I really hope McCain chooses Ridge as his VP!

When Ridge resigned from his Homeland Security gig, he said this about the terror alerts, which he would announce:



An ad on this would shoot a point-blank cannon ball into the phony Terror Alert game, Bush, Ridge, McCain's links to Bush and would devour Ridge.

Add that choosing Ridge would alienate the Fundies since Ridge appears to be pro-choice. It's all good!

McCain/Ridge!!!

That's a lot of EV's Obama would have to find somewhere.

He would only attract the Democrats who vote Republican anyway. Reagan Democrats, that is.

Obama will kick McSame's ass in PA regardless of who McSame chooses.

The inital polls showed an unrealistic lead for BO here ...

The polls have settled in to put BO in the 5-6 point up range, which is pretty realistic ...

Franklin and Marshall on 8-10 had it 44-36 ...
Quinipiac had it 49-42 on July 31 ...
Strategic Vision had it 49-41 on July 31 ...
Rasmussin had it 47-42 on July 25 and 46-42 on June 24 ...

The state has a strong D governor in Rendell ... Has gone D in the last couple of decades ... Rich Santorum, third ranking senator and an R power, got bumped by Casey two years ago, with Santorum outspending Casey 2-1, and it wasn't even close ...

Finally ... Going back to the primary, BO has a big time ground game, and McCain has nothing other than the usual R worker bees - formidable, but not near what BO has ... And, Pa has a lot of big colleges that have been plummed heavily ... Overall, the Ds have added something astronomical, like 150,000, new voters to the rolls, and you know they were nearly all BO voters ...

IMO, Ridge would tighten things up, no doubt ... But, he far from represents a sure thing ... I still would put it a better than even money that BO would win ...

Frankly, I think him floating Ridge shows that after pouring A LOT of money into ads, that he hasn't gotten much of a foothold, and that he knows he probably can't win Pa without Ridge ...

Meanwhile, they could go with experience on steroids and they will keep us safe ... But, really, Ridge does nothing else for McCain ... Nothing outside of Pa, and I have a hard time thinking that his "pro choice" position really helps McCain any ...

I say, go for it ... It is a gambit, and not one with particularly good odds ... And, if we take care of business here in Pa like we should, it likely will be end game ...

But even the idea of PA tightening up worries me. I don't think Obama can afford to lose it.

The main thing about a VP choice is not to screw up. I think McCain will pick someone who's on the same page as he on all the big issues, including abortion rights. Means no Ridge, no Joementum.

I think it'll be Mittens, who has demonstrated an uncanny ability (like McCain) to hold any position on any issue depending on what's needed to get elected.

You have to remember the last time Ridge won an election in PA was when Bill Clinton was President. Its been 10 years since his name has been on any PA ballot and he never really had good Democratic competition. He came to office during the contract with America Bullshit and he turned over the Governorship for Homeland Security which was a disaster under his watch.

Ed Rendell won election by a landslide in 2002 in PA and in 2006. He Jewish and from Philadelphia (I'm not dispariging Jewish people or Philadelphia but it should show you democratic strength in the state at present that he kicked GOP ass against GOP candidates despite not being a Christian nor from one of the smaller cities).

I'd love to have a nation-cleansing debate on What 9/11 Really Meant, and Rudy would force that.

But it won't be Rudy. Pro-choice, pro-gay rights he'd piss off way too many fundies.

if ours is Biden, then Joe would get his wish to debate Ghouli.

To me, this means that Bush was guilty of terrorism. The intent of those code raising was ti generate fear and dread in Americans - to make them to afraid to consider a change in leadership.

.

...especially in those where McSame is counting heavily on the GOP bible-thumper vote. They won't be motivated to get out and vote for McCain if he has a "pro-abortion" veep on the ticket.

I'm thinking VA, NC, MO, GA, and others might be disinclined to go red with Ridge.