The VPstakes are in full force….
Portman…Rubio….
Now Rep Paul Ryan…..
A bit young…
But a Washington Insider……
With Conservative and ‘Blue Collar’ appeal…..
If Romney’s win in Wisconsin strengthened his claim to the Republican presidential nomination, then his five straight days of campaigning with Ryan amounted to a tryout for the youthful congressman as a potential vice presidential running mate.
Since Ryan endorsed Romney last Friday, he was at the candidate’s side at every turn —introducing him before formal speeches, vouching for him at town hall meetings and joining him as they eyed cherry pie, picked up fried cheese curds and handed out sub sandwiches. (Romney gave away turkey; Ryan, ham and cheese.)
Along the way, Romney’s aides were sizing Ryan up. And although chief strategist Stuart Stevens waved off any talk of the two forming a national ticket as irresponsibly premature, he did say they got along well behind the scenes and noted their “chemistry” on the stump.
To some Republicans, Ryan’s positive attributes are obvious. Where some conservatives see Romney as an ideological squish, they consider Ryan not only a conservative of conviction but one of the movement’s intellectual champions. Where Romney, 65, is a private equity patrician from Boston, Ryan, 42, spent his teenage years living off Social Security benefits in blue-collar Janesville after his father died prematurely of a heart attack.
All year, Romney has struggled to connect with working-class voters, but Ryan showed how he might help as he introduced Romney at a forum Saturday in Pewaukee. Ryan talked casually about having been on “a road to opportunity” when he flipped burgers at a McDonald’s as a teenager, sold bologna — “real bologna, by the way” — for Oscar Mayer and waited tables to help pay back his student loans.
“Anybody fill up gas lately?” Ryan asked. “I mean, I filled up my truck last night and I couldn’t even get it to full because it cut me off at $100 — the credit card wouldn’t even let me buy any more gas. It’s ridiculous.”
The Romney-Ryan road show did more thanstoke the “veepstakes,” Washington’s favorite quadrennial parlor game, however. It also cemented Romney’s embrace of Ryan’s controversial agenda as chairman of the House Budget Committee…..
Photo…GOP presidential hopefuls campaigning in April: Mitt Romney’s win in Wisconsin came after days of campaigning with Rep. Paul Ryan (R-Wis.), who many speculate could be a potential running mate.….Washington Post
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I think Ryan has become too controversial
There are others just as conservative
Without his baggage
I was (surprise) going to say much the same thing. Successful Republican presidential candidates have picked conservative running mates, but Richard Nixon was the last one I can think of who was actually inflammatory. Agnew, Dole, Quayle and Cheney were at least as conservative as their partners, but except for Agnew (who wasn’t considered conservative in 1968), none caused instant polarization.
The last thing Romney’s hypercautious, Dewey-like, campaign needs is someone who draws lines against the GOP. And while Ryan’s style may have a Scott Brown-like rapport with working folks, his policies only sharpen the class chasm across which Romney must appeal.
All this talk about Ryan as VP will have died down long before Romney makes his choice.
Something Mitt will undoubtedly be thankful for.
That being said he may still wind up with someone more conservative than he is comfortable with to placate the GOP base.
Jack: I think Romney could pick US Senator Lindsey Graham (R-South Carolina): who has military and foreign policy experience.
Or he could pick McDonnell, who’s from a SWING STATE.
DSD: I’m hearing MD LG Anthony Brown (D) will be planning on seeking the governorship in 2014 to replace O’Malley and if he manages to pull it off, he becomes the state’s first African American governor.
Scott P: Ryan could be a future Governor in Wisconsin in the event that Walker is recalled this summer by 2014 or waits until a Senate seat comes open.
Romney won’t pick Graham
SC GOPers are constantly accusing him of being too “liberal”
I agree with what’s previously been mentioned here
Someone more conservative than him but not inflammatory
How bout Sen John Thune of South Dakota?
Lindsey Graham?
YOU ARE KIDDING ME?
Agreed Jack on graham
I don’t think Ryan would be a good choice. First of all, his economic plan is highly unpopular, and he won’t even enable Romney to win WI.