Veep Beat: Paul Ryan’s Rising Momentum
RYAN RISING: There has been a surge in mentions about Rep. Paul Ryan as Mitt Romney’s potential running mate in recent days, and, as National Review Online’s Robert Costa writes, the chatter about a Romney-Ryan ticket could just be true. “These days, you hear it everywhere – from Republican donors and veteran operatives, and at Capitol Hill watering holes. A few weeks ago, it was a wishful rumor floating in the Beltway ether. Now, sources close to the Romney campaign say it’s for real, that the taciturn former Massachusetts governor is quietly warming to the idea.PARTY INSIDERS SPLIT ON RYAN: The prospect of Rep. Paul Ryan joining the GOP ticket excites one side of the Republican Party wishing Romney would be more forthcoming with the policy change he’d bring to Washington while at the same time, spurs hesitancy among others who are concerned Democrats would slash away at a Romney-Ryan ticket based on the Wisconsin representative’s budget plan, Politico’s Jonathan Martin, Jake Sherman and Maggie Haberman reprort. “As Mitt Romney’s vice presidential selection nears and buzz about Rep. Paul Ryan’s prospects builds, a split is emerging among Republicans about whether the choice of the House Budget chairman and architect of the party’s controversial tax and spending plan would be a daring plus for the ticket or a miscalculation that would turn a close election into a referendum on Medicare,” Martin, Sherman and Haberman wrote. “Ryan advocates, including some of his colleagues and high-profile conservative elites, believe Romney will lose if he doesn’t make a more assertive case for his candidacy and that selecting the 42-year-old wonky golden boy would sound a clarion call to the electorate about the sort of reforms the presumptive GOP nominee wants to bring to Washington. Call them the ‘go bold’ crowd. Their opposites, pragmatic-minded Republican strategists and elected officials, believe that to select Ryan is to hand President Barack Obama’s campaign a twin-edged blade, letting the incumbent slash Romney on the Wisconsin congressman’s Medicare proposal and carve in the challenger a scarlet ‘C’ for the unpopular Congress. This is the cautious corner. Romney and his high command have kept a close hold on the vice presidential selection process, but sources familiar with the candidate’s thinking say Ryan remains under consideration. The two men, both consumers of weighty tomes and papers, have bonded over policy and developed an easy professional rapport this year. Ryan told colleagues in Washington last week, before the House escaped for a month-long recess, that he hadn’t spoken with top Romney aides in about a month though he had submitted paperwork for vice presidential vetting, according to a source close to the Budget chair.”
http://abcnews.go.com/blogs/politics/2012/08/veep-beat-paul-ryans-rising-momentum/
= new reply since forum marked as read
"Excellent, Smithers. You're a genius for putting this plan into motion."
"Thank you, Mr Burns."
"Are you still here? Get back to work!"
"Yes, sir."
but why? What's so special about former George W. Bush Budget Director Portman? 
Maybe, maybe not. I personally think Portman is the safe choice. But you remind me that he was in Bush's Admin. and that could be a fun talking point for the Obama campaign...
that his Administration would essentially be "Bush on steroids". But, hell, he's going to have to choose SOMEBODY eventually, so............. He doesn't really have a lot of good choices given the current crop of Republicans he has to work with. If he wants somebody, "safe", Portman may be that guy- though that won't really help inspire "the base" much. If he decides to be really daring, he might pick Ryan who is guaranteed to excite the base and establishment Republicans alike. Of course, that will put the spotlight on Ryan and his "budget", which I'm sure the Obama campaign will be salivating to launch some salvos on- if not the heavy guns.
and some people might like his blustery, bullying style. There's always the risk, though, that he could overshadow Romney himself. Plus, not everybody likes his blustery, bullying style too. That might turn off some indies though "blue" New Jersey seems to like him for some reason.
I didn't know he was in the Bush (mis-)administration either until a short while ago. Still, hardly seems like an earth-shattering "game changer" for Mitt.
So, I think Condi Rice is in the lead to be Romney's choice for his veep candidate.
I think that he would make the base VERY happy if he were to pick Ryan and, frankly, at this point, he's going to need to go "all in" on this or he's just going to slowly bleed to death (by a thousand cuts) by Election Night in November. Actually, being able to have a real debate about Ryan's budget might not be a bad idea during this race- unless we think that Ryan is going to change some minds and make people excited about it.
This is the kind of contrast that we need to have- Republicans for Ryan's crazy budget plans and advocating for Medicare destruction, middle-class tax increases vs. Democrats for a more balanced, reasonable approach to deficit reduction that protects Medicare and other social programs and supports for middle-class families. Plus, Mitt will have to own his support of Ryan's plan- so people are not harboring any illusions about what he would support if elected POTUS.
