GOP pros opinions on Ryan pick: "from gnawing apprehension to hair-on-fire anger"

[cali]

Romney's risk with Ryan that has only a modest chance of going right.
By ALEXANDER BURNS, MAGGIE HABERMAN and JONATHAN MARTIN | 8/14/12 4:30 AM EDT

You’ve heard them on television and read them on POLITICO — cheerful, defiant statements from Republican political professionals about Mitt Romney’s bold masterstroke in tapping Paul Ryan as his running mate, and turning the 2012 presidential race into a serious, far-reaching debate about budgets and the nation’s future.
usual assurances that people aren’t being quoted by name, there is an unmistakable consensus among Republican operatives in Washington: Romney has taken a risk with Ryan that has only a modest chance of going right — and a huge chance of going horribly wrong.

In more than three dozen interviews with Republican strategists and campaign operatives — old hands and rising next-generation conservatives alike — the most common reactions to Ryan ranged that Romney has practically ceded the election.

It is not that the public professions of excitement about the Ryan selection are totally insincere. It is that many of the most optimistic Republican operatives will privately acknowledge that their views are being shaped more by fingers-crossed hope than by a hard-headed appraisal of what’s most likely to happen.

And the more pessimistic strategists don’t even feign good cheer: They think the Ryan pick is a disaster for the GOP. Many of these people don’t care that much about Romney — they always felt he faced an improbable path to victory — but are worried that Ryan’s vocal views about overhauling Medicare will be a millstone for other GOP candidates in critical House and Senate races.

Read more: http://www.politico.com/news/stories/0812/79697.html#ixzz23VdjvJdy

Read more: http://www.politico.com/news/stories/0812/79697.html#ixzz23Vcv6gZW

[99th_Monkey]

1. Nice to know.

I think someone forgot to tell the dunderheads blathering on and on in M$Media
about these "misgivings" .. all I've heard & seen is inane fawning about what a
"nice guy" Ryan is, how he loves to kill wildlife with bow * arrow, he's "just plain
folks" .. ... oh well .. I do trust that these truths will ooz out into the
light of day in good time. This article's a nice start.

[nxylas]

5. Like Krugman says, he fulfils a role in their narrative

Of course, the Teapublicans will just say that articles like this are "proof that the libs are running scared", just like they always do whenever one of their candidates receives any media scrutiny whatsoever.

[truebluegreen]

2. I'm thinking...

that this might be the GOP establishment trying to regain control of the party from the teabaggers, by tanking Rmoney's chances (slim anyway) with the zombie-eyed granny-starving lead balloon that is Paul Ryan.

Or is that too cynical even for them? ...Nah.

[aquart]

3. Romney has to lose for 2016.

But I sincerely believe they wanted to keep Congress.

[Motown_Johnny]

4. But the Teabaggers don't like Rmoney and he is already losing.

I don't see how Ryand gets blamed for the loss by the Teabaggers.

[Cosmocat]

6. Eh, I think it is simpler than that

What Ryan represents is pure honesty.

They know what they want to do is flat out unacceptable to the country.

That is why you get the generic, flag waving platitudes - FREEDOM, the constitution and everything else. The JOB CREATORS BS.

That is why they focus on social issues - you get people to vote for your party over abortion or bashing gay people and they don't even think that what the party is going to do for them with economic policy.

Ryan puts it into writing, and clearly, what they want to do. They were all gung ho about his "budget" the first week or two, but when they saw the polling, they ran from it.

The establishment has absolutely no problem with tea baggers - it is just another way to cull dim witted people to vote against their best interests.

[ewagner]

7. I was thinking that too

the Republican party has to purge itself of the tea-party or it will not survive...what better way to discredit the radical right wing (and their billionaire financiers) that to have them publicly disgraced in a national election?

The quality candidates sat out the primaries...perhaps knowing that 2012 was the year of the sacrificial lamb....