Tom Ridge

Smart, capable, experienced. Not particularly exciting choice, but better than some of the folks on this list who would narrow the pool instead of widening it.

I think he is one of several candidates who would have more appeal to people outside the GOP than the activists within it.

Surprised that he never decided to throw his hat into the ring, at any point. He could have been formidable. Vietnam vet, has strong administrative experience, is fairly knowledgeable about policy, and he comes from a swing state.

His position on abortion has always been the fly in the ointment for his national political career. It might have helped him in Philadelphia's suburbs, but not in the South Carolina primaries, where social issues go front and center. It's also why he was never put on the ticket as a VP candidate.

His stint at DHS probably won't help. But either way, I'd probably say that his time has passed for national office.

When the Enron Scandal broke, George Bush duly called the then state governor, Tom Ridge, to pitch for Enron, whose bid duly succeeded. “I called George W to kind of tell him what was going on,” said Lay at the time, “and I said it would be very helpful to Enron if he could just call the governor and tell him Enron is a serious company.” Ridge was later appointed Secretary of Homeland Security a new White House office after September 11th by GWB.

Tom Ridge was the Governor of my state and only created policies that intruded in peoples personal lives and made them miserable. He needs to stay far away from the school districts. I can't stand anything about Barack Obama, but I would vote for him before I would vote for Tom Ridge.

Moderate enough for the general, but the GOP isn't ready to nominate a prochoice candidate.

Demos were blasting fecal matter into diapers worried that the Repubs. would actually be smart enough to pick this bright PA repub. as McCain's VP.  (Which would have made PA in play and perhaps Ohio)  But alas, the Jesusland-types might have had a problem with Ridge's lack of interest of telling women what to do with their bodies.  As of today, Ridge is a solid East-Coast Repub. who doesn't elicit laughter from the educated with hollow and shrill neocon speeches.  Ridge has upside- but the goofies of the party have to grow up lest they throw a pearl away richer than their battered tribe.