Romney goes bold with Ryan as VP pick

Washington Examiner ^ | August 11, 2012 | Byron York

[centurion316]

Mitt Romney is not known as a gambling man. When choosing a running mate, many observers expected Romney to make the safest, most cautious choice — most likely Ohio Sen. Rob Portman.* By instead choosing Rep. Paul Ryan, Romney is sending a clear signal that he intends to run a more daring and more ideologically vigorous campaign than he has run up to this point. And in that sense, Romney has now become a gambling man.

Although Romney had embraced the Ryan budget plan, he has now embraced its author, too — and in the process moved the issue of entitlement reform and controls on federal spending to the top of the Romney campaign agenda. It wasn’t in such a prominent position before.

Romney’s gamble is that in the midst of an economic downturn, voters are ready to accept Ryan’s prescription for fixing the federal budget, in particular his proposals for reforming Medicare. Romney and Ryan are right that major changes need to be made, and at some point the voting public will accept that view, too. That day is coming. The question is whether it will arrive by November 6.

[centurion316]

Can an honest and frank discussion of the fiscal abyss win an election? We are about to find out. If not, we may find our future by reading the accounts of the death throes of the Roman Empire, for all of Western Civilization will once again collapse and Islam will rush into the vacuum. Place your bets and cast your votes.

[gunsequalfreedom]

Can an honest and frank discussion of the fiscal abyss win an election? We are about to find out.

Alexander Hamilton thought a detailed and intelligent discussion would work with the American public and he was proved wrong. Unfortunately, that question was answered a long time ago. It will be bucking all trends if it works in this election.

[driftless2]

"honest and frank discussion"

Is absolutely the last thing Dems want. I guarantee new Dem ads where they show Romney-Ryan not only pushing old ladies off cliffs, they'll show them killing puppies with hammers. They're that awful. The leftist inclination is not to argue legitimate topics, it is to annihilate the opponent any way possible. The worse the smear, the better.

[Jim from C-Town]

Why would you not call Romney a gambling man. He took a gamble hundreds of times in business, a calculated gambel, but a gamble none the less.

He happens to be really good at business and management. He is THE turn around specialist. Let's hope he has the guts and ability to turn the U.S. around.

[centurion316]

The leftist inclination is not to argue legitimate topics, it is to annihilate the opponent any way possible.

That's what they did with Sarah Palin last time around. The McCain campaign did not handle that very well. It remains to be seen how the Romney campaign will do, but Ryan has the advantage of having been under attack by the Dems for years and he will not be an easy target.

[gaijin]

the liberal, red-faced screamer was bold with Sarah —look how it botched it.

Will this newer boldness matter with the new Massachusetts Hair-Helmet..?

Hmm....I have my doubts.

Hair helmet needs REALLLLLY strong medicine.

[WackySam]

I just hope the Tea Party continues to gain power so that these two Milquetoast establishment types can be forced into making the right decisions.

[crosshairs]

Romney chose a running mate that outshines him. The same way McLame did.

[garjog]

“Can an honest and frank discussion of the fiscal abyss win an election? “

They tried that with Meg Whitman in California and the dweebs elected a Dem instead.

I wonder if instead of “making the election about entitlements”, the Ryan pick is a pragmatic sign that Romney is serious about fixing entitlements and over turning the Obama messes.

He needs a leader in his administration who can get legislation through the labyrinths of Congress.

[huckfillary]

I am absolutely sick and tired of this incessant Romney whining. His choice of running mates was a totally out of the ballpark home run. I am positively gleeful. Just shut up, roll up your sleeves, and get to work. Stop the hand wringing-—we have a country to save.

[COBOL2Java]

You'll have to forgive us for being skeptical, after 2008. We were excited to see McCain pick Palin, only to see her thrown to the dogs and trashed, not just by the Democrats and the Media, but as we learned later, by McCain's internal people.

Hopefully this won't happen with Ryan. Hopefully Romney will listen to him and he won't be a token bone to the conservatives. Hopefully.

[GoCards]

best post of the day!!! Lets Roll

[randita]

There’s a very good chance voters will like him. Democrats love to portray Republicans as angry. They won’t be able to do that with Ryan, who doesn’t give off even a hint of anger.

I think this is one reason Romney picked him.

Reagan was the "teflon President". People liked him and the mud that was slung his way did not stick.

Ryan may well be the teflon VP. When people see and hear him, they're just not going to buy the negative image Democrats are trying to paint of him.

Seniors are going to see him as the son who made good, women are going to admire his looks and devotion to family, and men are going to like him for his intelligence, lack of fear, and assertive and confident demeanor.

[chuckee]

Honest and Frank are alien to Democrats. Dems have already floated ads accusing Romney of killing a unionist steelworker’s wife. Now for the ads featuring Ryan throwing the steelworker’s mother off a cliff.

[TheRobb7]

The honest and frank discussion needs to be with the american people, not the democrats.

When the democrats start spewing their BS, Romney and Ryan should just say “Sorry, we don’t negotiate with political terrorists.”

[Mike Darancette]

Can an honest and frank discussion of the fiscal abyss win an election?

I await with interest to hear what crap these Cretins will invent to make Ryan seem even worse than that murdering tax cheat Romney.