McCain campaign faces Limbaugh pushback on running mate

August 19, 2008

The National Review’s Rich Lowry reported today that the McCain campaign “has been calling key state GOP officials around the country the last couple of days and sounding them out about the consequences of a pro-choice VP pick.” Similarly

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, Time’s Mark Halperin noted this afternoon that several senior McCain aides, including Steve Schmidt and Charlie Black, are “calling top donors to sound them out on a pro-choice running mate.”

Late last week, several players in the religious right movement made it clear they’re not happy with this talk. Today, Rush Limbaugh joined the conservative chorus.

“The drive-bys are just hoping for this. They are just hoping for it because they know it’s not just a few loud mouths in the base. They know the base will totally turn on McCain if this is the case… it’s about trying to persuade McCain to make a decision that will ensure his defeat.

“How about someone like Rick Santorum other than Tom Ridge. How about some discussion from the McCain campaign about a conservative who can be counted on across the board

, who can help lead the country in the right direction.”

Limbaugh added, “If he picks a pro-choice running mate, it’s not going to be pretty…. If the McCain camp does that, they will have effectively destroyed the Republican Party and put the conservative movement in the bleachers.”

My hunch is, Limbaugh probably doesn’t have anything to worry about — McCain isn’t going to follow pick a pro-choice running mate.

That said

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, I wouldn’t be at all surprised if the McCain campaign loved the far-right pushback on this, which might help obscure McCain’s far-right position on reproductive rights.

Rick Santorum would be great! Just about as good as Joe Lieberman. Go for it McCain! I don’t think many Democrats dislike and disdain anyone more than Joe Lieberman—except perhaps, Rick Santorum. Limbaugh and his ilk do not care WHO they heap upon the country, as long as the power stays with the right. Disfriggingusting!

  • That said, I wouldn’t be at all surprised if the McCain campaign loved the far-right pushback on this, which might help obscure McCain’s far-right position on reproductive rights.

    As I have said before, this is nothing more than a ploy to make McCain look more ‘moderate’ to swing voters. The sole purpose is creating an artificial ‘wedge’ with religious conservatives.

    In the end McCain will pick a ‘pro-life’ running mate and the ‘evangelicals’ (whatever that term means this week) will come home and vote Republican.’

    The key for Dems is how they spin things when McCain does pick that ‘pro-life’ running mate. They have to make it look like he is beholden to the far right elements of his party. Play up his preference pro-life anti-abortion Supreme Court justices. Dems need to tie the religious right around McCain’s neck like a noose.

    Far too many people I know still think McCain is pro-choice.

  • Oh please Mr. McCain! Please pick former Senator Rick Santorum. Please pick a man that the voters of his home state oh so recently rejected (by a large margin, I might add) for a host of reasons, not the least of which being that he’s a complete and utter tool who makes himself look stupider every single time he opens his mouth.

    In my wildest dreams I never would have thought of Santorum as a possible VP pick for McCain. It never even entered my brain that anyone would ever consider him to be someone McCain might consider. And I’m the guy who’s been secretly hoping he’ll pick Ken Blackwell as his running mate. Santorum would be and even more fun than Blackwell. I never thought I’d say this, but I hope someone in McCain’s camp is listening to Rush…

  • Ridge is the only choice I have heard of lately that truely scares me.
    He could pull PA and that will sink Obama.

    And I agree on the chimes about Rick, man-on-dog, finest mind of the 13th century, frothy residue from… Santorum. He would be even better than Joe Mentum

  • I know, why not pick Rush Limbaugh?

    LOL.

    Seriously, they must be getting more than a little nervous, if they’re still flailing around like this at this point. They’re going to have to pick someone with very little (if any) vetting, because it sounds like whoever they already picked is pro-choice, and Rush is right about the wingnuts not going for that.

    On the subject, Fafblog discusses the merits of various Veep choices…

    …MITT ROMNEY:
    Pros: history of rapid flip-flops will neatly counterbalance McCain’s record of stunning policy reversals to achieve perfect pandering equilibrium; ability to suck opponents into the inky void of his soul should prove useful in veep debate; sweats liquid money
    Cons: eccentric space-god religion could appear unacceptably bizarre to pious nation of devout two-thousand-year-old Jewish zombie worshipers…

  • Far too many people I know still think McCain is pro-choice.

    But a lot of the fundies also believe that, and suspect McCain is lying when he denies it, so it cuts both ways. 🙂

  • It’s an old trick…he riles them up by teasing them with the possibility that he might go against their wishes thereby solidifying their support and enthusiasm by doing what they wanted all along making them feel like he’s saying you guys were right all along and them cheering him on instead of just being complacent.

    Won’t somebody please run that video of McCain answering a question in a forum or town hall meeting about his pro life/pro choice position and him being confused because he didn’t remember which one he was.

    McCain: “I can’t remember unless you disagree with what I said then I remember I didn’t say that”. Wrong on Everything and lying about it.

  • I listen to Limbaugh for about 30 minutes a week so I miss most of what he says.

    But I remember before Super Tuesday that Limbaugh was saying all sorts of nasty things about McCain and how McCain would destroy the Republican Party.

    Obviously, Rush has changed his tune. Of course, Limbaugh can flip flop all he wants since he is 100% an entertainer and doesn’t have to worry about the truth or facts except as they relate to his show keeping listeners and ad money.

  • I know I’m in the minority, but I actually think there might be something to all this pro-choice VP talk. McCain has a well-deserved reputation for being a hothead and for making impulsive decisions. He wants someone he’s comfortable with to be his VP, someone who is a friend and who is also a suckup who will make him feel superior. Tom Ridge and Joe Lieberman fit that bill perfectly. McCain probably wants to desperately pick one of these guys, it’s just a question of whether or not his hotheadness will cause him to override him campaign staff’s advice.

  • Frankly, this public discussion from the McCain is a significant strategic blunder. McCain’s VP pick is a lose-lose situation for him.

    If he picks a pro-choice candidate then he alienates the social conservatives.

    If, after floating the idea of a pro-choice VP so publicly, he ends up going with a pro-life VP pick then he looks weak. Who really wants to elect a president that is so easily intimidated?

    To quote Nelson from the Simpsons: “Ha Ha!”

  • Santorum’s embarrassment over his two houses would balance out McCain’s embarrassment over his eight houses.

  • Can anyone explain all this talk about Ridge? This guy is about as inspiring as … well, he just isn’t. The guy never struck me as being very intelligent, but he does fit the tough guy type that the Republicans like to think they are.

  • Please oh please. God, please, let him pick Santorum, a man who makes Dan Quayle look like Albert Einstein.

    Off topic: the comments at Political Animal are very difficult to read. Can you bring this format with you?

  • Lieberman would be perfect. He can continue to stand by McCain and correct him when he opens his mouth!

  • Quite a predicament for Old Man McCain, can’t get the base with a choice candidate, can’t get the independents with a Hater. I hope it is Santorum, I like to watch haters go down.

    Rush changes his mind depending on how steady his connection is, withdrawal can play havoc with a fellow’s judgment, you know.

  • I’ve thought for months that John McCain really, really wants Holy Joe to run with him. I don’t think this is a head fake, though it may be a trial balloon.

    McBush: please, please, please pick Joementum. NOTHING could solidify Democrats more than the Grumpy Old Men ticket of McCain/Lieberman.

  • I dunno, can see McMaverickety picking a pro-choice candidate. At the same time, he’ll swear up & down that his Administration will be staunchly anti-choice, & his running mate will publicly promise to uphold his boss’ agenda should anything happen to McMaverickety. For voters who are low-info but pro-choice, it’ll seem like a moderate dream ticket. But for the rabid right, the battered spouses of voters, their smooth-talking master promised to be faithful again, and as long as the promise is made, who cares if it’s kept? Although I do believe McMaverickety will keep up the pro-life shpiel, even with his choice of SCJustices. The right feels like McMaverickety is in the palms of their hands, & they’re digging it.

  • “If he picks a pro-choice running mate, it’s not going to be pretty…. If the McCain camp does that, they will have effectively destroyed the Republican Party and put the conservative movement in the bleachers.”

    This is my absolute favourite part. Limbaugh basically admits that there’s absolutely nothing to the “conservative movement”. After all, if naming a Pro-Choice VP (?!) is enough to destroy the Republican Party then there never really was much there there was…uh…there?

  • McCain might as well pick Obama as his running mate if he’s going to go that route. That might be the only chance Obama has to have a President before his name, albeit, there’ll also be a Vice in front of President.

  • Please advise, fellow Carpetbagger bloggers, why is Rush Limbaugh considered, and billed as, a comedian? Are comedians in, perhaps, only right-wing circles, supposed to instill in their fans, a shared hatred toward those they politically disagree with? Have I been misled to assume that true comedians were to instill laughter–and humor–in their fans after sharing their humorous anecdotes with them?

    By my observations and knowledge, Rush Limbaugh is the antithesis of a true comedian. Do my fellow Carpetbagger bloggers agree with my assessment of Rush’s “comedic” talents, or lack thereof? Please share your opinions on this; I welcome your comments on this analysis.

  • He’s not considering a pro-choicer. He just wants media credit for doing so. Every post that regurgitates this point just reinforces his maverick image. In short, you and every other media outlet is being used.

  • Chad, be sure to chime back in on November 5, we’ll all be looking for your post. I gather you’d like to see Santorum on the ticket with McOldFart, or maybe…Satan?

    Jesseaw, you’re seeing it now, Rush is the anti-comedian, Bush is the anti-patriot, McCain is the “anyone who would question the integrity of a FORMER POW…” –yes! the anti-answer to any question. Have you heard his new slogan? “McCain. More War and Debt & Not Obama”. Catchy, eh?

  • And the only thing funny about Rush Limbaugh is how a drug addled fool like him can still have a career as a Conservative Republican blowhard. Must be the fool part that they like, how ’bout it, Chad, does Rush have Oxyboobs?

  • K Street Ricky? There must not be too many Republicans willing to run with Mccain.

  • This isn’t about having a pro-choice Republican on the ticket, it’s about having a FRIEND on the ticket. McCain is going to die in office, and he wants the White House in someone’s hands other than Mitt Romney. whom he despises.

    Tom Ridge and Joe LIEberman are about his only friends (except for all of America of course) and to get them he has to get the money people of the Republican’ts on his side.

    He ain’t waiting for the Evangelicals to start volunteering, because they just aren’t going to do it.

    Besides, he thinks Ridge or LIEberman will get him votes from the middle and in the end the wingnuts will have no place to go (Barr, who is this Barr?).

    And don’t forget, McCain is in a sound proof bubble with only his campaign staffers feeding him lies and bullshit.

  • As a PA Dem, I worry about McCain choosing Ridge. Santorum, on the other hand, would be great!

  • I don’t think he is going to choose a pro-choice candidate either. Look, it “gets out” that the campaign is calling around seeing how this would go over knowing full well it isn’t going to happen. He gets all of the centrist/maverick/etc. talk without actually having to do anything.

    John McCain wants to be president so bad he will do and say just about anything.

  • McMaverickety*/FrothyFecalMatter ’08 would be five Christmases and ten birthdays all rolled into one.

    Please. Get him up there in that hideous pink tie and let him talk about how Frodo (who represents a fetus because he is small) has to throw the ring into Mount Doom to save marriage and families and America from gays and lesbians.

    *Yes, I am totally stealing this.

  • Please-o-please let it be Santorum.

    Mr. Burns/Frothy Fecal Matter in ’08!

  • “The drive-bys are just hoping for this. They are just hoping for it because they know it’s not just a few loud mouths in the base. They know the base will totally turn on McCain if this is the case… it’s about trying to persuade McCain to make a decision that will ensure his defeat.”

    I’m not sure who “the drive-bys” are, but from context it sounds like he means Democrats who want to beat McCain. Imagine, members of a political party trying to influence the internal workings of a rival to make them more beatable! Underhanded political tactics of the worst kind, the type I’m sure Rush would never stand for.

    What? Operation Chaos? Never heard of it.

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