Mitt Romney Chooses Paul Ryan As Election Running Mate

[george]

Romney chooses Ryan as election running mate

US presidential hopeful Mitt Romney ends months of speculation and announces congressman Paul Ryan as his vice presidential running mate.

VP selection: Mitt Romney (L) announces congressman Paul Ryan ®

as his running mate. (Credit: AFP)

NORFOLK, Va: -- Mitt Romney, the presumptive Republican nominee, announced that he has tapped the House of Representatives Budget Committee chairman at an event on Saturday at the retired battleship USS Wisconsin - coincidentally named after Ryan's home state.

"His leadership begins with character and values ... Paul Ryan works in Washington but his roots remain in Janesville, Wisconsin," Mr Romney said.

He said 42-year-old Mr Ryan "has become an intellectual leader of the Republican Party," and stressed that their campaign will focus on ways to create jobs, protect Medicare and Social Security, and repeal the health care law enacted under Democratic president Barack Obama.

The announcement marks the end a months-long search by Mr Romney for a running mate to join him in facing Mr Obama and vice president Joe Biden in the November 6 election.

His choice of running mate is a bold one and comes after polls this week showed him falling slightly behind Mr Obama in what is still a close race, in a campaign that is focused largely on the weak US economy.

The selection of Mr Ryan brings a measure of youthful exuberance and energy to the Republican ticket as party activists prepare to gather in Tampa, Florida, late this month for a convention to formally choose Mr Romney as their presidential nominee.

Mr Ryan's selection also immediately draws attention to a budget plan he proposed as House budget chairman that would include controversial cuts in government health programs for the elderly and poor.

"We're in a different and dangerous moment. We're running out of time and we can't afford four more years of this," Mr Ryan told the crowd.

"Politicians from both parties have made empty promises which will soon become broken promises with painful consequences if we fail to act now."

He drew his biggest reaction, saying: "Our rights come from nature and God, not from government."

Conservative leaders, increasingly anxious over the state of Mr Romney's campaign, had urged him to pass over reliable - but not particularly inspiring - figures such as Ohio senator Rob Portman and former Minnesota governor Tim Pawlenty, and instead go for Mr Ryan.

The Wisconsin congressman is a favorite of the conservative Tea Party, an anti-tax, limited-government movement that helped Republicans take over the US House of Representatives in 2010.

Democrats are eager to pounce on Mr Ryan's budget plan with its proposed cuts to programs for the elderly - particularly in Florida, where many seniors live and which could be a crucial state in the November election.

Mr Ryan's selection makes the Florida leg of Mr Romney's bus tour an instant test for the new ticket.

Mr Obama's campaign manager, Jim Messina, said in a statement that Mr Ryan shares Mr Romney's commitment to "the flawed theory that new budget-busting tax cuts for the wealthy, while placing greater burdens on the middle class and seniors, will somehow deliver a stronger economy."

Mr Romney starts a bus tour on Saturday (local time) through four politically divided states that he needs to win in November: Virginia, North Carolina, Florida and Ohio.

-- (c) Copyright AFP 2012-08-11

[george]

Mitt Romney stumbles in running mate announcement, introduces Paul Ryan as next president: http://apne.ws/QoDc4M

[Ulysses G.]

Good choice. Paul Ryan is brilliant. Maybe they can save America before it is too late.

[nidieunimaitre]

Good choice. Paul Ryan is brilliant. Maybe they can save America before it is too late.

for a moment you fooled me.......

i love sarcasm!

[Jingthing]

Sure save America by throwing the poor, minorities, unemployed, and sick off the cliff by giving additional welfare for the rich and corporations! This Ryan poster boy, Ayn Rand cult follower, is one of the most cold hearted politicians in American history. Great day for Obama supporters.

[Steely Dan]

Here is the man comparing Obamacare to a Ponzi scheme which would make Bernie Madoff proud. I await the lies and straw man arguments by the MSM to protect their man.

[geriatrickid]

Yes, a good choice for the Democrats. With Mr. Ryan's plans, this should help convince the elderly population in Florida, that if they want access to basic healthcare, they will need to vote Democratic. Mr. Ryan's budget plans are more of the failed Reagan era trickle down pie in the sky fantasies. What is needed is a massive purge of defense spending. The Pentagon has been asking that several multibillion dollar programs be cut and the Republican congressional delegation (along with some Democrats) refuse to listen. One such example is the Abrams tank. The Pentagon wants to stop the refurbishment as it is not needed, but the Republicans have forced it through. The USA needs to raise its tax revenues as cutting programs alone will not balance the budget.

The Republican party is the party of tax cuts and loopholes for the super wealthy and it may eventually dawn on some that the Republican budget plans as espoused by the Ryan cadre will not work. Many of the social services programs that upset so many people are needed because the US tax system is characterized by convoluted tax loopholes and deviations. Mr. Romney who allegedly used these loopholes to avoid paying taxes for a number of years and who benefited from offshore banking arrangements is teaming up with Mr. Ryan who has pinned a target on the backs of the poor and working poor. The odds are now in favour of President Obama.

I was sort of hoping that loose cannon the bloated Chris Christie would have been nominated as he is fun to watch when he loses it.. Tim Pawlenty would have drawn attention sort of like a lump of dog poop that attracts flies. At least the selection of Ryan is much better than the catastrophic selection of Palin last election.

Mr. Ryan at least understands how congress works and I'm sure he can count on the PACs and lobbyists to give him lots of money to fund his campaign. He's no match for the street smart and wiley Joe Biden. Uncle Joe has an ability to connect with regular people that appreciate his blue collar roots and determination. Poor little Ryan would have to get the maid to iron his polo shirt before he went out to mix with the common folk.

Edited August 11, 2012 by geriatrickid

[marstons]

Mitt Romney stumbles in running mate announcement, introduces Paul Ryan as next president: http://apne.ws/QoDc4M

On his disatourous trip to the UK he called the opposition leader Ed Milliband Mr Leader as he forgot his name.

managed to insult most of London, the goverment and London Mayor. Foriegn policy going to be a further nightmare if her gets in.

[geriatrickid]

Here is the man comparing Obamacare to a Ponzi scheme which would make Bernie Madoff proud. I await the lies and straw man arguments by the MSM to protect their man.

You shoot yourself in the foot when you call it Obamacare, which is an invention of the Republicans and Mr. Ryan in an attempt to attack the Act. The Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (PPACA) is just that. Know what's amazing? When people are asked about the actual features of the law, a majority of the respondents repsond that they are in favour. Do you think families want to give up health care for their kids, or that people want to lose their health care once they become ill? That's what happened before the passage of the PPACA. As much as Mr. Ryan and his allies wnat to label this as Obamacare, it was an act that now has wide support and will be untouchable. It will be the 3rd rail of the election campaign, just you watch. The PPACA is appreciated by the elderly and family demographic segments and they are in swing regions.

Edited August 11, 2012 by geriatrickid

[chuckd]

For those people that don't already know it all, I would suggest you go to YouTube and look at some of his interviews and speeches.

He is considerably more than a pretty face.

He obviously wasn't high on marijuana when he was in school.

[nurofiend]

Mitt Romney stumbles in running mate announcement, introduces Paul Ryan as next president: http://apne.ws/QoDc4M

On his disatourous trip to the UK he called the opposition leader Ed Milliband Mr Leader as he forgot his name.

managed to insult most of London, the goverment and London Mayor. Foriegn policy going to be a further nightmare if her gets in.

]]

if romney becomes president - the world ends, he is literally the anti-christ.

[chuckd]

Here is the man comparing Obamacare to a Ponzi scheme which would make Bernie Madoff proud. I await the lies and straw man arguments by the MSM to protect their man.

You shoot yourself in the foot when you call it Obamacare, which is an invention of the Republicans and Mr. Ryan in an attempt to attack the Act. The Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (PPACA) is just that. Know what's amazing? When people are asked about the actual features of the law, a majority of the respondents repsond that they are in favour. Do you think families want to give up health care for their kids, or that people want to lose their health care once they become ill? That's what happened before the passage of the PPACA. As much as Mr. Ryan and his allies wnat to label this as Obamacare, it was an act that now has wide support and will be untouchable. It will be the 3rd rail of the election campaign, just you watch. The PPACA is appreciated by the elderly and family demographic segments and they are in swing regions.

The majority of voters want Obamacare to be repealed partially or entirely.

http://www.realclearpolitics.com/epolls/other/repeal_of_health_care_law_favoroppose-1947.html

It is the largest tax increase in American history.

[geriatrickid]

For those people that don't already know it all, I would suggest you go to YouTube and look at some of his interviews and speeches.

He is considerably more than a pretty face.

He obviously wasn't high on marijuana when he was in school.

How do you know? Maybe he was into booze. I went to school with plenty of people that smoked weed and who went on to successful lives.

The closeted drinkers went on to be nasty alcoholics. If your comments are a cheap swipe at President Obama, they fail. At least the President is honest on his past. Former President Bush was a hypocrite when it came to his past chemical dependancy. In any case, I couldn't care less if Mr. Ryan was a binge drinker at his university fraternity or if he smoked weed or not.

What matters are his policy views and his views are unworkable. That doesn't mean that he doesn't raise some valid points and he is indeed correct on some issues. However, he refuses to admit that the government does not collect sufficient tax revenues to pay for even the most basic of programs and to support a bloated defence budget. He will never be honest and admit that additional taxes are needed. More specifically, that the super wealthy have to pay more taxes.That is why he has no integrity He won't alienate his supporters and backers.

[Payboy]

On his disatourous trip to the UK he called the opposition leader Ed Milliband Mr Leader as he forgot his name.

managed to insult most of London, the goverment and London Mayor.

I'm beginning to like him already.

Edited August 11, 2012 by Payboy

[chuckd]

Mitt Romney stumbles in running mate announcement, introduces Paul Ryan as next president: http://apne.ws/QoDc4M

On his disatourous trip to the UK he called the opposition leader Ed Milliband Mr Leader as he forgot his name.

managed to insult most of London, the goverment and London Mayor. Foriegn policy going to be a further nightmare if her gets in.

He did promise to place the bust of Winston Churchill back in the Oval Office. You do know Obama had it removed and returned to the British Embassy in Washington, don't you?

His criticism of the security preparations for the Olympics was ill advised since he was parroting all the British news media that was calling for the head of the CEO of G4S. It was in all the papers.

[geriatrickid]

Here is the man comparing Obamacare to a Ponzi scheme which would make Bernie Madoff proud. I await the lies and straw man arguments by the MSM to protect their man.

You shoot yourself in the foot when you call it Obamacare, which is an invention of the Republicans and Mr. Ryan in an attempt to attack the Act. The Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (PPACA) is just that. Know what's amazing? When people are asked about the actual features of the law, a majority of the respondents repsond that they are in favour. Do you think families want to give up health care for their kids, or that people want to lose their health care once they become ill? That's what happened before the passage of the PPACA. As much as Mr. Ryan and his allies wnat to label this as Obamacare, it was an act that now has wide support and will be untouchable. It will be the 3rd rail of the election campaign, just you watch. The PPACA is appreciated by the elderly and family demographic segments and they are in swing regions.

The majority of voters want Obamacare to be repealed partially or entirely.

http://www.realclear...ppose-1947.html

It is the largest tax increase in American history.

LOL, now ask about the key components of the PPAC. This CBS report sums it up best;

Despite Americans' mostly negative views of the health care law generally, there is broad public support for some specific elements of the law. A March CBS News/New York Times Poll found 85 percent favor the requirement that insurance companies cover people with pre-existing conditions, nearly seven in 10 support allowing children under 26 to say on their parents' health plan, and 77 percent back the part of the law that offers discounts to reduce the Medicare prescription drug coverage gap, commonly known as the donut hole.

Sure, repeal the law, but without removing the cornerstone benefits and what do you have?

As the benefits of the PPAC kick in, the American public will begin to better understand the importance of a law that brought the USA into the developed world's fold.

[geriatrickid]

Mitt Romney stumbles in running mate announcement, introduces Paul Ryan as next president: http://apne.ws/QoDc4M

On his disatourous trip to the UK he called the opposition leader Ed Milliband Mr Leader as he forgot his name.

managed to insult most of London, the goverment and London Mayor. Foriegn policy going to be a further nightmare if her gets in.

He did promise to place the bust of Winston Churchill back in the Oval Office. You do know Obama had it removed and returned to the British Embassy in Washington, don't you?

His criticism of the security preparations for the Olympics was ill advised since he was parroting all the British news media that was calling for the head of the CEO of G4S. It was in all the papers.

I admire Winston Churchill, but sadly his views were bit offsetting;

“I do not agree that the dog in a manger has the final right to the manger even though he may have lain there for a very long time. I do not admit that right. I do not admit for instance, that a great wrong has been done to the Red Indians of America or the black people of Australia. I do not admit that a wrong has been done to these people by the fact that a stronger race, a higher-grade race, a more worldly wise race to put it that way, has come in and taken their place.” (To the Peel Commission 1937)

It is understandable why an Afro American might not have been comfortable with the bust of a man that held such views and supported the continued colonial activities of Great Britain. I do not consider my beloved Winston to have been a bigot , but I recognize that he was a product of his times. I don't even understand why there is an issue of the POTUS removing the bust of a foreign leader from his office. We all have our own decorating preferences and this is hardly a noteworthy event.

I can understand why Mr. Romney would not understand as it was not too long ago that his Church did not admit black people, so he might not be as sensitive to the issue.

Edited August 11, 2012 by geriatrickid

[nidieunimaitre]

On his disatourous trip to the UK he called the opposition leader Ed Milliband Mr Leader as he forgot his name.

managed to insult most of London, the goverment and London Mayor.

I'm beginning to like him already.

The London Mayor, that is Boris, right?

Surely, what's-his-name got a gold medal for insulting Boris?

[chuckd]

For those people that don't already know it all, I would suggest you go to YouTube and look at some of his interviews and speeches.

He is considerably more than a pretty face.

He obviously wasn't high on marijuana when he was in school.

How do you know? Maybe he was into booze. I went to school with plenty of people that smoked weed and who went on to successful lives.

The closeted drinkers went on to be nasty alcoholics. If your comments are a cheap swipe at President Obama, they fail. At least the President is honest on his past. Former President Bush was a hypocrite when it came to his past chemical dependancy. In any case, I couldn't care less if Mr. Ryan was a binge drinker at his university fraternity or if he smoked weed or not.

What matters are his policy views and his views are unworkable. That doesn't mean that he doesn't raise some valid points and he is indeed correct on some issues. However, he refuses to admit that the government does not collect sufficient tax revenues to pay for even the most basic of programs and to support a bloated defence budget. He will never be honest and admit that additional taxes are needed. More specifically, that the super wealthy have to pay more taxes.That is why he has no integrity He won't alienate his supporters and backers.

"At least the President is honest on his past"???

Pray tell us exactly what his connection was to Tony Rezko, Bill Ayers, Bernardine Dohrn, Jeremiah Wright, Rod Blagojevich, Frank Marshall Davis...to name only a few people from his past.

Since you are in on the inner circle, perhaps you could provide us a look at his college records from Occidental, Columbia and Harvard Law. There are millions of people that would be interested in seeing those files.

This is the first President in history that was elected as a complete mystery, and remains one to this day. The only thing that is now a known certainty is he is out of his depth in the office he holds.

[nidieunimaitre]

Mitt Romney stumbles in running mate announcement, introduces Paul Ryan as next president: http://apne.ws/QoDc4M

On his disatourous trip to the UK he called the opposition leader Ed Milliband Mr Leader as he forgot his name.

managed to insult most of London, the goverment and London Mayor. Foriegn policy going to be a further nightmare if her gets in.

He did promise to place the bust of Winston Churchill back in the Oval Office. You do know Obama had it removed and returned to the British Embassy in Washington, don't you?

His criticism of the security preparations for the Olympics was ill advised since he was parroting all the British news media that was calling for the head of the CEO of G4S. It was in all the papers.

Churchill, the man who collaborated/ made deals with Stalin, and got voted out by the british voters? That Churchill?

And what's-his-name bases his opinions on tabloids? News of the world perhaps?

I just love your sarcasm.

[Payboy]

That Churchill?

At least one can mention him and cigars in the same sentence, with a straight face.

[nidieunimaitre]

That Churchill?

At least one can mention him and cigars in the same sentence, with a straight face.

euhhhhhh YES YES YES I get it!

You refer to the husband of the US minister of foreign affairs?!

good one!

[Jingthing]

In case you're wondering, Ryan like Romney is right wing on social/civil rights issues such as women's health rights and gay civil rights. Also like Romney against doing anything about global warming (another denialist). No surprise of course but more reasons to reject this pale duo.

[nidieunimaitre]

This is probably a silly question.

But.

Is there any chance that those 2 get elected?

[ronz28]

What a shame... this is all the Republicans can muster? The only way they could win with that ticket is to cheat. Oh yeah, they did that before to Gore, well people should be watching the vote tallying better this time. Romney Hood and his new side kick are itching to pick your pockets and start wars for the benefit of certain elites.

[KeyserSoze01]

Sure save America by throwing the poor, minorities, unemployed, and sick off the cliff by giving additional welfare for the rich and corporations! This Ryan poster boy, Ayn Rand cult follower, is one of the most cold hearted politicians in American history. Great day for Obama supporters.

Just who do you think provides the jobs that these poor, minorities and unemployed are seeking? The very rich people that you berate.

And just what is you classification as rich? Many expats certainly qualify as rich in the eyes of the Thais where they live. Does that make them evil people too?

It's called "working for a living". You don't work, you don't eat. There are 5th generation welfare families in the US. At what point do you draw the line and say enough is enough. This is part of the reason the US has economic woes. If it continues, you will see these rich individuals and their corporations move offshore. Then what is the US going to do for a tax base? Turn to the poor and indigent that have been sucking the tit for decades?

I just love the liberals that are all for government taking care of people from cradle to grace, insisting that it is a "right" of birth. All the time not knowing or caring where the funds come from to support such a lofty goal. Idealism gets you absolutely nothing outside the classroom. Reality can be cold and harsh, but as long as daddy warbucks is there to catch you, you have zero incentive to fend for yourself.

By Romney selecting Paul Ryan as his running mate, he is sending a message to Americans that he is serious about balancing the budget as Ryan has been part of the hard-line right wing front to stop raising taxes, on everyone, not just the rich. This selection shows that he did not pander to any SIG.

[Jingthing]

This is probably a silly question.

But.

Is there any chance that those 2 get elected?

Sadly they have a chance. Their party is busy working on disenfranchising poor and minority voters who tend to vote for the other party. Edited August 11, 2012 by Jingthing

[KKvampire]

Imagine what the conservative right in the USA would say if 2 political candidates from the democrats with "no military service " announced canditure on a US warship> Outrage! Hypocrites

[Jingthing]

Imagine what the conservative right in the USA would say if 2 political candidates from the democrats with "no military service " announced canditure on a US warship> Outrage! Hypocrites

Excellent point!

This is a massively weak foreign policy ticket!

Thank you Romney for picking Ryan as it increases the chances he will lose:

Third, I don’t think it will doom the campaign or anything like that, but it is worth noting that this is a shockingly inexperienced ticket, especially when it comes to national security and foreign policy. Dan Drezner wrote about Ryan and foreign policy back in the spring, and it’s worth looking at, but there really isn’t much there, I don’t think. Governors almost always pick someone with serious foreign policy or national security credentials, and one would think that would be particularly true with the nation still at war. The only ticket I can think of that was similarly lacking in foreign policy credentials would be Carter-Mondale in 1976, but at least both of them had military service in their backgrounds.

The bottom line about virtually all vice-presidential picks is that they seem far more important to the campaign when they’re made than they turn out to be. That’s probably true for this one, too. But if it does end up having a significant effect in November, it’s almost certainly going to be on the downside, and that’s more likely with Ryan than it would have been with most of the other reported finalists.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/the-fix/post/mitt-romney-goes-bold-and-risky-with-paul-ryan-vice-presidential-pick/2012/08/11/7a6a04c2-e38d-11e1-a25e-15067bb31849_blog.html

[Ulysses G.]

Mr. Ryan at least understands how congress works and I'm sure he can count on the PACs and lobbyists to give him lots of money to fund his campaign. He's no match for the street smart and wiley Joe Biden.

What a kidder. Lets see how the "street smart and wiley Joe Biden" does in the VP debate against Paul Ryan.