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Related: Editorials & Other Articles, Issue Forums, Alliance Forums, Region ForumsKrugman: Romney/Ryan: The Real Target (Romney exploiting media's gullibility and vanity)
http://krugman.blogs.nytimes.com/2012/08/13/romneyryan-the-real-target/So, let me clarify what I believe is really going on in the choice of Paul Ryan as VP nominee. It is not about satisfying the conservative base, which was motivated anyway by Obama-hatred; it is not about refocusing on the issues, because R&R are both determined to avoid providing any of the crucial specifics about their plans. It is as Jonathan Chait also seems to understand about exploiting the gullibility and vanity of the news media, in much the same way that George W. Bush did in 2000.
Like Bush in 2000, Ryan has a completely undeserved reputation in the media as a bluff, honest guy, in Ryans case supplemented by a reputation as a serious policy wonk. None of this has any basis in reality; Ryans much-touted plan, far from being a real solution, relies crucially on stuff that is just pulled out of thin air huge revenue increases from closing unspecified loopholes, huge spending cuts achieved in ways not mentioned. See Matt Miller for more.
So whence comes the Ryan reputation? As I said in my last post, its because many commentators want to tell a story about US politics that makes them feel and look good a story in which both parties are equally at fault in our national stalemate, and in which said commentators stand above the fray. This story requires that there be good, honest, technically savvy conservative politicians, so that you can point to these politicians and say how much you admire them, even if you disagree with some of their ideas; after all, unless you lavish praise on some conservatives, you dont come across as nobly even-handed.
The trouble, of course, is that its really really hard to find any actual conservative politicians who deserve that praise. Ryan, with his flaky numbers (and actually very hard-line stance on social issues), certainly doesnt. But a large part of the commentariat decided early on that they were going to cast Ryan in the role of Serious Honest Conservative, and have been very unwilling to reconsider that casting call in the light of evidence.
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Krugman: Romney/Ryan: The Real Target (Romney exploiting media's gullibility and vanity) (Original Post)
highplainsdem
Aug 2012
OP
Remember how the media tried to pretend Sharon Angle and the Witch were credible candidates?
emulatorloo
Aug 2012
#2
sadbear
(4,340 posts)1. Any time anyone says "serious" and "Paul Ryan" in the same sentence
I smack them down.
emulatorloo
(44,268 posts)2. Remember how the media tried to pretend Sharon Angle and the Witch were credible candidates?
Same thing only worse.