Reports: Romney Picks Paul Ryan, Announcement Saturday Morning in Virginia

Townhall.com ^ | August 11, 2012 | Guy Benson

[Kaslin]

Sonic Boom (via NBC News):
 

Campaign sources indicate that Rep. Paul Ryan of Wisconsin is Mitt Romney's vice presidential pick, NBC News reported Friday night.  Earlier Romney's campaign said in a statement that it would announce a running mate at 9 a.m. ET Saturday morning in Norfolk, Va., just before he begins a four-day bus tour in the battleground state.

I spoke with a high-level Romney campaign source earlier this evening, who confirmed that the announcement will come at approximately 9am ET on Saturday, though he could not officially confirm that Ryan is the pick.  The unveiling will occur at a rally in Norfolk, VA -- with the (ahem) U.S.S. Wisconsin as a backdrop.  Another well-placed GOP source informs me that party operatives are being told to prepare for a Ryan VP roll-out. For additional details, read the Weekly Standard's reportage, which has been all over this.  A chartered plane has also been spotted in Ryan's home town, so all signs point to Ryan.  This is happening. ABC News is reporting that top other contenders such as Rob Portman, Tim Pawlenty and Marco Rubio have been informed that they will not be Romney's running mate.  There's a faint possibility that this is a giant head-fake, but I sincerely doubt it.  Multiple sources have told me similar things, plus the Romney campaign would be crazy to leak a name like Paul Ryan, only to surprisingly pick, say, Tim Pawlenty.

Any way you slice it, this is a game-changer.  As I wrote earlier this week, Paul Ryan is one of the sunniest, most likeable conservatives on the scene today.  He's also the party's top wonk and is completely fluent in fiscal issues.  I predict that Democrats will publicly gloat over this pick ("he'll be so easy to demonize!"), even as they privately worry.  Paul Ryan is earnest, smart, articulate, attractive, calm, good-humored, and exceptionally gifted in explaining his case in persuasive and unthreatening terms.  He's from the Midwest, has blue collar appeal (unlike Romney, he did not grow up wealthy), and has a beautiful young family.  The Left will launch vicious and totally dishonest attacks, as they have throughout the last two years of budget debates.  But never before has Paul Ryan enjoyed a larger platform from which to make his case to the American public:  The country is going broke, a fiscal calamity awaits, but we can avoid it if we take responsible, urgent action.  This campaign is about to get a major (and needed) injection of seriousness.

It's time to brush up on Paul Ryan's budget -- on what it does and does not propose.  Let's also recall that Ryan's bipartisan Medicare reform (which he co-authored with liberal Democrat Sen. Ron Wyden) does not affect anyone over the age of 55.  Period.  This message will need to be hammered in multiple ads and played on a loop in Florida, as "scare granny" tactics from Democrats will be off the charts.  Medicare's own bookkeepers warn that the program will be insolvent within 12 years without meaningful reforms.  Barack Obama has no plan on this front, aside from robbing $500 Billion from Medicare to pay for Obamacare, and empowering an unelected panel of bureaucrats to ration care.  Paul Ryan is very adept at making this case, and every bit of that skill will be essential over the coming three months.  Barack Obama's reckless budgets have been unanimously defeated for two consecutive years, and the Senate has not produced a budget in over 1,200 days.  The president -- by his own administration's admission -- has no plan to deal with our long term debt, which threatens to swallow our economy and change the very nature of the American idea. Whether we like it or not, this is a debate America must have.  Paul Ryan is one of the very best -- if not the best -- conservative communicators on the biggest issue of our time.  Buckle up, guys.  This is going to get intense.

Finally, this is a bold pick by Mitt Romney.  It underscores his appreciation of the national moment and the seriousness of our economic and fiscal state.  It should also eliminate any doubts about Romney's commitment to Obamacare repeal and entitlement reform, Paul Ryan's top issues.  Parting thoughts: (1) Regardless of where this campaign goes, I cannot wait for the Vice Presidential debate.  (2) Two clips:
 

UPDATE - The Ryan family:
 

 

UPDATE II - www.RomneyRyan.com "America's Comeback Team."

[RummyChick]

That would be a nice Presidential family down the road.

[crz]

The only man that offered a real budget from any side for the last years.

[Hattie]

Make no mistake about it Ryan’s a good man and a great leader in Congress.......but wrong as the VP nominee. With him on the ticket, the pubbies will be blasted by Bam and the MSM for cuts to social security & medicaire (the third rail of American politics). This ticket in effect takes Bam off the hook for his lies, Marxism and incompetency. No way the seniors in FL. will go with Romney. Its unfortunate but their are not enough intelligent voters in this country to offset the morons. With Rubio, Romney would have won, hands down.

With the approval of the Congress at 12%, why on earth would you pick a VP from that?? I love Ryan but this was like Sarah, a pick for the conservatives that will not carry over to independents sorry to say. Not looking forward to the next polls.

[Bender2]

We interrupt this thread with BREAKING NEWS... Ken Brockman reporting--

Paul Ryan has been named Mitt Romney's VP running mate... and we now take you to the Senate Rotunda for remarks by Senate Majority leader Harry Reid--

Well, I now can report that an anonymous caller told me... that Paul Ryan beats his wife with a fireplace poker--

Also, I was told Paul Ryan... is know for browsing the world wide web for child pornography--

And he secretly runs... a covert dog fighting ring in a barn outside Jamesville, Wisconsin--

I get no joy from this information and report it... simply as my duty to be a good American!

We now take you to Joe Soptic... for his comments on Senator Reid's facts--

Wow, Senator Reid, I am so awed by your truth, I find I must also report that when Mitt Romney was killing my wife... Paul Ryan was his lookout and getaway driver--

And we also have remarks by Stephanie Cutter... on the Ryan selection--

Paul Ryan was the dirty dog... that photoshopped me into that photo... with President Obama!

And he doctored that conference call with Joe Soptic... editing my voice in to it when I have never met nor talked to Joe Soptic at any time in my whole life!

President Obama has also spoke out about Paul Ryan... saying he welcomes the Congressman to the race--

Paul Ryan brings a wealth of talent to this election... Talent, I say, in championing legislation that will give billionaires untold trillions of dollars in tax cuts, destroy Medicare and Medicare, starve the poor and elderly in doing away with Food Stamps, remove from the voter rolls all Blacks, Hispanics and Gays. And finally, Ryan will ramp up the continuing total war the GOP has on women and their reproductive rights. It is "Romnyhood & Ryan, Rape and Pillage" for the Radical Right-Wing GOP!

Now, we must stop all these negative attack ads... on me and get back to trashing the evil Romney and his spawn from hell, Paul Ryan!

There you have all the BREAKING NEWS this objective journalist can report. We now return you to this thread already playing... This has been Ken Brockman reporting.

[novemberslady]

That would be a nice Presidential family down the road.

I agree.

[PGalt]

I agree 100%. Carlo3b.

[Redleg Duke]

You forgot the last step...

"Throw out contents and eat the pressure cooker."

[Northern Yankee]

Ryan will be a great candidate. We love him here in Wisconsin!

[LS]

You beat me to it. I just now thought of that, and that's a 51st vote in the senate if we need one. It's freakin' brilliant IF Romney wins---it ADDS a conservative to the senate rather than taking one away (i.e., Rubio, or Portman).

Carl Cameron just on: "This definitely moves WI toward the red and Ryan has blue-collar appeal that will help in other swing states like OH and FL."

I should add, FYI my wife just said, "What a good looking ticket. Women care about that stuff."

[Rocko]

You are correct, sir.

[Eric in the Ozarks]

F. Chuck Todd said last night the announcment would be a few weeks away.

[OldCountryBoy]

As a Wisconsinite, I am very proud of Paul Ryan. When I wrote all of our state’s Reps and Senators regarding numerous issues, Ryan’s office was the only office to respond to points in my letter, specifically. I’m not even in Ryan’s district. Some just sent out “the letter.” Others didn’t even respond. My own Rep. sent out “the letter.” Tom Petri... (That guy needs to retire, and let someone vital take the reins.)

I am all in on this ticket. Romney knows to surround himself with the best and the brightest. That’s how you win in business! You can’t play “smartest guy in the room.” You have to have the best team!

This could shape up to be that team.

[Sudetenland]

". . . but let’s be honest, either the populace grows up and faces the situation, or we’re toast, and any serious GOP contender better be willing to point that out and follow through."

Comment of the thread . . . possibly of the decade.

It's time for the ADULT American voters to stand up and be counted. If Obama is reelected and we continue down this path we are on, then the American voters will have abandoned the very basis of our system and chosen the path of Cubanization (Obama's version of Europeanization).

If we can't win this debate now, we all might as well pack up and move to New Zealand, or go on the dole now and save ourselves some grief--America will be history.

[Utah Binger]

Once again, just fabulous!

[driftless2]

Thanks for the recipe. But just about anything tastes good enough with enough ketchup. I told my wife to look for some plump crows on her way to work this morning. I’m more of a kill and grill man myself.

[Wuli]

just listening to a BBC-America interviewee referring to Paul Ryan as “radical Conservative” for the “spending cuts” Ryan is known to favor

the ignorant illuminated ones see nothing “radical” in the massive growth in Federal spending in the last 4, 12, 20 years

Ryan needs to use that word, RADICAL, as he refers to the present federal spending, and NOT leave the mind meme to Obama and his supporters

[Carriage Hill]

F-Chuck? Always a reliable inside source, isn’t he?

</snort>

http://teriobrien.com/tag/f-chuck-todd/

[Bender2]

Re: Once again, just fabulous!

No, Utah, WE are... Absolutely Fabulous!

Bender is simply absolutely... cute--

Gadzooks! Looks like I may... get lucky this morning!

Yes, you... may--

[Eric in the Ozarks]

NBC News’ bias is unbelievable.

[Utah Binger]

Some guys have all the luck!