a right to privacy in Roe v. Wade: “Whether one is pro-or anti-abortion,” McCain said in an October 1987 hearing, “it is difficult to argue that the Court’s opinion is not constitutionally suspect.”
Some of these votes were, politically speaking, no-brainers for anyone vaguely in the pro-life camp. But McCain also joined efforts supported only by the radical wing of his party. He voted, for instance, with only one-fifth of the Senate to remove family-planning grants from a 1988 spending bill and with only 18 senators that same year against allowing Medicaid to pay for abortions in cases of rape or incest.
In 1994, the year after abortion provider David Gunn was killed outside a Florida clinic, McCain voted with 29 members of the Senate against establishing penalties for violent or threatening interference outside abortion clinics. Many solidly pro-life Republicans–Mitch McConnell, Kit Bond, John Danforth–voted in favor of the bill, called the Freedom of Access to Clinic Entrances Act (FACE). “We tried to get as many co-sponsors as we could, and we postured the thing as anti-vigilante violence,” recalls Judy Appelbaum, a Washington lawyer who was counsel to Senator Edward Kennedy at the time and the lead Hill staffer on the bill. “We argued that, even if you oppose abortion, you should not condone these actions.” According to Appelbaum, law enforcement officials, newspaper editorialists, health care providers, and law-and-order politicians all supported the bill. “There were a number of very anti-choice senators who voted for FACE,” she says, “and [McCain] wasn’t one of them.” Instead, McCain joined senators like Orrin Hatch and Jesse Helms in opposition.
Conservative writer Charlotte Allen summarized McCain’s congressional career well last year in The Weekly Standard, noting, “[He] has never failed to cast his vote in favor of whatever abortion restrictions are arguably permitted under Roe v. Wade: bans against partial-birth abortion, abortions on military bases, transporting minors across state lines to obtain abortions behind their parents’ backs, and government funding for abortion both in the United States and abroad. … In addition, McCain has voted to confirm every ’strict constructionist’ judge … appointed by the various Republican presidents who have served during his tenure.” And, she added, “Planned Parenthood and NARAL Pro-Choice America…consistently award him ratings of absolute zero on their scorecards.”
If your concern is for women’s rights and reproductive freedom, McCain is a nightmare. Don’t let the running-mate trial-balloon fool you.
Oh boy... Could this be another flip-flop moment?
Don’t want to piss off the Weekly Standard. William “The Bloody” won’t like it.
Plus, to get the Weekly Standard's endorsement don't you have to promise to invade at least three countries and do a little water boarding? Just asking.
Any time a political analyst says 'in other words', they are usually only his 'other words', and not the politician's words he just quoted.
In other words, this is not what John McCain said, nor what he meant.
This is crack journalism.
Sorry Johnny, a moderate doesn't get a zero rating from Planned Parenthood and NARAL.
If Rove said that Obama was going to pick his Veep for political reasons over experience, you can bet that's what McCain and Rove are going to do.
For a presidential candidate whose campaign tries to promote as the Greatest and Bravest and Truest and Most Patriotic American Hero since George Washington, John McCain sure is a whiny little bitch, isn't he?
Man, people are still thinking of Electing McCane (sic)
That's like throwing a shovel to someone who is at the bottom of an 80 foot hole.
Elect (if you moronic enough) him and you get what you deserve.
Why is John McCain considered a serious candidate? In a political system approximating sanity, he'd never have been considered, much less an actual nominee....
God, I'd love it if he chose a pro-choice running mate. His base knows he's ancient and that his VP has a very good chance of being the next president if McCain wins. The kind of people who think McCain is some kind of maverick aren't paying close attention, and won't know anything about his VP choice anyway. In other words, if McCain tries to appeal to moderates in this way, few moderates will notice-- but the base definitely will.
McCain's VP choice could easily sink him for good. I certainly hope he goes with someone moderate.
General_Rennenkampf @ 9:
In a sane political system neither McCain or Obama would actually be considered candidates.....but then again, neither would any of Canada's supposed party leaders...pond scum always rises to the top of the pond....what a sad world.
McCain MUST pick Mitt Romney!!!!
Otherwise, the Romney Boys wioll be obligated to join the military!
Afterall, the only reason Romney could cite for his sons' not joining the war effort was that they were doing their part by trying to get him elected! If he isn't running for anything why are they not enlisting?
Obviously they are now supporting the war effort by trying to elect Romney as Vice-President!
Right?
If he does, he wins the election.
Ridge has alot to answer for himself, but it would give a certain sect an intellectually plausible reason to vote for McSame.
Ladies and Gents, its gonna get ugly in the next few months, and its time to start speaking truth. Plain truth.
The things we don't want to say when we want to lure middle of the road voters.
You know what I'm talkin about and its not about the color of a person's skin.
pd@13,
I for one have no idea what you are talking about.
Obama and the Democrats have the high ground. Americans agree with them on almost every important issue.
Middle of the road voters agree with Democratic ideas. What they don't have is an actually independent mind.
They let themselves be swayed by the Corporate Media and smear campaigns run by the racists and the fascists.
I think you can find the answer here
McAyn the candidate is not related to McAyn pre-candidacy. This one is running for president by whatever grounds it takes. The old one pretended maverickness, and seemed to represent a relatively sane constituency a lot of the time. Not the same person.
For those of little or no faith: Just a little reminder about 2006....
1) polls showed dems breaking even at best
2) pundits said repugs were safe
3) voting machines were rigged for the 10% swing for repugs (to guarantee any result within the 'margin of error' would be a repug victory.)
4) the repugs lost nine House seats and two Senate seats because #1 and #2 were total lies and #3 couldn't work because the rigged machines were overwhelmed.
what of this scenario is not being repeated today. On Thursday and Friday, CNN broadcast repeatedly the possibility that Obama is the anti-christ!
The media machine is trying to drive people into the republican camp or away from the voting booth.
I'm surprised so many still don't see that, especially seeing what's at stake.
Ruth @ 16:
McC*nt was never a maverick. his rhetoric never matched his voting record.
Oh, so let me get this straight.
Republicans would find what they call "killing babies" to be palatable, but " 2 human beings loving eachother" is not palatable. Yeah, I guess that 'bout sums it up.
Those people are so screwed in the head it's mind numbing.
I would say that this would be a good idea, if McCheese wasn't so dependent on the screwball Republican base to get him elected. The trouble for McNugget is that he can't get elected without the Republican Anti-American Base, however there are not enough of the Rapture Right to get him elected on their own, so he also needs some of the Middle America crowd who doesn't support what he Rapture Right supports, he needs Middle America just to ensure he has enough votes in enough states to win but that of course pisses off the Rapture Right, so this guy is damned if he does and damned if he doesn't.
Fortunately I think enough Middle Americans have had it with the Republican bullshit and their failed policies that we don't have to worry about McWorse getting into office, however as long as we have Corporate Ballot Boxes we will never have free and fair elections and that just might get McBush reelected!
So to any butt sore Hillary supporters out there who don't think that can vote for Obama I say: Drop you petty bullshit and stand up for your country you stupid idiot!
pd @ 13:
It must be someone from Yale or Harvard. After all, the fact that our entire political system it completely FIXED never seems to soak into the non-functioning brains of idiot Americans.
So it's going to be Joe "I been a" Liemoronman or Mitt "the Mormon cultist" Romney.
Why doesn't it shock me that an octogenarian wants to take womens' rights back to the Victorian age.
The whole issue of what a woman does with her body shouldn't be up for debate - especially by a man who is decades beyond the capacity of reproducing.
The Republican Slightly Democratic Candidate
If you can't beat them, join them. The Republicans are pulling out all stops for this election. Now they have resorted to being slightly Democratic. This explains the recent endorsement by both current and former Republican congressmen.
Is there anything these guys will not do? From releasing books that don't have a shred of truth in it to being slightly Democratic in their views, is this a statement of doing what it takes to win? I guess so.
Joseph
Whitehouse @ 1:
Is this McFlip or Mc Flop?
He plays both well.
Reslugs are soooo proud of their stance on Homophobia and Stomping on womens reproductive rights.
Well, I should hope mccain's choice for running mate would approve of his choice.
"Vote for me, and the first thing I'll demand is my own impeachment!!!!"
25 maleman Says: Whitehouse @ 1:
Oh boy… Could this be another flip-flop moment?
Is this McFlip or Mc Flop?
He plays both well.
He keeps changing his mind on that.
I'd like to see McCain pick David Duke. This would be a challenge to the MSM since they'd have to come up with ways to make this sound mavericky and cool.
McCain will pick anybody with any idealogy that he thinks will help him. This guy has fewer scrupples than Bush and Rove combined. But a bigger crime is the continued demise of the media that refuses to undertake any journalistic efforts whatsoever. Our mainstream media is a team of gossip fiction writers trying to steer this election to an invented War Hero. McCain's military career was riddled with mishaps and screwups culminating in getting captured. He endured a great deal, but that is not the same thing as being a War Hero. IF anyone in the media was a patriot they would be pointing out all the scary gaffes that show McCain is either too old or too senile to be President. And, journalists would also be looking at all those lobby relationships that resulted in Senate favors and votes.
How about a pro thinking running mate. He may have to look outside of his own party however.
Captain Bitter Whiner Hussein Kangaroo @ 3:
And tax cuts for the richest 2%! Don't forget them. If they didn't have half the countries money, we would have an economy teetering on another great depression. Oh wait...............
☻Bangkok Bob ☺ @ 8:
I am astounded at the utter imbecility of half the people in this country. 80% hate the way things are and blame Bush, yet 50% support McInsane in the polls! SAME party, SAME exact policies, and the stupid bastards can't figure it out.
How can they NOT understand after eight years that George Bush and Dick Cheney ARE the republican party. The GOP congress critters supported their disastrous reign of stupidiy with unanimous 100% support almost. They are one in the McSame!
Unfreaking believable!
McPainInTheAss will split the Republic Party in half if he chooses a pro-choice VP. The religious right will not stand for it. So, I say go for it, you old coot.
Charles @ 22:
Well, that would include Tom Ridge, cause he gradgimatated from Harvard College. As a PA resident, I don't think much of Ridge. He was a decent governor, but instead of calling him pro-choice, I'd call him pro-death: he's for allowing abortions at the one end, and he was pretty happy to excute folks on the other end - I think there were more than 200 who were executed while he was gov. So, he and Dubya got along pretty well on that issue.
I think he'd be a great pick for McCain.
He's on the older side (mid-60's), he's a rather boring speaker, and most folks will only know him because he was the Sec of Homeland Security who stammered through many warnings in the days after 9/11: the poster boy for the color-coded Terr'ism alerts that were so laughable. Be afraid; be very afraid.
Would it matter? He could pick an abortion doctor who performs an abortion during the inauguration and it won't matter since the threat to women's rights will come from the SCOTUS judges he plans and pledged to appoint.
McScold would Consider a vampire vor VP if it would guarantee him the Blood-Sucker vote.
Oy, What am I saying?
He already has the Blood-Sucker vote wrapped up.
Amitola @ 35:
Tom is also on the board of directors for a company called Savi Technology, which manufactures RFID technology. So you know if he's the pick and McGaffe gets "selected," we will all have to line up for RFID implants. To keep us free and safe, of course.
Why does anyone believe anything mcshame says???
And why does everyone (msm) concentrate on "Obama is going to raise taxes" and nothing is ever said about mcshame's remarks about "there will be MORE wars my friends." More wars is a hell of lot scarier than more taxes IMHO. Please msm get on the same page with the rest of America!
liberAL @ 40:
All McGaffe has to do to ensure "selection" as the next puppet president is to declare there will be more wars and he will make sure it happens. Onward Christian morons, marching off to death and destruction.
People justified their votes for W in 2004 by saying that W had to finish what he started.
Face it, we are a nation of dumb asses, run by the criminally insane.
The party in general is pro-death, so why not?
While the MSM is focused on erasing any thoughts that the man who shot the Democratic Party Chairman in Little Rock might have been politically motivated, the evidence rolls in.
The NYT noted in yesterday’s Obama story: “The killing had no apparent link to politics.”
As reported on Channel 11 in Little Rock, an interview with a classmate (the killer had been talking college courses) revealed:
“… Tucker says he and other classmates do recall Johnson being vocal about his views.
“I would always remember going to class and I would see that he had a Bill Clinton anti-campaign sticker [on his car] that says I don’t miss Bill. [No such bumper sticker was on the pickup he crashed in a police chase, however.] “He would surf the internet and he would see that a Democrat had died and he would laugh about it.”
AHA! So the BushCo cabal starts to reveal their true intentions by floating Ridge for VP.
Forget Romney, McCain's VP will be *deep* into the neocon shit and Homeland Security Reichsmarshal Ridge fits that category very nicely.
Be afraid. Be very afraid.
Every four years we go through this ritual concerning SCOTUS appointments and how important that issue should be to Americans as they go to the polls. And every four years after the election, poll after poll of actual voters reveals that most didn't give SCOTUS appointments a second thought in their decision. Why should this year be any different? I'm betting on Ridge...pro-choice or not. It will guarantee McCain Pennsylvania and also probably lock-up Ohio and a few other northeastern states.
Joseph @ 24:
As I've said here many times, my grandmother is a Republican, and she's voting for Obama.
She has her reasons for being a Republican--reasons which I neither share nor feel make any sense, but hey, that's why she's a Republican. That said, she simply thinks Obama would be the better president. If that's how she--and these other Republicans--feel, I'll take it. It's not a bad thing to have people of all stripes who believe you're the better choice. There's nothing sinister about it.
Rico @ 44:
I agree. McCain has several prominent names to pick among, but not many are true heavy hitters. Ridge is. It will be hard for Obama to counter with someone as weighty--unless he either picks Senator Clinton (I know, I know...I'm not making a statement of preference here, I'm just saying she's prominent, OK?) or a former military figure. Some third-rate, right-wing Democratic senator or former governor of a red state ain't going to cut it against the first head of Homeland Security during 9/11 (genuflect)--not in the land of American Gladi-idol.
RobertD @ 46:
I'm temporarily visiting my home state (Pennsylvania) to take care of an elderly parent, and while here, I've heard lots of reasons why folks here won't be voting for Obama, and abortion isn't one of them. The strangest so far: "Well, the Republicans have done nothing for us and I'd rather vote Democrat, but if something 'bad' were to happen to Obama while in office, the Blacks would blame the Whites, and there'd be riots everywhere." No kidding. I actually know people who believe that and will base their vote on it.
More McCain hypocrisy.
I've heard it before:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=axrgFGZYFzE
Let's have some fun now:
The McCain-Nixon-Bush Tango
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NyvJVy_7LYU
Condi Rice will be his pick.
Kasv @ 49:
Not a chance. The only way he can win is with the racist vote, and Condi would drive that away.
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