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Life, Politics and the Law From ABC News Correspondent Jan Crawford Greenburg
Jan Crawford Greenburg is a correspondent for ABC News' bureau in Washington DC. She covers politics, the Supreme Court and provides legal analysis for ABC News. She is a graduate of the University of Chicago's law school and is a member of the New York bar.
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McCain: Not Ruling Out Pro-choice VP
August 13, 2008 6:34 PM
As John McCain weighs his choices for vice president, he gave a fascinating interview today in which he said he would not rule out the possibility of choosing an openly pro-choice running mate—something no Republican President has ever done.
In a wide-ranging—and fascinating—interview with the Weekly Standard’s Stephen Hayes, McCain said a support for abortion rights would not be a disqualifier. He specifically mentioned former Pennsylvania Gov. Tom Ridge, a close McCain ally who is a VP contender, despite Ridge's pro-choice views.
"I think that the pro-life position is one of the important aspects or fundamentals of the Republican Party," McCain told Hayes. "And I also feel that--and I'm not trying to equivocate here--that Americans want us to work together. 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 rule Tom Ridge out."
In the past, as Hayes pointed out, McCain had said it would be difficult to choose a running made who did not oppose abortion, since it was a cornerstone of the Republican party platform.
"I think it's a fundamental tenet of our party to be pro-life, but that does not mean we exclude people from our party that are pro-choice. We just have a--albeit strong--but just it's a disagreement,” McCain said. “And I think Ridge is a great example of that.”
Joe Lieberman, another close McCain friend and ally, also is on McCain’s VP short list and is pro-choice, although the Independent Democrat is much more liberal on other social issues than is Ridge.
Both Ridge and Lieberman campaigned yesterday with McCain, offering rousing introductions during a big town hall meeting with 3,500 people in York, Pa. After the meeting, Lieberman told me that he hadn't talked to McCain about VP. He declined to discuss it further.
Either Ridge or Lieberman would be a "transformative" VP pick who could help open up the Republican Party and deliver moderate voters and Independents, some McCain advisers believe. McCain is seriously weighing that option, sources say.
But it’s a tough calculus: A pro-choice nominee would infuriate the anti-abortion element of the conservative base and potentially be a bitter divorce from the Religious Right. McCain learned the hard way in his 2000 presidential bid that the wages of tearing that union apart was political death.
Will it be now?
August 13, 2008 | Permalink | User Comments (67)
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Call him all those names. Label him. Divide. Divide. Divide.
It seems to me McCain is unifying by admitting that there are differences and listening to all points of view, then instead of parroting the party mine, making the best decision he can.
That's a leader. He trusts his own judgement and makes a decision based on that. He gives all sides the benefit of having a valid opinion.
Then he decides for the good of the country even if it means he may not be President.
That's honor. We've had far too little of that in this election cycle and I believe it is what we are actually looking for. Hope is not a strategy. No One gets it right all the time, but when a leader is honorable, he is all we can expect or hope for.
Posted by: len | Aug 13, 2008 7:01:57 PM
This type of balance and insight is why this former Democrat is voting for McCain.
Posted by: Jackson | Aug 13, 2008 7:36:22 PM
I really hope this guy doesn't get elected. If he does, it will be 4 years of nothing. If he does make it and runs again in 2012, he won't be re-elected. We need to move now. We can't wait any longer. We had 8 years of dubya. The conservatives had their chance.
Posted by: plantain11 | Aug 13, 2008 7:38:10 PM
Len, I like your thinking.
Posted by: Lisa Again | Aug 13, 2008 8:03:07 PM
A question has bothered me for years: Why is overpopulating our planet called "pro-life"? Making more babies than Earth can support will eventually lead to the extinction of the human race, so how is this "pro-life"?
Posted by: Rhys | Aug 13, 2008 8:27:00 PM
Why is anyone worried about what McCain would do as President? Congress and the Senate will be solidly controlled by the Democrats. McCain would only be able to prevent a Socialistic runaway. That's all.
Posted by: Rhys | Aug 13, 2008 8:29:51 PM
McCain needs to ask Hillary to be his V.P...This would be the best person he could get...
Posted by: PCC | Aug 13, 2008 8:29:52 PM
PCC...
A McCain - Hillary ticket would be unbeatable... even by "The One"!
Posted by: Rhys | Aug 13, 2008 8:31:44 PM
This would keep Obama and his friends that hate America away from the white house wouldn't it...Obama all his life has had these friends and why?...Why would anyone need friends like this ..What did Obama want from them or what did he get from them ?
Posted by: PCC | Aug 13, 2008 8:38:45 PM
Ha! Ha! Ha! Very funny Len! McCain a unifier? LOL! Have you forgotten that this is a Presidential Campaign? It doesn't make a bit of a difference whether or not McCain's VP choice is Pro-Choice or not. The President is the one who will be nominating the next one, two or three judges to the Supreme Court. It doesn't matter what the VP thinks. BTW, the only judgement McCain has exercise it what he saying what he thinks will get him elected. Lucky for him, he has a lot of gullible people who take his feeble attempts at "unity" and "honor" as signs of "leadership". That's the only reason the polls are even close.
Posted by: Tom | Aug 13, 2008 8:49:58 PM
A McCain-Hillary ticket could possibly cause me to not vote for the first time ever since I've been old enough to vote.
Posted by: ellsbells930 | Aug 13, 2008 8:49:59 PM
maybe i do maybe i dont maybe i will maybei wont----mccain sounds like sone of that OLD time music
Posted by: rodney | Aug 13, 2008 9:47:42 PM
Actually, there is "change" with McCain. He has the experience, knowledge and ability to govern a great nation. Obama, inexperienced and has way-too-many unsavory friends and associates, he is not to be trusted.
Posted by: John W. | Aug 13, 2008 10:19:23 PM
McCain can talk without a tele-prompter, unlike Obama, and he makes sense.
McCain in '08
Posted by: martha S. | Aug 13, 2008 10:21:54 PM
A McCain-Hillary ticket !!
If that becomes a reality, I'LL be the one waking up
at 3 AM every morning!
Posted by: spacerook1 | Aug 13, 2008 10:23:35 PM
McCain/Clinton would be a sure winner. After the DNC and the media forced Obama onto the public, I would vote for John and Hillary.
Posted by: Art in FL. | Aug 13, 2008 10:25:34 PM
i have always thought the only reason the republicans gave him the thumbs up this year is because they assumed the republicans didnt have a chance in H*LL of winning...
The fact is that he is only staying afloat by preying on american prejudices and fears, im not talking about obama being black prejudices im talking the rumor he is muslim + rev.wright = unamerican
kinda like bush play book anthrax + bin laden = Iraq trick and yet once again lots of people are buying into it?!!
Posted by: melissa | Aug 13, 2008 10:28:03 PM
McCain is open to new ideas and he actually "listens" to the people. I realy like the town-hall type meetings by McCain. Obama is scard to talk without a prepared speech, a typical politician.
Posted by: Baron | Aug 13, 2008 10:29:54 PM
The dems wouldn't dream of putting a pro-life person on their ticket. At least McCain recognizes and respects diverse opinions in his own party.
Posted by: LADNARC | Aug 13, 2008 10:30:42 PM
McCain can talk without a tele-prompter, unlike Obama, and he makes sense.
****************************
That because no one told him how to
start the tele-prompter! He's still trying to figure out
why that the RETURN button on the keyboard means
ENTER
Posted by: spacerook1 | Aug 13, 2008 10:30:49 PM
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