Comments on: Why Paul Ryan could enter the 2012 presidential race

By: LeeMoore

LeeMoore — Tue, 16 Aug 2011 21:29:10 +0000

Well, if the economy continues to tank, the GOP could put up a farmyard animal and still win. But assuming it’s competitive, Paul Ryan would be a really bad candidate. I happen to agree with him on most things, and I think he knows lots of good stuff about how to cut the budget. But having seen him on TV a few times, he needs at least five years and a lot of media training to be ready for prime time. Among his most obvious faults are – he talks too fast, he explains complicated issues in long complicated sentences – ie he doesn’t have the gift of explaining complicated things in a simple way, he tries to answer the question rather than get his own talking points across making him a gift for a hostile interviewer (which will be about 98% of them), he gets distracted onto side issues, he distracts himself with subclauses. His manner is eager and puppyish and he totally lacks gravitas. Obama is in reality an empty suit, but he can play a man with gravitas quite well (though the act is beginning to grate pretty badly.) In short, Ryan would look like a clever eager likeable kid against Obama and would be eaten for breakfast. He should stay where he is, sort out the budget process, which certainly requires his cleverness and wonkishness, and come back and stand for President in his fifties when he’s acquired some gravitas. In the meantime, I suggest that the GOP doesn’t put up a farmyard animal just in case it is competitive. I don’t agree with Romney as much as I agree with Ryan (or Perry) but with a GOP Senate and House (which is what there will be if there’s a GOP President) Romney will do just fine. He’ll blow with the wind, and the wind will be coming from Ryan’s direction.

By: Yellow105

Yellow105 — Thu, 05 May 2011 04:23:57 +0000

If what’s going on in Wisconsin, Michigan, and Ohio are any indication, Republicans are going to be wiped off the map in November 2012.

By: bjjfiter

bjjfiter — Thu, 28 Apr 2011 00:32:00 +0000

Ryan can defend his plan as the VP candidate. I’m confident Biden won’t be Obama’s VP choice the second time around. So Ryan can make the VP debate solely about budget issues, and the GOP can win with that strategy.

By: phillyfanatic

phillyfanatic — Tue, 26 Apr 2011 19:43:15 +0000

I would vote for him on any ticket spot. The VP choice if Paul got the nod, could be someone with some ‘gravitas’ ha, that would unite the team. Newt, Paws, another Gov. Daniels. It would be a team which would show serious respect for American economic solutions and some pro-foreign policy ideas. Or even a Senator like Santorum or Sessions of Ala. We need bold differences.

By: DanFarfan

DanFarfan — Tue, 26 Apr 2011 16:48:40 +0000

I like Rep Ryan for VP, a lot.

@DanFarfan