McCain Says 'Maybe' to Abortion-Rights Veep

Aug. 14, 2008— -- Republican presidential hopeful John McCain is seriously considering selecting a running mate who supports abortion rights, a risky move that could attract independent voters but alienate -- possibly even infuriate -- much of the GOP's conservative base, McCain advisers have told ABC News.

The Arizona senator broached the issue himself in an interview with the Weekly Standard, a conservative publication, when he said that former Pennsylvania governor and former Homeland Security chief Tom Ridge should not be disqualified as a vice presidential candidate because he favors abortion rights.

"I think that the pro-life position is one of the important aspects or fundamentals of the Republican Party," McCain, who's anti-abortion, told the magazine. "And I also feel that -- and I'm not trying to equivocate here -- that Americans want us to work together. You know, Tom Ridge is one of the great leaders, and he happens to be pro-choice. And I don't think that that would necessarily rule Tom Ridge out."

McCain conceded the party's opposition to abortion is a cornerstone of its platform.

"I think it's a fundamental tenet of our party to be pro-life, but that does not mean we exclude people from our party that are pro-choice. We just have a -- albeit strong -- but just it's a disagreement," McCain said. "And I think Ridge is a great example of that."

Joe Lieberman, another close McCain friend and ally, also is said to be on McCain's VP short list and supports abortion rights.

Either Ridge or Lieberman, who ran as a Democratic vice presidential candidate eight years ago, would be a "transformative" VP pick who could help open up the Republican Party and deliver moderate voters and Independents, some McCain advisers believe. McCain is seriously weighing that option, sources say.

Obama is likely to announce his choice next week, George Stephanopoulos, ABC News' chief Washington correspondent, told "Good Morning America" today.