Politics

Will McCain Pick a Pro-Choice VP?

Senator John McCain says that he will not rule out a pro-choice person as his vice-presidential candidate. The
Politico
reports:

“McCain’s comments Wednesday to the Weekly Standard’s Stephen Hayes that former Pennsylvania Gov. Tom Ridge’s pro-abortion rights views wouldn’t necessarily rule him out quickly found their way into the in-boxes of Christian conservatives. For those who have been anxiously awaiting McCain’s pick as a signal of his ideological intentions, there was deep concern that their worst fears about the Arizona senator may be realized.”

McCain’s chances are pretty slim as it is. If he were to pick a pro-choice nominee, it would be a disaster for his candidacy. He would alienate social conservatives who are already not very excited about their nominee. As a result, he would likely lose crucial swing states like Ohio and Pennsylvania. A disaster indeed.

12 Comments

  • D. Taylor Benton

    Honestly, I think McCain’s best pick would be Romney, that would resonate with the majority of the conservative base, draw those people worried about the economy and satisfy the Northeastern “moderate” republicans, if He picks pro choice, he’s toast.

  • Truth Unites.. and Divides

    McCain is a RINO. Obama is an uber-militant liberal; after all, he’s recognized as the MOST liberal senator in the US Senate.

    My vote in the Presidential Campaign is a vote for the lesser of two “evils”.

  • Paul

    please, TUAD.

    The whole RINO thing needs to stop, because it’s pretty stupid.

    His pro-life voting record has been spotless.

    He hates American industry, wants to suck up to big oil companies, thinks that the health care system is just fine the way it is, and wants to blow up lots of brown people.

    Sounds like a pretty typical republican to me.

    As for Obama, he’s pro-choice, but that’s a pretty moderate view in the grand scheme of things at this point, politically.

    And the most liberal senator in a senate made up of either staunchly “conservative” members or slightly left leaning democrats is hardly saying anything.

    Talk to me about how “liberal” any of these guys are when they start talking about nationalizing the oil industry or putting forward a national health care proposal that can actually get off the ground (read: Germany and Switzerland’s plans instead of Canada’s).

  • Mark Gibson

    Paul,

    I agree that McCain has a good pro-life voting record, it is well documented. But on some domestic issues he is more liberal (immigration, tax cuts, McCain-Feingold, etc.).

    I fail to see how he hates American industry. Allowing oil companies to drill in more areas is not sucking up.

    Pro-choice probably is a moderate view considering how many republicans are pro-choice. But Obama takes pro-choice to a whole different level. He is for the murder of the babies that survive failed abortion attempts.

    I would consider Barbara Boxer, Dick Durbin, John Kerry, and several others very liberal.

    The problem with the Democrats is that they will not tell the American public what they really believe. It has to slip out of their mouths like Maxine Waters. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PUaY3LhJ-IQ

  • Paul

    Mark,

    have you seen McCain’s official policy statement on immigration? He wants a wall, he wants to crack down on ports and points of entry. About the only thing that he refuses to do (that Obama would do, btw) is crack down on the businesses that hire illegal aliens in the first place – a stance which most republicans share, and a stance that really makes ALL republicans RINO’s. As long as businesses keep hiring them, they’ll keep coming.

    An energy policy that doesn’t put R&D dollars for alternative energy up front and center is a policy that sucks up to the oil industry. And find me a Republican in any coastal state that’s for off-shore drilling. I think that’s the most telling point of all. When even T. Boone Pickens is all for putting money into wind power, I think it might be time to start looking into it.

    Not to mention, you DO know that we wouldn’t see our first drop of oil from off shore or ANWR drilling for 10 years, right?

    I don’t deny that Obama is flat out wrong in his abortion views.

    As for Maxine Waters, that’s a move that no democrat would actually make, although, at this point, it might not be a bad one. To judge an entire party based on person’s views is like judging all republicans based on Nixon, W, or Rudy Giuliani.

  • David Hamilton

    Paul,

    Any time you say anything about McCain wanting to blow up a lot of brown people, go ahead and add that Obama strongly supports and is supported by Planned Parenthood, an organization which murders a whole lot of unborn brown people (more than twice the per centage of the population they represent).

  • Mark Gibson

    Paul,

    His current official policy statement is very different from the comprehensive immigration reform he proposed a couple of years ago. I can’t say for sure whether he has changed his mind or he is trying to get votes. Conservative House and Senate members are the ones cracking down on businesses, not Democrats. Plus, it doesn’t matter if GWB doesn’t enfore the law. I also think you should add free healthcare and education to the list to go along with jobs.

    The oil companies already do R&D for alternative energy. You can look it up in any of their annual reports. Plus, Oil is currently cheaper than any of these alternative sources of energy.

    Why is T. Boone Pickens all for putting money into wind power? PROFIT. He’s trying to get public support so that Congress will give him billions in tax credits (which I don’t have a problem with). Don’t forget that he also wants to use natural gas. Will the Democrats allow our energy companies to get it?

    Bill Clinton blocked drilling in ANWR back in 1995. That oil would have been on the market right now. There is no point in waiting any longer to begin drilling.

    All we ever hear out of the Democrats is windfall profits. Is a 10% profit margin considered a windfall profit? Also, they want to nationalize healthcare. That is proof enough for me that they are socialist.

    Back to the main topic. The main problem that conservatives have with McCain is that he is more willing to reach out to the Democrats than his own party. Selecting Lieberman would further alienate the party base.

  • Kris

    What am I missing here?
    I hope McCain picks a running mate that is Pro Life but are you guys saying that social conservative people would not vote for McCain, who is Pro Life, if he chose a running mate who is “pro choice”?

    If that is true how stupid is the reasoning behind something that would allow Obama to get in office who is without a doubt pro abortion?

    If that happens then social conservatives have no one to blame but their stiff necked self serving reasoning.

    Why do I say that? Because if it wasn’t self serving they would vote for what is best for the unborn. IOW serve the unborn instead of their ideology at this time and be passionate about it. Not passionate about McCain but for the innocent.

  • Paul

    David,

    this is now the second time that you’ve attempted to tell me how I should post. You have no business doing any such thing.

    For the 1000th time, I am not voting for Obama. I think he is just as big of a tool as any Republican. However, the Republicans picked as their candidate one of the two or three people out there who is an even bigger hack of a politician than Obama is. Nice going. Y’all should have nominated Ted Stevens. At least he would have been entertaining.

  • Paul

    I know no one will see this but Denny, more than likely, but here’s a couple of interesting facts:

    73% of Republicans are pro-choice

    53% of Republicans think that the RNC has spent too much time and resources catering to evangelicals.

    McCain’s SMARTEST move, at that point, might be to pick someone who’s pro-choice at best or wishy-washy on the subject at worst.

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