Mitt Romney hugs Paul Ryan, but not budget

Politico ^ | Politico

[RaisingCain]

Romney spokeswoman Sarah Pompei said Saturday that the candidate “applauds” Ryan’s ideas, but intends to issue his own blueprint for reshaping the federal budget. After Romney’s speech introducing Ryan, advisers said the former Massachusetts governor has no intention of being handcuffed to all the specifics of Ryan’s plans — though he has said in the past that he’d sign Ryan’s budget if passed by Congress.

“He has said it moves us in the right direction. He has said that if it’s sent to him, he would sign it. And he has said that he will put forward his own plan,” said one senior Romney adviser. “He is the presidential candidate.”

It’s not clear whether Romney will address his differences of opinion with Ryan, whatever they may be, in any depth between now and Nov. 6, or whether he’ll detail a debt-reduction proposal with the same degree of specificity as Ryan’s. Romney evidently hopes to benefit from Ryan’s brand as a fiscal warrior, without handing Democrats a gift-wrapped attack line to drive conservative-leaning senior citizens away from the GOP.

That may be easier said than done. Introducing Ryan in Norfolk, Va., Romney touted the Wisconsin lawmaker’s fiscal expertise and vowed that he’d protect entitlement programs as president. He called for “bold, specific and achievable” fiscal policies, but did not mention Ryan’s budget by name.

[JoanneSD]

Hillary, Obama, Kerry, Kuchinich, Dodd, Richardson,did not give up their senate seats, I dont think John edwards did either..Bob Dole gave up his senate majority seat to run...

[DManA]

Also, keep being a sarcastic ass. That’s helpful too.

[Timber Rattler]

That’s helpful too.

I'm glad to be of service to you.

[1035rep]

“So I’m not quite sure where the “not embracing his budget” comes from.”

That was Politico trying to read their thoughts. FAIL

[DManA]

If you are a Romney skeptic then I misjudged you. I apologize.

Everything Romney has done tells us to be skeptical about every thing he says. And if he steps back into his old RINO ways for even a second we need to slap him and slap him hard.

[Political Junkie Too]

You're right. Let's be sure to understand the realities.

Ryan's plan was crafted in 2011 after the tidal wave swept Nancy Pelosi out of power. It was crafted in an environment where Harry Reid and the Senate had refused to pass a Democrat budget at all for 3 years, and it was crafted when Obama's own budgets were rejected by a unanimous Congress. In other words, Ryan's plan was meant to be political as a juxtaposition to the lack of seriousness coming from Democrats.

The realities will be different in 2013 with a Republican President and Republicans controlling both chambers of Congress. There is every reason to expect that Romney would craft a new plan that contains things that Ryan could not include, or would remove things that Ryan had to include, because of what Romney can do now that Ryan could not do then.

Why turn it into a controversy, when it's not one?

-PJ

[DoughtyOne]

Thanks for the mention. Bob Dole must have retired then. I don’t think he returned did he? Perhaps so for a short spell.

[Irish Eyes]

As for the conspiracy theory that Romney chose Ryan to remove him from power in Congress, that is easily debunked. Ryan is not taking himself off the ballot for Congress so if Romney loses, Ryan will stay in Congress. However, if Romney wins, Ryan is now in even a more powerful position. So either way, Ryan is not going to have any power taken away from him - unless he loses the House race as well. Which is unlikely as I believe he got 70% of the vote last time around.

Thanks for the voice of reason. It has been sorely lacking here lately.

[COBOL2Java]

It’s been suggested that a big part of picking Ryan was to get him out of the congress.

Well, goll-ee!

[goodnesswins]

GREAT! You are doing something....the rest of those here seem to be just complaining....

[ozzymandus]

You’re being of service to Obama, too.

[goodnesswins]

I want to know how much MONEY, TIME, you have committed to the candidates you would support....fess up....and stop your infantile name calling....

Seems most (NOT all) of the people complaining here are NEWBIES....interesting.

[ozzymandus]

Conspiracy theories are the new normal here. It’s getting tiresome to be called a “false conservative” just for wanting Obama to lose.

[9YearLurker]

Sarah Pompei? Has Andrea Saul been replaced?

[ozzymandus]

You posted it, you own it. Is writing in caps supposed to intimidate me? At least try to make sense.

[goodnesswins]

YES, it is....I’m considering pulling my monthly contribution...

[wtc911]

So, Ryan will run for both VP and Rep at the same time?

[DoughtyOne]

I’m not sure what the rules are, but it would seem that if you’re running on the presidential ticket, your constituents would still think of you as a good Congressman just in case.

Of course that would cause a special election if he won on both tickets.

I’d hate to lose him Congress if he were to fail to be elected on the Romney ticket.

You do raise a valid point. What’s your take on it?

[WatchOutForSnakes]

“Really?

Who suggested this?”

Haven’t you heard? The “word is out”. That’s all you need these days.

[WatchOutForSnakes]

“and here he is admitting that he could care less about his VP-pick’s budget plan.”

Seriously? Really? Come on people, some of you are really embarrassing yourselves. Some of you are worse than Axelrod and Wasserman....whatever her name is.