Bookmark it: McCain VP will be Wisconsin congressman Paul Ryan

[book_worm]

38 years old, but has been in congress for five terms and is the top republican on the Budget committee. Very conservative he would please the right but has still managed to be re-elected from a swing blue collar district which includes Janesville.

http://www.madison.com/wsj/home/local/292754

[myrna minx]

1. I have been saying for years that Paul Ryan is a dark horse.

I went to High School with him.

[book_worm]

2. what was he like in high school?

[myrna minx]

5. He was a big jock. He himself, wasn't an outrageous jerk, but his minions were thugs..

He was known back then as P.D. Ryan, but for his Congressional run he became Paul. He was very conservative. He even had the 10 year class reunion moved into the fall so he could troll for votes for his first run for Congress. I've been saying that he is one to watch. The Lehrer News Hour shows clips of his speeches, and he wins places like Janesville, which should not be so friendly to him.

[ingac70]

3. Sounds good to me...

No Southerners on the GOP ticket puts the South into play.

[LTR]

4. The RW think tanks love the guy

As of late, he's been peddling his "Road Map to the Future," which is basically a repackaging of the same ol' voodoo economics shuck n' jive we've seen since the days of Calvin Coolidge.

He wouldn't be a bad running mate for McCain. And I've considered him a dark horse. Though I'm not so sure Ryan could guarantee him Wisconsin. And the difference in ages could make McCain seem even older. Then again, it worked for Eisenhower, who picked a 39 year-old freshman senator and former two term congressman named Richard Nixon to be on the ticket.

If Ryan were to accept the VP nod from McSame, that could jeopardize his House re-election bid. If he leaves the house, and McSame loses, it could kill his political career. That's the big problem with VP ominees from the House - two year terms.

Still, I can see the GOP propping him up as the future of their party. Only thing is, as long as Feingold and Kohl are in the Senate, he has no chance of advancing beyond the House unless he ran for Governor.

[Occam Bandage]

6. Seems pretty unlikely. No name rec, a Congressional career behind him (full of

questionable votes casting doubt on McCain's reformer image), no fundraising potential, little if any crossover appeal, and his youth would make McCain look even older (and if McCain says a 38-year-old is qualified to be one heartbeat away, it doesn't help with his criticism of Obama).

[book_worm]

8. why he might be the choice

1) Crossover appeal. He wins in a strongly blue collar district with a strongly conservative record, and McCain may feel he can help with blue collar voters
2) McCain knows zilch about the economy. Ryan is a policy wonk
3) May not give McCain Wi but will make it competitive
4) Strong with conservative voters--McCain's weak point.
5) Name recogniton isn't that important really--he'll become known
6) young, family man, etc
though I agree his youth could highlight McCain's age.

[elocs]

9. No name rec is right. Hell, I'm from Wisconsin and I've never heard of him.

People across the country will be scratching their heads and asking, "Paul who?"

I think I've at least heard of most of Wisconsin's representatives, but not him. So on that note, pick em John.

[kentuck]

7. Does he want to privatize Social Security?

Seems I have heard him talk on economic issues before? He makes absolutely no sense.

[pansypoo53219]

10. ryan's a little shitcon.

thinks he's brilliant.