I may find out if Pawlenty is the running mate today...

[J. J.]

Next time tell me, I'll get a date and buy tickets.

[J. J.]

You've made the point well that if we were casting the Vice President in a movie, Ridge would beat Pawlenty.

Don't cite Ridge's experience asa  Congressman.  He was an awful Congressman.

For the nuclear freeze and against aid to Contras?  I'm sorry, that doesn't do it for me.

If he delivers PA I'll be happy, but I can't say I'd be excioted about Tom Ridge as Vice President or heir apparent.

Ridge has this national advantage.  Obama/Biden had been hitting McCain on being a "not the same" and too tied to the right wing.  Ridge explodes that myth.  It helps stop an avenue of attack.

[J. J.]

Pawlenty is a worse choice than Biden by a long shot, unless you expect MN to go Republican.

Lest we forget:

[J. J.]

But huge-uber-Catholic organization will skip into action if you put Pawlenty on the ticket...

Yeah, ok. 

And they'll be enthusiastic about a Pro Choice Catholic? Remember when Kerry won the Catholic vote in...oh...nevermind.

Pawlenty is a worse choice than Biden by a long shot, unless you expect MN to go Republican.

Lest we forget:

No one is arguing that he's flipping MN, J.J.

Ah, then what good is he?  He carries the archconservatives and delivers them to McCain? 

[J. J.]

I bet you that there is no polling evidence that Ridge helps in PA at all. I haven't checked, but I make the bet anyway.

I never claimed that there was.  But because I live here, and I live in Erie, and I have actually worked on the ground here politically, I know that Ridge is immensely popular.

Ever single comment thus far has been aimed at either taking what I said out of context or just blatantly putting words in my mouth.

Chris, I never said that you did. My comment was not aimed at you. I was just giving my little opinion.  It actually was in response to a post Erc made, and right below his post. Torie is smart enough not to interject himself into the middle of a Chris v. Phil fight anyway.

IIRC, there was a poll result posted showing that Ridge would boost if not swing PA.

[J. J.]

Ah, then what good is he?  He carries the archconservatives and delivers them to McCain? 

What is with this sudden idea that a running mate who doesn't carry his/her home state is meaningless?

Pawlenty does no harm. He satisfies a group of people that are very important to this party.

He does no good.  There are candidates out there that will.

[J. J.]

Ah, then what good is he?  He carries the archconservatives and delivers them to McCain? 

What is with this sudden idea that a running mate who doesn't carry his/her home state is meaningless?

Pawlenty does no harm. He satisfies a group of people that are very important to this party.

He does no good.  There are candidates out there that will.

Whatever. It's not even worth arguing anymore.

I think it is.

I'm not a big fan of Mitt Romney, to the point that in a head to head race, I'd vote for Hillary.  Romney is those candidates for VP that will help.  I'd like a few other people out there, but they won't help; I frankly don't know Pawlenty enough to like him or not, but I know he is one of those that won't help.  So, if it's a choice between Pawlenty and Romney, I say choose Romney.  Ridge helps even more.

[J. J.]

Ah, then what good is he?  He carries the archconservatives and delivers them to McCain? 

What is with this sudden idea that a running mate who doesn't carry his/her home state is meaningless?

Pawlenty does no harm. He satisfies a group of people that are very important to this party.

He does no good.  There are candidates out there that will.

Whatever. It's not even worth arguing anymore.

I think it is.

I'm not a big fan of Mitt Romney, to the point that in a head to head race, I'd vote for Hillary.  Romney is those candidates for VP that will help.  I'd like a few other people out there, but they won't help; I frankly don't know Pawlenty enough to like him or not, but I know he is one of those that won't help.  So, if it's a choice between Pawlenty and Romney, I say choose Romney.  Ridge helps even more.

Sorry but Romney clearly hurts more than he helps. How that is not clear to you is beyond me.

Why and where?  Yes, a Mormon hurts in some areas, but those areas will still go for McCain.

[J. J.]

Why and where?  Yes, a Mormon hurts in some areas, but those areas will still go for McCain.

The fact that he's flip flopped over the years. It wasn't simply Romney changing his mind. I also think he comes across as a smug businessman. People don't like the guy.

And Pawlenty seems to come off as a Quayle Clone, without seeing how he performs.  His electoral performance is less than stellar. 

[J. J.]

Comparing Pawlenty to Dan Q. is indeed way over the top. Now, on the other hand, comparing Nancy Pelosi  to ... yes, much better that!

Oh, I'm not; I don't know enough about him to form an opinion, but he has come off that way.  Someone young and inexperienced.

[J. J.]

How does he come off as a Quayle clone? What gaffes has Pawlenty had?

What gaffs did Quayle make pre convention in 1988?

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Ridge can be Tom Ridge.  In 1998, a bad year, though not 2006, Ridge, with a pro-life candidate taking 10% of the vote, received 57% of the vote.

PA has 21 EV's.  MN, which Pawlenty won't swing anyhow, has 10 EV's.  OH has 20 EV's and Ridge helps more there than Pawlenty does.

It's Ridge, a hold of 41 EV, potentially, versus Pawlenty, with zero.  Which number is greater?

 

[J. J.]

What gaffs did Quayle make pre convention in 1988?

So how can we know that Pawlenty is Quayle-like? What the hell are you basing this off of?

No, it has already been raised here, referring him Quaylenty.  It's the impression.

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Good for him. It wasn't as bad of a year and it was in a less Democratic state.
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Sorry that he couldn't run for a third term, but Pawlenty, in either race, wasn't stellar.  Did he ever get a majority?

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And Ridge isn't winning PA for McCain. McCain will win it for himself.
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It can make a difference.  Ridge on the ticket can be enough to swing the state, in this race.  As columnist Mark Shields said about a week after election day in 2000, "I have two words for George [W.] Bush:  Tom Ridge."  It almost made the difference then and it can this year.

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Since you can't seem to comprehend, I'll explain it.  41 Electoral Votes is a larger number than zero Electoral Votes.  The goal of the election is to get the larger number of Electoral Votes.

Now, I'll ask you these questions:

1.  Who would rather have as VP, Tom Ridge or Joe Biden?  You can only choose one of those.

2.  Who would rather have as VP, Mitt Romney or Joe Biden?  You can only choose one of those.

That might very well be the choice you are facing.

[J. J.]

Now here's my question - Who would you rather have as VP - Pawlenty or Biden? You can only choose one of those!

I'd rather have Pawlenty (or Quayle), but if my choice is Pawlenty, I might get stuck with Biden.

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Then you don't understand the Pittsburgh and Erie media markets.

[J. J.]

I'd rather have Pawlenty (or Quayle), but if my choice is Pawlenty, I might get stuck with Biden.

And I might get stuck with Biden if we nominate Romney.

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The odds are a lot lower with Romney than with Pawlenty.

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He wasn't on the ticket, unfortunately.

His CD bordered OH, and then he was governor; he's been in the eastern quarter of OH for the last quarter decade.

[J. J.]

And for the 100th time, he also doesn't understand the regional interests and connections that tom ridge has.

Judging from this quote, Phil doesn't understand geography either.

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Just due to proximity, he's been on TV in the eastern quarter of OH for 25 years.

[J. J.]

Ridge's proximity to Ohio is about as relevant as Pawlenty's to Wisconsin.

The main problem with the neighboring state advantage: Even if people know who someone is, that doesn't mean they have a strong opinion of them. My parents know who Pawlenty is (thanks mostly to WCCO talk radio when they're visiting down here), but that doesn't mean they can tell you anything about him other than that he's the governor of Minnesota or have an opinion strong enough of him to influence their vote either way.

You don't get it.  About 20-25% of OH is in the Pittsburgh and Erie media markets, where Ridge has on TV since 1982.  Ads for his House seat, for Governor, news stories have been hitting this section for 25 years.

It's the same with Biden and the Phila media market.  He gets a boost from that.  Obama gets that boost.  It would be the same for Ridge in OH.