If Ridge wasn’t done before, he probably is now

Former Pennsylvania Governor Tom Ridge was an early supporter of John McCain.  Then when the going became bad and it looked like the straight talk express was being decommissioned Ridge stuck with McCain.  The two have become very friendly and Ridge is thought to be McCain’s top choice for vice-president.  The problem is Ridge is pro-choice and McCain is smart enough to realize that pick will not bring enough of the conservatives who are leery of McCain back into the fold. 

Ridge also would help with Pennsylvania and would legitimately put the Keystone State into the swing state status McCain is hoping it will be.  Many think even though some conservatives would be upset, McCain could still pick Ridge because Ridge may help enough in the Pennsylvania, Ohio, Michigan areas that it would offset any conservatives he would lose.  Not only that, what are the conservatives really going to do when they face a McCain/Ridge ticket vs a Obama/xxx ticket?

But it may all be a mute point now.  With the latest Roll Call story that Ridge registered as a lobbyist for Albania two years and a half a million dollars after he was supposed to, he has probably just become untouchable.  McCain has had his fair amount of perceived “lobbyist problems” and the last thing he needs is another one.  If the pro-choice label did not put the final nail in the coffin for a Ridge vice-presidency, this may have done just that. 

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