RNC: No pro-choice VP for McCain

Fox News: As speculation grows around who John McCain will select as his vice presidential running mate next week, Republican National Committee officials said Tuesday that McCain is no longer considering former Pennsylvania Gov. Tom Ridge.

Several sources at the RNC told FOX News that in the last 36 hours, senior McCain advisers and aides have told RNC officials that McCain “got the message” last week that choosing a running mate who supports abortion rights would not be helpful.

GOP pundits had been vocal in urging the presumptive presidential nominee not to pick a running mate who supports abortion rights. Ridge, the first homeland security secretary, was said to be on McCain’s short list, and the only candidate who explicitly supports abortion rights. Read more…

Let’s savor this moment.

Party leaders thought that a McCain – Ridge ticket would help place Pennsylvania back into the red column - a false premise at many levels. The RNC and PA GOP have many times counted on the pro-life contingent to deliver election victories, but then ignore pro-life concerns when they smell an election victory with a pro-abortion candidate. (The Earll – Shogan Superior Court race being the most recent example where party leaders were on the wrong side of the life issue.)

This may be wishful thinking, but just maybe, party leaders will stop forcing pro-abortion candidates on the Republican Party and expect the pro-life contingent to simply “fall in line”.

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