Free Republic
Browse · Search
News/Activism
Topics · Post Article

Skip to comments.

Ryan a good match for McCain [McCain is ancient and looks it]
Capital Times ^ | 5-14-08 | John Nichols

Posted on 05/14/2008 4:04:43 PM PDT by SJackson

Janesville Congressman Paul Ryan continues to attract serious attention as a prospective Republican nominee for vice president. And rightly so.

One need not agree with Ryan's sincere-if-frequently-myopic conservatism to recognize the strengths he would bring to John McCain's ticket.

Where McCain is ancient -- older than Ronald Reagan or Dwight Eisenhower when they attained the presidency -- and looks it, Ryan is so fresh-faced, upbeat and energetic that he sometimes seems a good deal younger than his 38 years.

At that age, the Wisconsin Republican is almost young enough to be not McCain's son but the Arizona senator's grandson.

Yet Ryan is, by most reasonable measures, more experienced than McCain when it comes to dealing with domestic economic, tax and budget issues.

While the presumptive presidential nominee has freely admitted that he has little knowledge of -- or interest in -- fiscal affairs, Ryan knows his way around the balance sheets better than just about any Republican in the Capitol. As a key player for the better part of a decade in budget debates, he was a heavy-lifting member of the House Ways and Means Committee when Republicans were in charge of the chamber. And the congressman is still taken seriously now that the Democrats are in charge.

Ryan is not bragging when he explains that "where my aptitude is is in the area of economics."

The Wisconsinite's serious focus on budget fundamentals is not the only thing that inspires confidence among his fellow Republicans.

Where McCain is a maverick who conservatives suspect of being soft, Ryan's hard to the right on every issue -- so steady in his social and economic conservatism that he makes Ronald Reagan look like a wavering ideologue.

Yet, while McCain's got a mean streak that even his carefully choreographed campaign cannot hide, Ryan is a charmer. Raised Wisconsin-nice, he does not allow partisan or ideological differences to turn personal -- so much so that he once showed up at a Madison fundraising event for his former colleague and friend Tom Barrett, who was running for the Democratic nomination for governor at the time and eventually became mayor of Milwaukee.

That's not the end of what makes Ryan an attractive ticket mate for McCain. As U.S. Rep. Phil Ensign, who serves with the Wisconsin congressman on the Ways and Means Committee, says, "Paul is Catholic, from the Rust Belt, and has the economic credentials Sen. McCain needs."

As John Gizzi, the authoritative political writer for the conservative publication Human Events -- Reagan's favorite ideological journal -- notes, Ensign's sentiments are not isolated. "Other Republican back benchers agree, and talk of Ryan-for-veep mushrooms in the House GOP conference," argues Gizzi.

Does this mean that Ryan's likely to end up as McCain's running mate?

The Wisconsinite remains a long shot.

Despite his freewheeling reputation, McCain is actually an exceptionally cautious, old-school player -- more a Bob Dole than a Newt Gingrich. He's not inclined toward out-of-the-box thinking. And Ryan -- an unknown outside Wisconsin and a few blocks from Capitol Hill in Washington -- would require the sort of leap that might be beyond McCain's skill set.

Yet the prospect of balancing a 2008 GOP ticket led by one of the oldest and crankiest presidential contenders in the history of the republic with an attractive and experienced 30-something congressman from a swing state is hardly a radical one. In fact, it makes sufficient sense that wise Democrats will be hoping that this whole notion of forging a McCain-Ryan ticket remains a conservative pipe dream.


TOPICS: Editorial; Politics/Elections
KEYWORDS: 110th; 2008veep; liberalagenda; liberalvalues; mccain; paulryan; rino
Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first previous 1-2021-4041-6061-8081-100 last
To: Chickensoup

Its not important for him to get the racist vote in any party or race. it’s important that conservatives support this conservative!


81 posted on 05/14/2008 7:12:15 PM PDT by WOSG (Conservatism is just an advanced form of patriotism)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 71 | View Replies]

To: WOSG

‘Better than Obama’ is not necessarily good enough. Like I said, if you vote for McCain and feel good about it, more power to ya. I am a conservative and I will vote for conservatives. If you have a problem with that, too bad.


82 posted on 05/14/2008 7:17:40 PM PDT by JustaDumbBlonde ("When the government fears the people there is liberty ... " Thomas Jefferson)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 79 | View Replies]

To: SJackson

The only Ryan that would interest me would be Jack Ryan.


83 posted on 05/14/2008 7:18:51 PM PDT by Chaguito
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: kempo

Why would a conservative Republican vote for him?”

McCain is for tax cuts, Obama wants to increase my taxes. AND YOURS.

Mccain is for victory in Iraq, Obama is for retreat and defeat.

McCain is for Alito/Roberts judges, Obama is for liberal activists.

McCain is for a free-market healthcare approach, Obama is for socialized healthcare.

McCain got a 80% lifetime ACU rating, Obama in single digits, and 1% out of 100% from Club for Growth, while CfG gave McCain 94%.

McCain is prolife with near 100% RTL ratings, while Obama is an extremist pro-abort.

Obama is a radical extremist who had communist mentors, a racist anti-american pastor, terrorist political friends and supporters, and has the most liberal voting record of any senator in the senate.

Even on immigration, McCain’s worst issue for me, he is for the fence that Obama filibustered against, and obama is for drivers license for illegal aliens besides.

One has to be a very *uninformed* conservative Republican to fail to see the stark differences between the two.


84 posted on 05/14/2008 7:20:19 PM PDT by WOSG (Conservatism is just an advanced form of patriotism)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 41 | View Replies]

To: Extremely Extreme Extremist

Sanford might be the best choice.
He’s got a good, conservative yet maverick image that wouldn’t be too jarring with McCain.

Whoever he picks, it needs to be a smart and *articulate* conservative. Maybe Romney.


85 posted on 05/14/2008 7:22:24 PM PDT by WOSG (Conservatism is just an advanced form of patriotism)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 13 | View Replies]

To: JustaDumbBlonde

This is not a small “just a little bit better” difference. We are talking major differences where Obama is just godawful wrong and McCain is rock-solid.

McCain is for tax cuts, Obama wants to increase my taxes. AND YOURS.

Mccain is for victory in Iraq, Obama is for retreat and defeat.

McCain is for stopping growth in spending, zero earmarks and transparent govt. Obama is for re-funding leftwing special interests, has promised $1 trillion in giveaways and more and more spending.

McCain is for Alito/Roberts judges, Obama is for liberal activists.

McCain is for a free-market healthcare approach, Obama is for socialized healthcare.

McCain got a 80% lifetime ACU rating, Obama in single digits, and 1% out of 100% from Club for Growth, while CfG gave McCain 94%.

McCain is prolife with near 100% RTL ratings, while Obama is an extremist pro-abort.

Obama is a radical extremist who had communist mentors, a racist anti-american pastor, terrorist political friends and supporters, and has the most liberal voting record of any senator in the senate.

“I am a conservative and I will vote for conservatives. “
Vote for mccain and you will get conservatives ... on SCOTUS. Ted Olsen and Fred Thompson (the guy who shephered Roberts before his prez run) were right behind McCain when he gave his May 6th Wake Forest speech.


86 posted on 05/14/2008 7:26:34 PM PDT by WOSG (Conservatism is just an advanced form of patriotism)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 82 | View Replies]

To: BillyBoy
The criteria for Veep should be someone younger than McCain and with a track record of a problem solving. The big reason why the GOP brand is in the dumpster is the unwillingness of Republican Congressional leaders and the White House to offer solutions to the top issues concerning the voters (economy, education, health care, etc). Sanford is the top of my list as Veep. Heck, I would prefer him as the nominee. Carcieri might be an intriguing choice although I doubt RI will turn Red.
87 posted on 05/14/2008 7:51:56 PM PDT by yongin
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 37 | View Replies]

To: JustaDumbBlonde

Very nice post.


88 posted on 05/14/2008 7:56:29 PM PDT by Grunthor (Of two evils, choose neither - Charles Spurgeon)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 59 | View Replies]

To: SJackson
Ryan isn't well enough known and would have to be awfully good to make up for lost time.

Huckabee is a much better choice. He's a great guy, with a wonderful sense of humor, an ability to listen, and a real humanity.

So what if his religious views seem cracked to a guy like me? He's so much better than everyone else on offer that I'd be willing to overlook them.

89 posted on 05/14/2008 8:46:50 PM PDT by liberallarry
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: AdaGray

How are conservatives truly supposed to successfully “get around” both the eventual creation of legislation which will allow illegal immigrants to legally vote in all future U.S. elections as well as the eventual creation of legislation which will fully enact the Fairness Doctrine, which will shut up U.S. conservatism forever? Our present situation is different from 1976.


90 posted on 05/14/2008 10:02:18 PM PDT by johnthebaptistmoore (Vote for conservatives AT ALL POLITICAL LEVELS! Encourage all others to do the same on November 4!)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 47 | View Replies]

To: Clintonfatigued

Leaving that house seat open is a bad idea.


91 posted on 05/14/2008 10:39:57 PM PDT by Impy (Obama, you are stupid and I don't like you.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 3 | View Replies]

To: tomkat

OTOH, being a mutt

As the parents of four mutts I can only say that Hussian’s appeal is his leftist politics.

Hussian is married to the right color to please the minorities.

A black man married to a white women is verboton in the black community. It is a huge issue.


92 posted on 05/15/2008 5:46:10 AM PDT by Chickensoup (Nude dancing in North America)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 76 | View Replies]

To: WOSG
I not voting for anyone who goes along with this stupid man made global warming bull shit. With that single issue he will drive the Republican Party right into the ground. I don't think people understand the situation this country is in with no energy policy. We are headed for third world status fast. I don't want to see a Republican in charge when it happens
93 posted on 05/15/2008 1:35:19 PM PDT by kempo (c)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 84 | View Replies]

To: kempo

I don’t disagree with your views, but we up to our a** in alligators wrt Democr*ppy policies and staying home because we disagree with McCain on a few things wont save America.

Here’s another example of the Worst Congress Ever at work:


It looks like the Democrats slipped the AG Jobs bill into the Senate emergency supplemental appropriations bill during committee markup today.

This means that the Democrats have put an immigration amnesty provision for illegal aliens in a war funding bill while no one was really looking. The GOP is preparing to fight it.

Early intelligence reports that it probably has provisions similar to the last AG Jobs bill that was considered – including amnesty provisions. It was supposedly a Feinstein/ Craig amendment and was accepted with a vote of 17 – 12.

If Harry Reid offers this version of the supplemental as a substitute to the House version, he will block out all other senators from any opportunity to strip this Ag Jobs provision, which will ultimately keep potential amnesty provisions in the war funding bill.

Your Senator’s number is (202) 224-3121. Let your Senator know how you feel about Senator Reid secretly inserting amnesty provisions into a war funding bill.

We will keep subscribers of our action alert emails up to date on what our Senate sources are saying. If you received this email directly from RedState, you are on the action alerts email list. If this was forwarded to you, you can subscribe to the alerts here.

All the best,

Erick Erickson
Editor, RedState.com


94 posted on 05/16/2008 3:47:49 PM PDT by WOSG
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 93 | View Replies]

To: Lexinom

“Which is precisely why the VP choice carries such import: how many of us will be motivated to go out and help the likes of VP Charlie Crist advance? Arguably it would be better to endure four years of darkness and await a new dawn in the GOP than to reward the party for shifting to the left.”

I agree.

A conservative VP gives hope that McCain will be a stepping stone to conservative future. A RINO VIP gives the fear that he’s sending the party over the RINO cliff. It colors the motivation for conservative voters.

“Campaign consideration: Given present realities, which number do you think would be larger?: moderate votes lost by choosing a conservative VP, or conservatives lost by choosing a liberal/moderate?”

Taking off the conservative hat for a second, ‘ticket-balance’ considerations *alone* are enough to tell you that you dont need a moderate VP. You need a conservative VP to balance the ticket.


95 posted on 05/16/2008 3:51:15 PM PDT by WOSG
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 55 | View Replies]

To: Clintonfatigued

I attended a seminar on SS reform and was very impressed with Ryan. He is smart, eloquent, and knowledgeable. He would be an inspired choice. Ryan is a strong conservative with a lifetime rating of 93, which is why I doubt McCain would choose him.


96 posted on 05/16/2008 3:53:08 PM PDT by kabar
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 3 | View Replies]

To: SoConPubbie; SJackson; stockpirate

The whole strawman aspect to the argument is that we do NOT move the party right or left in general elections.

We move the party right or left in PRIMARIES.

We move the COUNTRY right or left in general elections.
And an Obama win MOVES THE COUNTRY TO THE LEFT.

Club for growth is very good at trying to move the
They are focussed on *PRIMARIES* right now - Gilchrest was one, there was another in Pennsylvania; a third example is CfG working against Ose and for McClintock in California.

Letting the leftist Obama win in November to cure a RINO candidate is a bit like shooting yourself in the head to cure a headache.
Surely there are better ways.


97 posted on 05/16/2008 10:41:18 PM PDT by WOSG
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 53 | View Replies]

To: SJackson

“Just who is this superman with no electoral support within the GOP you expect to emerge?”

Take a few more hits from that bong he’s serving and it will come to you, I’m sure. :-0

And yes, your are correct that Reagan could have won in 1980 after 4 years of Ford. he would be the natural next President, although Dole might have gone for it and won.

We’ll never know.


98 posted on 05/16/2008 11:25:10 PM PDT by WOSG
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 56 | View Replies]

To: WOSG

“Letting the leftist Obama win in November to cure a RINO candidate is a bit like shooting yourself in the head to cure a headache.
Surely there are better ways.”

It’s the RINO party. Witholding support until the new socialist party moves at least right of center.

McCain is a person I do not like. If he wants the conservative vote he knows how to get it.

Buying gifts for your child who refuses to do his math homework is no way to teach him math.

Your slogan is stupid.


99 posted on 05/17/2008 3:20:57 AM PDT by stockpirate (Purge the RNC and GOP of ALL SOCIALISTS . Starting with Juan McCain.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 97 | View Replies]

To: WOSG
And an Obama win MOVES THE COUNTRY TO THE LEFT.

And a McCain win MOVES THE COUNTRY TO THE LEFT.

We are talking about how much Left. A cap and trade system will destroy our economy and an amnesty will destroy the country. And this is what will happen if McCain or an Obama gets elected.

100 posted on 05/17/2008 4:14:16 PM PDT by kabar
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 97 | View Replies]


Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first previous 1-2021-4041-6061-8081-100 last

Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.

Free Republic
Browse · Search
News/Activism
Topics · Post Article

FreeRepublic, LLC, PO BOX 9771, FRESNO, CA 93794
FreeRepublic.com is powered by software copyright 2000-2008 John Robinson