Paul Ryan’s ‘Free Lunch’ CPAC Story Never Happened

Mediaite ^ | 3/7/14 | Matt Wilstein

[SoFloFreeper]

Remember yesterday at CPAC when Rep. Paul Ryan (R-WI) told that devastating story about a young boy who said he no longer wanted free, government-provided school lunch because that meant he didn’t have “someone who cared for him?” And how that meant Democrats want poor Americans to have “full stomachs and an empty soul?” Well, it turns out none of that was true....

Ryan himself took to Facebook Thursday evening to express his “regret” for “failing to verify the original source of the story.” He then links to a National Review article that quotes the story without indicating it was false...

[SoFloFreeper]

Heard a liberal say that Paul LIED about the incident....doesn't seem like he LIED to me....a LIE is when you say THREE DOZEN TIMES that people who like their plan can keep their plan.

Mediaite needs journalism lessons.

[Robert A Cook PE]

Funny.

MILLIONS of “free lunches” ARE BEING REJECTED because they taste bad and are worthless because Michelle gets fat.

[left that other site]

Paul is not my favorite, but telling and unverified anecdote is a LOT different than willfully LYING.

[Gaffer]

I did not have sex with that woman, Monica Lewinsky

I was named for Sir Edmund Hillary (born before he climbed Everest).

I was ducking bullets on the tarmac in Bosnia.

I remember all those black churches being burned when I was growing up in Arkansas (history showed none were burned during that time).

If you like your Insurance Plan/Doctor/Life, you can keep your Insurance Plan/Doctor/Life.

I am a Christian [Barrack Obama]

Stephen Glass, New Republic.

Jayson Blair, New York Times.

Lots more where those came from.

[mason-dixon]

RHINO Ryan SQUISH

[Sherman Logan]

Rigoberta Menchu.

Three Cups of Tea.

Fake but accurate.

[ontap]

Who cares what Paul Ryan said.....the only person who thinks Paul Ryan has a shot at any higher public office is Paul Ryan....err and Mitt Romney!!!

[grania]

Never tell a second hand story unless you verify it. If it isn't something that was told to Paul Ryan and the person who told it was lying, criticism of Ryan is fair game. At the very least, he should've said "according to a story I read in....."

Why are you people defending this sellout? If Cruz or any other non-RINO ebbellished a story with someone else's false anedcote, RINOs would be all over it.

[nhwingut]

Ryan is not too bright. Doesn’t he realize the media will verify/fact check every anecdote (even jokes) told by a Republican? Its his own fault.

[hinckley buzzard]

Just so. Conservative figures acting as if they will get a fair shake from the media. Stupid.

[Nifster]

Well Paul the marathon wonder does have a problem getting his facts straight

[X-spurt]

Ryan’s story just did not sound like something a school kid would do and say.

He’s so smart the dems have his number.

In a way we are lucky Paul Ryan has used up his 15 minutes, and we don’t have to pretend to take him seriously any further.

[Aqua Buddhist]

Ryan is not too bright. Doesn’t he realize the media will verify/fact check every anecdote (even jokes) told by a Republican? Its his own fault.

Yep. If you're not prepared to step into the fight, don't.

[Faith.With.Reason]

While I agree with those who say Ryan was foolish to repeat as fact a story he had not verified, and I agree that such a fault is a small red flag against any politician, I recognize that the fault truly IS small.

The media will do their best to caricature and smear any candidate who stands up for law and order, for the limiting of the slide into socialism and every other noble cause.

Those who want good people in government will need to defend lots of “gaffes” as being trivial. The public needs to hear again and again that fair and balanced coverage is contrary to what the MSM delivers.