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The Myths of Ryanmania

Liz Marlantes thinks Paul Ryan chances of being picked for the VP slot are improving: More than any other, Ryan seems to embody the right combination of seriousness, impeccable conservative credentials, and a useful regional affiliation. He is safer than Rubio or Martinez but not as boring as Portman or Virginia Gov. Bob McDonnell; he […]

Liz Marlantes thinks Paul Ryan chances of being picked for the VP slot are improving:

More than any other, Ryan seems to embody the right combination of seriousness, impeccable conservative credentials, and a useful regional affiliation. He is safer than Rubio or Martinez but not as boring as Portman or Virginia Gov. Bob McDonnell; he would complement Romney (and this is, of course, assuming Romney is the eventual nominee) without overshadowing him. Perhaps most important, Ryan would bring an authenticity and a kind of political courage to the ticket – embodied in his willingness to make tough choices when it comes to entitlement reform – that Romney has seemed to lack.

Are any of these claims correct? Let’s go through them one by one. Ryan has “impeccable” conservative credentials only if we ignore his votes for Medicare Part D and the TARP. Ryan was just as compromised by the Bush years as any prominent Republican member of Congress. He is from the Midwest, but he is not very popular in his home state, and it is questionable whether he would offer any electoral advantages to the ticket elsewhere in the region. Ryan’s budget plan makes him a much greater political risk than either Rubio or Martinez; he is “safer” only in the sense that he has already been scrutinized at the national level. Ryan is not as “boring” because he is currently much more controversial with non-Republicans and appealing to conservative activists, which may make him less attractive to the independents that Romney currently alienates in large numbers. That said, Ryan is a budget wonk, and his main policy focus is on a subject that many people find inherently boring*. He supported the largest expansion of the welfare state since LBJ, which greatly increased the government’s unfunded liabilities, so that makes it harder to take seriously “his willingness to make tough choices” concerning entitlements.

Obama is linking Romney to Ryan right now because he believes that a close association with Ryan will harm Romney in the fall. That is not a sign that Ryan is more likely to be named VP. It is a warning against putting him on the ticket.

* As Amy Walter writes, “Like Romney, Ryan prefers power point presentations to emotional appeals. If Romney is looking for someone to add some spice and excitement to the ticket, the wonky Ryan isn’t really the guy.”

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