I think this West Palm reader is right on:
I know the hulabaloo around the idea that Tom Ridge or Smokin’ Joe Lieberman
may be the veep pick is all fun and games, but I wouldn’t get too worked up
about it. Both of those guys violate the primary rules of a VP pick: “Do no
harm. Do some good.”
What does either man offer? McCain is dreaming if he thinks that
Pennsylvania is up for grabs considering the likely huge Philly turnout and
the general Dem tilt of that state. Ridge actually hurts in the minds of
independents outside of PA because he can be associated with Bush and thus
the line that this is “Bush’s Third Term” resonates even more.
Smokin’ Joe won’t help McCain in Connecticut, won’t galvanize the base, and
won’t even help with independents because the Dems have rejected him for
years already.
So don’t get too riled up, it’s not going to be either man. And if it is,
McCain deserves to lose because he doesn’t know how to run a campaign, so
how can he be trusted to be president?