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EDITOR OF REDSTATE

Paul Ryan: Where Things Stand

By: Erick Erickson (Diary)  |  August 11th, 2012 at 08:32 AM  | 

RESIZE: AAA

Paul Ryan is not a safe pick. In fact, it is a pick that suggests Mitt Romney knows he needs to shift momentum in the race. When the GOP is winning on all the major polling questions of debt, deficit, and economy and still losing overall — the polling can’t all be wrong, including Fox News — the Romney camp needs a new direction and a more focused message.

What they had been doing was not and is not working.

Paul Ryan works. The most recently named Human Events Conservative of the Year is a lightening rod on the left for the Ryan plan, which balances the budget over the next two decades. What was not enough for some conservatives is too much for some liberals. Paul Ryan exposes the left’s great lie. They think they can just raise taxes on those who make $250,000.00 a year or more and never have to cut spending or fix entitlements.

Paul Ryan not only exposes that lie, but he has plans to solve it. He does so as a fresh, young face who is not at all scary to old people and relates to them and to young people. He himself is in his early 40′s with small kids. He’s from a swing state, out performed John McCain in his home district, and is telegenic and articulate. Paul Ryan is what Mitt Romney needs.

The left will demonize and demagogue Paul Ryan. They’d do that to anyone. This is a party that is currently accusing MItt Romney of murder and previously accused Paul Ryan of killing old people. The only problem is, the old people are receptive to Paul Ryan’s message. The bluster you hear today is a Democratic Party excited to have their bogey man as the Republican veep pick, with a little bit of nervous apprehension about what Ryan is capable of.

The sighs you hear are Republicans sighing some relief. Finally, the Romney campaign has a spokesman who can do what Mitt Romney has never been capable of doing — defend success and articulate a message of why we must reform our nation’s budget and support free markets.

After all the Romney campaign missteps and flubs of the past few weeks, I am encouraged. But we should be clear here: it is not enough, but it is an excellent start to a reboot.

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COMMENTS

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  • http://www.alanjoelny.com alanjoelny

    talking about the fact that we are 1200 days without a budget today

    http://bit.ly/N1XYaY

    Go Romney/Ryan!

  • macphisto96

    in that he’ll be the bulldog. I expect him to hammer home the message of what is coming for kids and grandkids – our devastating and bankrupt future if we keep on pretending that nothing is wrong.

    But it’s also a message of hope because Ryan knows that we can fix this.

    Americans are worried about the economy, but they are also worried about our debts and deficits. Obama pledged to cut the deficit in half when he ran four years ago, instead he has seen it explode and accelerated the vehicle we’re riding towards the cliff.

    This campaign is now about a bleak future for our children where they are debtors, burdened by the debts thrust upon them by their grandparents and parents versus a movement towards fiscal sanity and (hopefully) a vision for gradually eliminating our debt.

    No generation has a right to leave its obligations to their children. But that’s exactly what’s been happening.

  • liberty17

    Now that we have great VP, I just can’t wait to get to work!!!

  • gmscan

    This means this will be a big election about the future of America — which it will be in any case. But now the Republicans will engage it on those terms.

  • bs61

    I believe this will set a new direction – much needed for this panicked American! I’m glad he is an economist not a lawyer and he is able to clearly explain things. I wish his budget would do it way, way faster, but I guess I’ll just be happy with baby steps.

  • onemovoter

    And I’d have to say I agree. This will be both an energizer for conservatives and Ron Paul bots, and also will make Democrat heads explode.

    I’d say a win in both categories. Just hope Romney/Ryan will be ready for the avalanche of assaults.

  • tnfriendofcoal101368

    Here is Paul Ryan giving Barack Obama a lesson on Obama Care (proving unlike Nancy Pelosi – Paul Ryan read the bill) – notice Obama at end going uhm,, ah, well and Joe Biden hiding like the wimpy wet rag, he is.

  • macphisto96

    Both of these guys have strong handles on just about anything.

    And Romney’s economic plan is a strong one that should bolster the economy. Ryan can help make that argument and communicate with us about a brighter future if we go for them.

    Real Hope is coming… and it’s real because it frees the American people to be the prosperous, compassionate, and innovative people that they are.

  • tnfriendofcoal101368

    for a little courage.

  • liberty17

    Can’t wait for the debates!

  • Melody Warbington (rwm52)

    I’m shouting for joy. Ryan is a bold choice. While I had already come around to supporting Romney (after losing my vote in the primary), I am enthusiastic about it now. Ryan has a great personal story who will appeal to voters across the board.

    Can’t wait for the Romney/Ryan 2012 t-shirt and bumper stickers to hit Mitt’s site.

  • erod

    Rs +9 or +12 like Fox News, Gallup and CNN does with Dems in their inaccurate polling maybe it would show the Romney ticket pulling ahead. Funny how Raz who uses likely voters shows Romney up by 4-5 points and they use registered voters and a more even sample Of Ds and Rs.

    I don’t buy for a minute that Obama is walking off with this thing.

    I don’t buy for a minute the BS LSM polls that have purpossely skewed internals to keep conservatives down.

    All aside Ryan is a great pick, intelligent, able to articulate conservative values and a great face for the future – did I mention he comes from a swing state? Romney can win this thing, IT’S EARLY, remember at this point the MSM had carter up by 20 points in the1980 election how did that work out for him?

  • runner12

    Great choice by Team Romney. Definitely a bold choice. Ryan was one of my top three preferences for VP behind Jindal and Rubio.

    Very excited for November.

  • Melody Warbington (rwm52)

    Making the announcement in front of the USS Wisconsin with a crowd of veterans is a good setting. The Mitt app was fun. At least on Fox, they presented a good press package on Ryan – young, energetic, smart. He’s a hunter, a “noodler,” listens to Ledd Zepplin on his Ipod. And he’s giving a great, passionate speech that articulates conservatism in a way Romney hasn’t been able to do yet, plus he’s hitting the Dems hard already.

  • Tbone

    These guys bring it.

  • rpjkw11

    …though I hate losing him in Congress. Ryan can, I hope, make a bigger, more positive impact as VP than as a congressman. I expect Obamao and his Merry Marxist Minions will unload their arsenal (it can’t be any lower class than so far) against the R ticket, but thanks to Ryan I think they’re up to it at last. In any case, I’m more hopeful this morning than I’ve been lately.

  • izoneguy

    I went YES – let’s nominate Ryan for President and Mitt can be VP!!
    Ryan’s as VP for 8 years will give him a tremendous edge for 2020…
    I know, I know, don’t put the cart before the horse….You got to have dreams…

  • westcoastpatriette

    I loved Ryan’s line that our rights come from God not government. Perfect pitch statement.

  • tngal

    Jindal first or maybe Demint. Was hoping Ryan would have been bumped to speaker of the house. He’s articulate and I see him swaying votes when needed. Anything to get rid of Beohner. Ryan only got a score of 75 on Heritage Scorecard. Not saying he’s awful, we certainly could’ve done worse. On all things fiscal, he’s the best choice.

    But still, its only veep. What we need are strong conservatives in the house and senate to keep Romney in check.

  • runner12

    DeMint, but I think DeMint is more committed to purging the Senate and we desperately need him there. Jindal is very committed to the state of Louisiana, so much so that I was concerned he might turn down the VP slot if offered.

    Ryan would have made a great Speaker, but he will equally make a great VP. His voting record is not as Conservative as I would like it to be, that is true. But he did dare to create a plan for entitlement reform, which goes a very long way with me. That takes some serious courage.

    I also think we will see him move even furthet to the right now that he is not hamstrung by the stinky GOP leadership in the House. They let him hang out to dry when he presented his plans for entitlement reform.

  • runner12

    I really like how Ryan is able to articulate the need for entitlement reform and a reduction in spending in a clear, practical manner.

  • smokinmadokie

    The Won is so po’d he’s giving Ryan the middle-finger salute from his forehead ! This is going to be fun!

  • smokinmadokie

    You are over-tired/over-stress. Put down the keyboard/phone/cameras for 24 hours, go kiss your better half, play with the kids and get some “mental down-time.” But be ready and refreshed by Mon.a.m, Let the games begin!

  • CarolT

    I am now hopeful that Romney will win. I’ve been worried about him and his lack of charisma. He has it in person. The 2006 MA Governor parties were both in the Prudential Center, where I work in Boston.
    There was the winning team in the Hynes Convention Center, all part of the huge complex, and the losing team, Mitt’s former Lt Governor in the Sheraton Hotel. I stopped in. Mitt spoke and in 2006 I had a feeling that he was going to be next POTUS. I was wrong, but maybe I’m right with it this time.
    In general most of my feelings are 98% correct, I hope the Romney Ryan ticket sweeps Obama off to a defeat that we haven’t seen since Carter.
    Rush Limbaugh has said repeatedly that Mitt could win and win big. Now I feel it too. I pray he’s right and my original feeling when I met Mitt in 2006 was a few years off.
    I also put the cart before the borse and think Ryan will have the edge in 2020!
    I’m going to give some $$ to Romney Ryan today. Not much because I can’t afford much.
    Isn’t it nice to know that two adults are running instead of man child?

  • andrewjs

    As a relatively recent (within the past 4 years) convert to both conservatism and the Republican Party, I am more than satisfied.

    Ryan will be a galvanizing, focused, articulate, and tireless presence on the ticket. I can’t wait for his convention speech.

  • cwfoster

    Even with the leftmedia hosting and arbitrating, the six year old kid in the video that was going viral a few weeks ago could make Biden look like an idiot! After all, who are we to improve on God’s work, and as far as congenital idiots go, Biden is God’s Own Idiot!

    (I’ll bet when he eats breakfast in the morning Biden’s Alpha Bits spell out stupid things!)

  • CarolT

    Ryan is articulate without a teleprompter, he knows the facts. I love the look on O’s face after Ryan spoke. O looks like he’s at a loss for words, which he was because there is not teleprompter there. Ryan doesn’t need one.
    O cannot speak w/o one.
    Whee is Biden lately? Is O throwing Biden under bus?

  • celador2

    Ryan may energize the base of Republican voters as he is the star of the tea party Jack Kemp wing. He may energize the Great Lake areas to vote Romney-Ryan after a campaign visit.

    But Paul Ryan is the VP , not the star presiidential nominee. The press will not cover Ryan as much as Romney. Nor should they.

    But, if the Ryan budget plan become the focus of the campaign then the VP will have more of a role.. As many polls have noted on issues the GOP issue win poll after poll. Combine Ryan’s seriousness, youth and charisma and we have a candidate with wide appeal.

    Paul Ryan like most Wisconsin residents knows the value of money. He has had to work because he needs the money. This man makes this race so much more personal.

  • http://www.ajharaldson.com lakeworthcane

    In the 1986 movie “Crossroads,” Ralph Macchio played Eugene Martone, an accomplished classical guitar prodigy and aspiring “bluesman,” Joe Seneca played Willie “Blind Dog” Brown, an aging blues harmonica player who’d supposedly sold his soul to the devil, and contemporary guitar legend Steve Via played the devil’s guitar player, Jack Butler.

    Martone agrees to a guitar duel with Jack Butler. At stake are his (Martone’s) and Brown’s souls.

    Before the duel starts, Martone is subjected to much hooting, scorn and derision from Butler and the devil’s gallery of players and on-lookers.

    Martone says nothing; he just quietly takes the stage and plugs the amp into his guitar . . . and procedes to blow Butler off the stage, not by trying to outdo Butler’s showboating, “rock-star” pirrouettes and drama, but with a very impressive demonstration of true guitar-playing skill.

    Romney is so cool. He’s not going to try to out-Obama Obama with more of the same classless, Jerry Singer trash that characterizes all Obama campaigns. He’s not going to let media demands for a sleazy, mud-slinging brawl sway him from who he is and how he gets things done.

    No:the man has too much class for that. He’s staying true to himself. He’s simply going to offer the United States what he believes is the best possible president/vice president choice he can.

    He’s unafraid: calmly intent only on doing what’s best, and I admire that. I scorn his rival, who’s sold out himself, his constituency and his country just to have his way: no character, class or guts.

    Romney’s happens to be a very potent team: two men with serious, viable, reasonable long-term solutions to problems that have plagued this country for decades.

    America can either choose and profit from Romney’s offer or opt for more of what Obama’s been giving.

  • http://redneckdemocrat.com/ Redneck Democrat

    Of course you’d expect the obligatory “I wasn’t going to vote for Romney but now I am” from people who were obviously going to vote for Romney to begin with,

    I wouldn’t vote for Romney if he picked Jesus to be his running mate (won’t vote for Obama either BTW), but I think its a signal that Mitt may have finally discovered he can’t win from the middle in Ohio and FL, and he needs both of those states to win.

    As far as the phony conservatives go, I think Paul Ryan is pick of the litter. He is a good debater, communicator, and his Ryan plan should have at least been a starter on getting the budget under control.

    For Romney, it shows that he makes good decisions, and it will get the momentum up for the Repos.

    Im still hoping it was another gaffe and he meant to say Rand Paul, but its not looking good.

  • izoneguy

    Ryan has no significant private-sector experience

    What was Joe Biden’s private-sector experience?

    Vice President Joe Biden ? Private experience:? Yes.? 4.5% of the cabinet.?
    Biden?s father worked in the private sector his entire life ? unsuccessfully for a critical period.

    What on earth does his father?s resume have to do with Joe?s? When does anyone put on their resume what their father did?

    Biden attended a private university?s law school (Syracuse)

    Every university is vastly funded by tax dollars in one way or the other, and few, if any, are wholly funded by students paying a tuition which covers 100% of the operating costs of the university. To call a university ?private? when it survives on public dollars is a bit of a stretch.

    ? and operated a successful-because-of-property-management law practice for three years before winning election to the U.S. Senate.

    What on earth is a ?because-of-property-management law practice? ? never heard the term, never saw it written before. But still, three years in a law practice is his sole ?private? experience making and selling things ? oh no, that?s right, he was a lawyer, reading books and arguing issues.
    (I regard a campaign as a private business, too ? and Biden?s first campaign was masterful entrepreneurship.)

    Tim thinks convincing people to put you in a position to tax their money is a job? Thus, by logic, a panhandler is gainfully employed. And what was he making? Words. And what was he selling? Himself. And what was his product? Himself. My, what an entrepreneur indeed, to sell oneself into the lap of luxury on other people?s money. Indeed, he had to rely on campaign donations ? and donations are not prices which are set by costs and a reasonable profit. And what profit did Joe earn? That?s what private businesses do, they earn a profit. What was Joe?s profit? 40 years living off the public. It?s just a higher form of welfare, really.

  • celador2

    Thanks for the quick response. I was waiting to see if RS would have a thread now as this unfolds.

  • http://stevemaley.com Steve Maley

    Either way, you’ve voluntarily taken yourself out of the game and your opinion really doesn’t matter to anyone.

  • funwithknives

    what’s all the hubub, bub?

    You’re seeking seeming perfection in RedsVille, while you side can’t get it together with a Kaopectate Infusion, and a booster to boot.

    So, why stop by? Trolling, are we?

    Your sister’s calling……….

  • Common_Cents

    You point out flaws and lack of excitement in the campaign but what we need is more constructive, in constructive criticism.

    What are some positive steps the campaign can take to get on track from your perspective?

  • forgiven

    No matter how much I wish that the ticket was Perry/Ryan it is not going to happen. I am greatly consoled that perhaps the future can be more than we thought it was going to be a day ago.
    My prayer is that the team will be able to translate to the masses how much depends on the success of this team to get our country back on track. I believe that if the very people who think Obama will save them could understand that the more people who do not work and make money, the more rapidly their govt. largesse will decrease until they will be worse off, not better.
    We must somehow convince these people who do not take part this economy except by using the funds provided by those who who do work, that it will come to an end soon and they had better see the light.
    It will be difficult to make loafers into working boots but it must be done if this country is to survive. Making the loafers want to be working boots with the pride that comes with contributing instead of lounging is not an easy task.
    Mr. Ryan is good at graphs perhaps he could make one that clearly defines the two roads that make up the choice we face in colorful, cartoon-like models which can translate to the underinformed people who are led around by liberals to a trough which is nearly empty.

  • booboo123

    Ryan’s plan doesn’t balance the budget over two decades, the CBO says the plan won’t see a surplus for 30 years.

  • Bill S

    Bye.

  • tnfriendofcoal101368

    it’s idiot

  • tnfriendofcoal101368

    no text

  • macwell

    now, we need the cheerleaders.

    Sooner or later every man comes to the same conclusion, for some, it’s when his first child is born, for others, it’s waking up in an alley, soaked with urine wondering where you are, but, the conclusion is the same, your life isn’t right and it must be fixed, or else!

    It appears that America is at that point. We the people allowed ourselves to trust those we sent to Congress to speak in our stead, they betrayed that sacred trust.
    We were busy growing up, raising families, and working to leave our children better off than we were, that was our wrong doing.

    This November will go down in history as the most important election America has had.
    We are faced with a choice…
    Will America remain the land of the free?
    or
    Will we turn into another failed European socialist nightmare?
    That is the choice we face, like it or not.
    Obama may be more fun to hang out with at a bar, but when I first saw that little head peak out and yell, somehow bars lost a great deal of appeal.
    Being on a fixed income doesn’t allow me much in the way of spending money, but I WILL find a way to support Romney/Ryan and help make them the next leaders of this great country.
    Please join me!

    Only America, (as we know her), is at stake.

  • Seedyrom

    which says a lot about Hoosiers. Give them a straight talker who can deliver in layman’s terms and they’ll reelected him again & again. Could be good not just for WI but like the media are saying “Ryan is a national candidate not a state win” which is what we need. Ryan can close more than just WI because people are worried and this man can educate in a way people can relate. Ryan can put a laser focus on the economy, debt and offer intelligent fiscal ways to solve problems.

    This video is awesome, Ryan schools Obama about problems with Obamacare at the HC summit. Watch the donations roll in!!!

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zPxMZ1WdINs&feature=player_embedded

  • cwfoster

    I really favored leaving Ryan where he was because he was poised to do some truly outstanding things, but I think he was a much better pick than many of the names that were being bandied about. Chris Christie would have done little to solidify the conservative base, only people who are convinced that Romey is fully conservative think that Christie is. Rubio would have proven (once again how fickle and hypocritical politicians are by bringing up about 30% of the arguments against Obamas eligibility up against his eliginility to take over if something happened to Romney. Condi Rice would get pertrayed as a Bush flavored rehash of Sarah Palin, with a lighter dose of “I can see Russia from my house” (that wouldn’t fully fly against someone who’s actually BEEN SecState, but who are the Democrats to allow a few pesky facts get in the way of a good character assassination?) I thought Jindal would have been the best choice for having an undisputed conservative, plausible attack dog, and leaving all potential allies in place, but I think it’s (choosing Ryan) still an outstanding choice overall.

  • cwfoster

    As PRESIDENT of the Senate, they wont be able to easily put off WRITING a budget!

  • cwfoster

    I’ll be plenty happy he’s not voting for Obama!

  • ihateliberals

    I have been a conservative Republican for 50 years and the last two Presidential campaigns I just don?t understand the Republicans at all. I have to vote for these two because we have to defeat Obama who is even worse than these two. If Paul Ryan was supposed to bring in the conservative vote, then this is a Major Fail. I know as VP he has little or no power at all but many people won?t know that and because of his radical reform ideas of Medicare and Social Security, Romney just lost a big chunk of the senior vote. Hopefully he picked up enough of the youth vote to offset the lost but I doubt it. Obama is doing nothing but promoting lies and he is gaining in the polls everyday and we haven?t even had the convention yet.

    We, in our lifetime, are facing the most critical presidential and Congressional election in our 200+ years and the best we can come up with to defeat Obama is Romney/Ryan. What happened to the Republican Party? This election should have been a landslide for the republicans and they will be lucky to even hold onto the House. If we lose the House and Obama stays President we are done for. The America we knew and risk our lives for will no longer be. This is the exact path that Hugo Chavez took in Venezuela and became Dictator. I fear that Obama has been successful in the same process.

    The Supreme Court has already had a Major Fail with Roberts and if Obama seats three more Liberal Judges, which is very possible to happen, there will be no stopping the Democrats from taking over the America we love and turning it to Socialism. The America that has always been the Beacon of Freedom will no longer shine.

    Erick i just can’t believe you think this is a good choice. I think you are just trying to keep everyone in a positive direction. If that is so then we have another Major Fail. If I had some money I would go to Vegas and dbet it all on the Obama/Biden campaign because they are going to be the winners. I am so sick to the stomach now I just don’t knw what to do.

  • nepanyrush

    Other than worrying about Democrats using Ryan to try and attract the senior vote, you do not provide one reason why you think Ryan is a bad choice.

    I think Ryan is a brilliant choice. My biggest concern is that America is becoming a social welfare state and moving inexorably toward socialism. This is Ryan big issue. He speaks eloquently against America becoming an entitlement society. He is also is a policy wonk on economic issues, and can guide the discourse to stay on the economy.

    With Ryan, the election becomes about ideology and not just bland slogans.

    Maybe the Democrats will demagogue so well that it will become about Mediscare (misspelling intended) and the seniors will go for Obama. But if they actually listen to Ryan, they will agree with them. They also are concerned about the huge budget deficits and that Obama will end the solvency of Medicare and destroy the greatest health care system in the world. Ryan can make that case about Obama better than most. And he sounds very trustworthy when he speaks. It is these principles that Ryan upholds that won the 2010 elections and that Gov. Walker won his re-election on even in blue-state Wisconsin.

    And I think Ryan can also attract the Catholic swing vote, as well.

    If the media lines up against Ryan, they will soon find themselves being made fools of, for he knows his stuff.

  • nepanyrush

    Regarding your statement, “I wouldn?t vote for Romney if he picked Jesus to be his running mate,”

    I honestly believe you would vote for Rand Paul over Jesus

  • lineholder

    I don’t have the required access to get the demographic data. Apparently, Ed Morrissey does.

    http://hotair.com/archives/2012/08/11/rasmussen-ryan-favorability-3925/

    Also mentioned in the same article is a Gallup poll from back in 2011…just after the Dems had gone ballistic with the entire -pushing-Granny-off-a-cliff narrative. At that time, seniors favored Ryan’s plan over Obama’s plan 48/42

    http://www.gallup.com/poll/147287/Americans-Divided-Ryan-Obama-Deficit-Plans.aspx?version=print

  • falconrap

    I can’t believe Erick actually thinks that these polls, all of which are oversampling Dems when Dem enthusiasm is in the 30′s (unlike being in the 60′s the last few elections), are actually right? Seriously? Rasmussen is the only poll I have any faith in because it doesn’t oversample the Dems to the extent all of these other polls do. Quite frankly, I think Fox has some of the more biased polls for Dems. Not too mention that the majority of polls have been wrong on a bunch of races so far this year, like Walker’s, where he won in a blow out.

    I think a lot of people are going to crawl over broken glass to get Obama out of office. I’m one of them.

  • http://llphsecondrevolution.wordpress.com/ spoasteph97

    but I hope I will be on time when I celebrate Former President Obama taking his last trip back home in January 2013!!!

    GO ROMNEY-RYAN! Life, Liberty, Pursuit of Happiness for ALL!

    (We still have to hold their feet to the fire though.)

  • ihateliberals

    I don’t like to be wrong but I will make a big Thank God on this one. I have been talking to a lot of people today abou thtis and you are the only three i have encountered that think this is a good choice. Time will tell and I pray that i am so wrong on this one. i wasn’t wrong on McCain when he ran and everyone thought i was crazy then too.

  • PowerToThePeople

    but it was a very good one. Not sure who you are talking to and I also do not know who they wanted in the slot, but as time passes and the “I did not get my wish on the VP choice” anger/disappointment fades away, more will realize that Ryan brings a ton to the ticket and will take Romney up and up in the polls.

    As to guessing that McCain would lose and now Romney, pretty good odds on your side considering it is 50/50. Not too mention the fact that anyone with a single brain cell could see McCain imploding long before he lost.

  • tnfriendofcoal101368

    It introduces Ryan and for one of the few times is a positive ads in the campaign.

  • littlehouse18

    I’m smiling and in tears at the same time. The music conveys an energy, excitement, and a passion to really make a difference. This must run for a long, long time. The production values are fantastic and Ryan’s voice seems to speak for all of us in a way that connects.