Posted on 04/18/2016 12:34:07 PM PDT by Beautiful_Gracious_Skies
House Speaker Paul Ryan (R-WI) has spent a lot of time denying any interest in the presidency.
Out out a 43-second video, the Drudge Report tweeted an all-caps siren reading “Paul Ryan launches first campaign ad?” Despite the video so resembling a campaign ad that even NPR’s Steve Inskeep joked this morning that he got choked up by the swelling music, Mr. Ryan’s people have aggressively swatted down speculation that the Congressman and unsuccessful 2012 vice presidential candidate was indeed waiting in the wings to be drafted should a consensus not be reached on any of the candidates who have been working to earn the votes of Republican primary voters over the last year.
...Those wondering include today’s New York Times, which suggests that by, for example, recently meeting with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in Israel, Mr. Ryan is “waging a parallel campaign.”
It appears that Mr. Ryan’s denials and those of his staff aren’t quite as absolute as they’d like voters to believe.
The Observer can now report that Todd Ricketts, the co-owner of the Chicago Cubs who is also the son of the founder of Ameritrade, is arranging a meeting of some of the GOP’s top financial bundlers, to be attended by Mr. Ryan. The meeting is to take place next week at the Mandarin Hotel and will be comprised of a discussion with “twenty or so” Republican donors, including Mr. Ricketts and several people he has raised money with before, such as Randy Kendrick, the wife of Arizona Diamondbacks owner Ken Kendrick.
The Ricketts Family and Ms. Kendrick have collaborated on political efforts already this campaign. He is the CEO of the Ending Spending Super PAC, which she has supported. She donated and raised money for the Our Principles super PAC, which was founded by Mr. Ricketts’ mother, Marlene Ricketts, who seeded the organization with $3 million. Our Principles was formed earlier this year as an eleventh hour effort to stop Donald Trump from winning the Republican nomination.
The planned meeting came to the attention of the Observer via one top Republican donor who was approached and described himself to the Observer as “disgusted that he [Ryan] is saying one thing publicly but secretly trying to garner support with all of these NeverTrump people talking about all their strategies to subvert the people who are voting for Trump and Cruz.” He declined to join the group and either did not know or would not reveal others who would be joining the secret meeting at the Mandarin.
Mr. Ryan now finds himself in the precarious position of the “late stage undeclared candidate.”
The Speaker has high-profile party figures such as Utah Senator Orrin Hatch talking about drafting him to unite the party if no candidate emerges victorious via the traditional way – as in, you know, winning the most votes.
On the other hand, the Republican base is in near revolt over the way their ballots are being ignored. The idea that someone who has not endured these endless debates or made the case directly to the people swooping in at the last moment after being anointed by 20 rich guys in a fancy Columbus Circle hotel is unlikely to play well among a Republican base that even the New York Times sees as “in conflict with democracy.”...
Ryan isn’t he the guy who didn’t want to be speaker and then decided he didn’t wan to do fund raising?
Strategic leaks
As opposed to Ted who is acting like a petulant child seeking to cause mischief
Unnamed source from The Observer who's publisher is the son-in-law of Donald Trump.
And then we have decisions to make
Does anyone really think he is not considering running for prez? I bet he also said to the occasiomall date “I won’t c#m in your mouth” and to the bill collectors “the checks in the mail”.
Lyin’ paul.
You have a very good memory.
It’s amazing how proficient Ryan has become at fund raising.
$34,500 per head
wonder what the significance is for that odd number?
The Bildaburger (with fries) meetings are not unknown to take place, and yet, I wonder if you would be so kind as to read to me the minutes of those meetings?
I think that is the maximum donation an individual can make to a single PAC or national party in a single year.
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