In the Los Angeles Times today, Maeve Reston and Bob Drogin contribute to the media's recent lengthy discussion over the unease among conservative Republicans worried that their presumptive nominee is considering, and may in fact choose, a pro-choice running mate. Citing a town hall meeting yesterday in New Mexico, they write:

McCain was confronted here by conservative voters worried that he would select someone who favored abortion rights. Republicans released a schedule for next month's national convention that gives prominent slots to abortion rights proponents, including Arnold Schwarzenegger, keynote speaker Rudolph W. Giuliani and Joe Lieberman. The speaker lineup was aimed at attracting moderates and independents into McCain's camp, but it seemed destined to add fuel to the fight already smoldering over abortion rights.

Four observations can be made from this now exhausted storyline. First, reports have indicated that McCain officials recently contacted state party representatives to gauge their thoughts on the impact of a pro-choice running mate. The responses were negative. This does not bode well for a pro-choice candidate.

Second, McCain has gotten the message as well, as evidenced by the probing questionnaires at yesterday's rally. The message was clear: "Don't."

Third, the fact that this year's Republican convention will feature pro-choice speakers is anything but unusual. Restin and Drogin's observation that, "The speaker lineup...seemed destined to add fuel to the fight already smoldering over abortion rights" is inaccurate and only adds to the inflated reports of conservative unease. One only has to look back four years ago (when the conservative base was hardly dispirited) to remember the following high-profile, pro-choice speakers: Michael Bloomberg, Rudy Giuliani, Ed Koch, Arnold Schwarzenegger, and George Pataki. There was no added "fuel to the fire" then.

Finally, the whole "uproar" may in fact bode well for McCain in the end. Had this storyline not emerged, the event of McCain picking a pro-life running mate would not have been reason for any elation among the conservative base. But now, when McCain does pick a pro-life running mate (and he will), there may be a sigh of relief and perhaps a greater enthusiasm for McCain among conservatives.

-Greg Bobrinskoy