On the Republican side, I saw that Ted Cruz visited a matzah factory in Brooklyn. Of course, matzah is the unleavened bread that Jewish people eat for Passover, and Ted Cruz is the presidential candidate that New Yorkers will definitely pass over.
~ Jimmy Fallon
Ted Cruz tried to win over Jewish voters by pretending he genuinely enjoys matzoh https://t.co/SjAlICy9kQ
While campaigning in New York today, Hillary Clinton rode the subway and had to swipe her metro card five times before getting through a turnstile. Though if you know Hillary Clinton, you know she'll keep trying until she gets in.
She swiped her metro card five times, which means it only took the crowd behind her 10 seconds to go from "Oh my God it's Hillary!" to "Let's go lady!"
~ Seth Meyers
After weeks of back and forth, Bernie Sanders and Hillary Clinton have finally agreed to hold a debate in Brooklyn next Thursday. You know you're in New York when you have to argue over the date of when you're going to argue.
~ Jimmy Fallon
Hillary Clinton and Bernie Sanders have scheduled a debate for next Thursday in Brooklyn. Which is about as close as Bernie Sanders can get to Wall Street without spontaneously combusting.
~ Seth Meyers
"Bernie Sanders won on the Democratic side in the Wisconsin primary. Sanders' Wisconsin supporters celebrated by drinking Old Milwaukee, or as Bernie calls it, 'Young Milwaukee.'"
~ Jimmy Fallon
"There is an ironclad rule of politics: No funny hats."
~ Ted Cruz in Wisconsin
Paul Ryan resurfaced at CPAC last weekend giving a speech about how he knew of a poor child who refused a charity lunch at school because he would rather have a paper bag packed by a loving parent.
The left is making a big mistake here. What they’re offering people is a full stomach and an empty soul. The American people want more than that. This reminds me of a story I heard from Eloise Anderson. She serves in the cabinet of my buddy, Governor Scott Walker. She once met a young boy from a very poor family, and every day at school, he would get a free lunch from a government program. He told Eloise he didn’t want a free lunch. He wanted his own lunch, one in a brown-paper bag just like the other kids. He wanted one, he said, because he knew a kid with a brown-paper bag had someone who cared for him. This is what the left does not understand.”
~ Rep. Paul Ryan (R-Wis.), speech to the Conservative Political Action Conference, March 6, 2014
Aw, nice story, even though it made me go "Huh?" First of all, even if Mom, Dad, Grandma, or Aunt Lulu pack an occasional lunch, that still doesn't mean that all children have that option. Maybe there is no food at home to pack? During the recent Snowmageddon inNew York City the Mayor refused to cancel school because kids needed to go there and get that one hot meal a day. Starving children? Charles Dickens is rolling in his grave every time Paul Ryan speaks.
But anyway, Ryan seems to believe that hungry children would rather have an empty paper sack from home, than actual food for lunch. To him, a sack lunch has dignity, even if it has zero nutrition and humiliates a child in a world of well-stocked lunch boxes and kids who take food for granted. To Ryan, government assistance gives a child "an empty soul." Empty soul - oh, please! I suppose his own kids have "full" souls from eating when they are hungry. Ugh.
Well, in spite of his best efforts to once again sell himself (and his own soul) at CPAC, old Paul Ryan blew up the bullsh*t meter again. He wasn't called "Lyin' Ryan" during the 2012 Election for nothing!
This story has been twice plagiarized now: Lyin' Ryan stole it from Lyin' Eloise Anderson, a colleague from Wisconsin in charge of Children's Services (shudder), who was under oath at the time during a Congressional Hearing on Food Stamps chaired by Ryan himself.
My thought has always been around the SNAP program even when it was called "food stamps" is, why do you have this program, school program, school breakfast, school lunch, school dinner, when do we start asking parents to be responsible for their children? You know, a little boy told me once that what was important to him is that he didn't want school lunch, he wanted a brown bag because the brown bag that he brought with his lunch in it meant that his mom cared about him. Just think what we have done. If this kid tells me a brown bag was more important than a free lunch, we've missed the whole notion of parents being there for their children because we've taken over that responsibility, and I think we need to be very careful about how we provide programs to families that don't undermine families' responsibilities.
When Laura Schroff brushed by a young panhandler on a New York City corner one rainy afternoon, something made her stop and turn back. She took the boy to lunch at the McDonald’s across the street that day. And she continued to go back, again and again for the next four years until both their lives had changed dramatically. Nearly thirty years later, that young boy, Maurice, is married and has his own family. Now he works to change the lives of disadvantaged kids, just like the boy he used to be.
An Invisible Thread is the true story of the bond between a harried sales executive and an eleven-year-old boy who seemed destined for a life of poverty. It is the heartwarming story of a friendship that has spanned three decades and brought meaning to an over-scheduled professional and hope to a hungry and desperate boy living on the streets.
Okay - what did the author give the indigent boy? Oh yeah - food and hope, both of which have become bad words to the GOP and especially these Libertarian Ayn Rand types who don't give a damn. And the real kicker is that the child mentioned in Ryan's story has grown up now and is an advocate for hunger programs!
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
I say this to all the schools that I've visited that Maurice has told me the meaning of of the brown paper bag -- the bag is merely paper, but it is really about love…its a reminder that someone loves you. This is the one story that always comes up whenever we have talked about it."
But Maurice describes being hungry as being punched in the stomach. And given the choice between a free lunch and not eating at all, he would choose the free lunch.
~ Author Laura Schroff speaking to Huff Post in rebuttal to Ryan's remarks
Laura Schroff and Maurice Mazyck advocate for the group No Kid Hungry
Pretty much the opposite of Paul Ryan.
Here is Laura Schroff on All In With Chris Hayes:
. . . a simple inquiry would have determined that the person telling the story actually is an advocate for the federal programs that Ryan now claims leave people with “a full stomach and an empty soul.” So he (Ryan) also earns Four Pinocchios. ~ Washington Post
Full stomach, empty soul? Isn't that the slogan for Arby's?
. . . Point taken. People on food assistance have empty souls. Jesus once said, "If you give a man a fish, don't. Period. End of Bible.
~ John Stewart on The Daily Show
Ryan didn’t understand that this was a made-up story. After reporting by the Wonkette blog and The Post’s Glenn Kessler, Anderson admitted that she had never spoken to the boy. She picked up the story from a TV interview. Worse, she then twisted a tale first told by supporters of government nutrition assistance that had absolutely nothing to do with school lunch programs.
But what’s most troubling here is that it did not occur to Ryan to check the story because it apparently didn’t occur to him that most kids on free lunch programs have parents who do care about them. They just can’t afford to put a nutritious lunch in a brown paper bag every day.
Ryan was so eager to make an ideological statement about family structure that he was not bothered by the implicit insult he was issuing to actual families of children on the lunch program. A little more empathy could have saved Ryan a lot of trouble. He apologized for the factual error but not for the insult.
~ E.J. Dionne in WaPo
A kid with a brown paper bag does have someone who loves them; but the kid without the brown paper bag, the one whose parent either won’t or can't – because they’re working hard to get ahead and give themselves and their families better lives – deserves a society that loves and cares for them too.
~ Robert Schlesinger on U.S. News
Let’s be clear — the blame for this lay squarely with Paul Ryan because he’s not only a congressman sharing false anecdotes, he’s the Budget Committee chairman and he’s on a quest to cut vital programs that feed the needy. His next budget proposal is expected to hit food programs hard.
Feeding children shouldn’t be partisan, but it is because of sociopathic bean-counters like Ryan.
~ J.M. Ashby on The Daily Banter
In some ways, Paul Ryan is his own Walking Benghazi - he's never accountable! ~ Sam Seder
Distorted facts. Misrepresented research. "Full stomachs and empty souls." All in one week. Help me unseat Paul Ryan https://t.co/jhM4Mxooaq
— Rob Zerban (@robzerban) March 8, 2014
I would a vote for a petri dish of salmanella over poor-family-trashing @RepPaulRyan. Please support our friend, @robzerban!
— Lainie Jenner (@pywackett) March 9, 2014
#CPAC2014 Paul Ryan said welfare gives the poor "full stomachs and empty souls". Should the poor have "empty stomachs and full souls"!?
— Keith Alexander Ashe (@keithashe) March 8, 2014
Paul Ryan: "Free lunch kids are vampires. They have empty souls and can't see their reflections. Garlic scares them. Obama is hiding this."
— Birdy (@alainagrey) March 8, 2014
"Children who receive free lunches have full stomachs & empty souls" - Paul Ryan, getting starving children's boots off America's neck.
— BrickStone DaveSirus (@BrickStoneNews) March 7, 2014
Ever since a recall election failed to toss Governor Scott Walker from office in Wisconsin, there have been persistent rumors of wrongdoing on the part of his staff, and many have been tried and convicted. And now that the Chris Christie offenses are mounting up, prosecutors in Wisconsin seem to be zeroing in on Scott Walker once more. Like Christie, Walker downplays the scandal in hopes he might be a viable GOP candidate for President in 2016. But with baggage like this, his chances are shrinking daily, right along with Christie's.
Walkergate Commercial
A few weeks ago, a staffer named Kelly Rindfleisch was back in court appealing her charges when a Judge decided that her emails should be released to the public - probably not the outcome Rindfleisch was hoping for. She has become Walker's scapegoat in much the same way that Bridget Kelly, David Wildstein and others are falling under suspicion for being close to Chris Christie.
Court of Appeals Judge Patricia Curley ruled last week that thousands of records in the appeal of Kelly Rindfleisch should be available in the court file of her misconduct in office case, even though the documents have long been sealed as part of a secret investigation of former Walker aides.
. . . (Judge) Curley wrote records collected as part of a criminal investigation are routinely included in court files and that court records are to be available to the public except in unusual circumstances.
Rindfleisch, who served as Walker's deputy chief of staff when Walker was Milwaukee County executive, is one of six people convicted as the result of a John Doe investigation led by Milwaukee County District Attorney John Chisholm. John Doe proceedings are often conducted in secret and give prosecutors the power to compel people to produce documents and testify.
The records in question include emails from Rindfleisch's personal computer and private email account, affidavits supporting John Doe search warrants, and a transcript of a secret hearing on search warrants issued the day before Walker was elected governor in 2010.
Likely included in the emails are messages exchanged with Walker or his top political aides as he ran his 2010 campaign for governor.
Although Rindfleisch sat just 25 feet from Walker’s office, was one of his top staffers and was illegally raising funds for Davis while on county time, the governor himself was not charged and the investigation was closed in early 2013. It resulted in the convictions of five former aides and associates and one contributor to Walker’s gubernatorial campaign.
According to prosecutors, there were at least 3,486 emails between Rindfleisch and members of Walker’s 2010 gubernatorial campaign. Most were sent and received during normal business hours while Rindfleisch was at her $59,560-a-year county job.
~ Wisconsin State Journal
Some of the emails uncovered in the investigation are just downright nasty:
Six former Walker aides and allies have been convicted of wrongdoing following an investigation into improper campaign activities by official staff when Walker was Milwaukee County executive mounting a campaign for the governor’s mansion. The release last week of tens of thousands of pages of documents from that first investigation was branded as “old news” by Walker, who noted repeatedly that a Democratic prosecutor had closed the investigation last year without any accusation that he had done anything improper. ”People want to go through 27,000 pages plus of details, and our approach is ‘case is closed,’” Walker said. “A Democrat district attorney looked at it, and he’s done. It’s done.”
To put it mildly, this is a BFD. For once, we have proof that Scott Walker encouraged government workers to campaign for him while on government time, which is illegal in Wisconsin. Scott Walker has been dishonest about the allegations of corruption surrounding him from the outset, and we finally have indisputable proof that Walker encouraged illegal campaigning.
~ The Prairie Badger
In one message, Walker aide Cindy Archer wrote to deputy chief of staff Kelly Rindfleisch that she used a private email account to communicate with Walker and his chief of staff, Tom Nardelli.
“Consider yourself now in the ‘inner circle’ :) I use this private account quite a bit to communicate with SKW and Nardelli,” Archer wrote, referring to Walker’s initials. “You should be sure you check it throughout the day.”
~ Wisconsin State Journal
Tapping out a message on his campaign Blackberry on the afternoon of May 4, 2010, Walker urged county aides, campaign staffers and other trusted volunteers to go to an online Journal Sentinel business story and respond to critics of his plan to privatize the airport in the comments section below the story.
"Someone should comment on the fact that the only way for the county to benefit from that success is to contract out operations," Walker wrote in an email. "Having a well performing airport increases the value that the county could receive."
A half-hour later, Brian Pierick — the boyfriend of Walker aide Timothy D. Russell — posted a comment on the story under the alias "WI_Calvin," calling rising airport traffic "another example of Scott Walker's outstanding leadership."
. . . Pierick and Russell were both later convicted of other activities in the secret probe.
Walker's airport directive came a little more than a week before he ousted county aide Darlene Wink after the Journal Sentinel reported she had been spending much of her government work hours posting anonymous political comments promoting Walker on the JS Online website.
Question: if county workers were doing nothing wrong, why should they be using a private e-mail account?
WALKER: Well, but that’s exactly to my point. you had a Democratic district attorney spend almost three years looking at every single one of those communications, interviewing people, talking to people and closed the case.
WALLACE: Did you have your own private e-mail account?
WALKER: It’s one of those where I point out district attorney has reviewed every single one of these issues.
WALLACE: But sir, you’re not answering my question.
WALKER: No, because I’m not going to get into 27,000 different pieces of information.
Governor Scott Walker of Wisconsin sent out an interesting fund-raising letter:
"Instead of electronics or toys that will undoubtedly be outdated, broken, or lost by the next Holiday Season, help give your children the gift of a Wisconsin that we can all be proud of."
If you would like to give the gift that keeps on screwing you over this Holiday season, you can donate to Governor Scott Walker rather than buy that GI Joe with the Kung Fu grip.
While liberals like myself are doing their part in the War on Christmas by setting up their own Christmas tree for the first time in their lives, conservatives like Scott Walker are asking you to give to them rather than to your family.
And what will you get in return? Even less gratitude than your children will give you for buying the wrong toy.
~ Jordan Ashby on The Daily Banter
Scott Walker’s war on Christmas: Screw your kids, give me campaign cash instead
~ Headline on Raw Story
Scott Walker should change his name to Douchebag McScrooge.
~ John W. on Raw Story
Ask not what Scott Walker can do for you , ask what you can do for Scott Walker.
With this guy in office they should change the mascot from the
badger to a skunk.
~ Larrysalmonoski on Huff Post
"a gift that will keep on giving" Isn't that commonly meant to describe an STD?
~ brbr2424 on Huff Post
If the GOP had it's way, we wouldn't HAVE the money for black Friday, christmas, school supplies, uncanned food, or toothpaste.
~ Gene H. on Huff Post
For all the whining and crying by conservatives about a supposed war on Christmas, it seems the only person actually waging such a war is none other than Republican Governor Scott Walker. One has to wonder how parents would explain to their children why there are no presents under the tree. ‘Sorry kids, no presents this Christmas because Scott Walker’s happiness is more important than yours this year’? That sounds like what conservatives would say.
~ Stephen Foster on Addicting Info
Yes, that's right. Don't buy your kids presents. Give to Walker instead.
My advice: if you've got to choose between buying gifts for your kids and giving to any political campaign anywhere for anything, go with the kids. But Scott Walker? Scott Walker is going to save your kids from deficits? Really?
~ blue aardvark on Daily Kos
Save Christmas. Just say no to Governor Scrooge.
~ TomP on Daily Kos
~~~~~~~
I can't decide if Scott Walker is more like the Grinch or the Burgermeister Meisterburger #NoToyshttp://t.co/RiLmkxykRb …
RYAN: Now, you want to ask basically why I'm pro-life? It's not simply because of my Catholic faith. That's a factor, of course. But it's also because of reason and science.
You know, I think about 10 1/2 years ago, my wife Janna and I went to Mercy Hospital in Janesville where I was born, for our seven week ultrasound for our firstborn child, and we saw that heartbeat. A little baby was in the shape of a bean. And to this day, we have nicknamed our firstborn child Liza, "Bean." Now I believe that life begins at conception.
That's why -- those are the reasons why I'm pro-life.
BIDEN: But I always say what I mean. And so does Romney.
RYAN: We want everybody to succeed. We want to get people out of poverty, in the middle class, onto a life of self-sufficiently. We believe in opportunity and upward mobility. That's what we're going to push for in a Romney administration.
RADDATZ: Vice president? I have a feeling you have a few things to say here.
BIDEN: The idea -- if you heard that -- that little soliloquy on 47 percent and you think he just made a mistake, then I think you're -- I -- I think -- I got a bridge to sell you.
~~~~~~
BIDEN: I love my friend here. I -- I'm not allowed to show letters but go on our website, he sent me two letters saying, "By the way, can you send me some stimulus money for companies here in the state of Wisconsin?" We sent millions of dollars. You know...
(CROSSTALK)
RADDATZ: You did ask for stimulus money, correct?
BIDEN: Sure he did. By the way...
RYAN: On two occasions we -- we -- we advocated for constituents who were applying for grants. That's what we do. We do that for all constituents who are...
(CROSSTALK) BIDEN: I love that. I love that. This was such a bad program and he writes me a letter saying -- writes the Department of Energy a letter saying, "The reason we need this stimulus, it will create growth and jobs." His words. And now he's sitting here looking at me.
. . . I wish he would just tell -- be a little more candid.
. . . By the way, any letter you send me, I'll entertain.
RYAN: I appreciate that, Joe.
(LAUGHTER)
~~~~~~
BIDEN: Number two, "guaranteed benefit"? It's a voucher. When they first proposed -- when the congressman had his first voucher program, the CBO said it would cost $6,400 a year, Martha, more for every senior, 55 and below, when they got there. He knew that, yet he got all the guys in Congress and women in the Republican Party to vote for it. Governor Romney, knowing that, said, I would sign it, were I there.
Who you believe, the AMA, me, a guy who's fought his whole life for this, or somebody who would actually put in motion a plan that knowingly cut -- added $6,400 a year more to the cost of Medicare?
Now they got a new plan: "Trust me, it's not going to cost you any more." Folks, follow your instincts on this one.
And with regard to Social Security, we will not -- we will not privatize it. If we had listened to Romney, Governor Romney, and the congressman during the Bush years, imagine where all those seniors would be now if their money had been in the market.
Their ideas are old and their ideas are bad, and they eliminate the guarantee of Medicare.
RYAN: Here's the problem. They got caught with their hands in the cookie jar, turning Medicare into a piggybank for Obamacare. Their own actuary from the administration came to Congress and said one out of six hospitals and nursing homes are going to go out of business as a result of this.
BIDEN: That's not what they said.
RYAN: 7.4 million seniors are projected to lose their current Medicare Advantage coverage they have. That's a $3,200 benefit cut.
BIDEN: That didn't happen.
RYAN: What we're saying...
BIDEN: More people signed up.
RYAN: These are from your own actuaries.
BIDEN: More -- more -- more people signed up for Medicare Advantage after the change.
RYAN: What -- there's...
BIDEN: Nobody is...
(CROSSTALK)
RYAN: Mr. Vice President, I know...
BIDEN: No, this is...
(CROSSTALK)
RYAN: Mr. Vice President, I know you're under a lot of duress to make up for lost ground, but I think people would be better served if we don't keep interrupting each other.
BIDEN: Well, don't take all the four minutes then.
~~~~~~
CBS News Knowledge Networks poll of undecided debate viewers found 50% thought Biden won, 31% Ryan won, and 19% tie
The law, a crowning achievement for Walker that made him a national conservative star, took away nearly all collective bargaining rights from most workers and has been in effect for more than a year.
Dane County Circuit Judge Juan Colas ruled that the law violates both the state and U.S. Constitution and is null and void.
In his 27-page ruling, the judge said sections of the law "single out and encumber the rights of those employees who choose union membership and representation solely because of that association and therefore infringe upon the rights of free speech and association guaranteed by both the Wisconsin and United States Constitutions."
Colas also said the law violates the equal protection clause by creating separate classes of workers who are treated differently and unequally.
The ruling applies to all local public workers affected by the law, including teachers and city and county government employees, but not those who work for the state. They were not a party to the lawsuit, which was brought by a Madison teachers union and a Milwaukee public workers union.
The people of Wisconsin clearly spoke on June 5. Now, they are ready to move on. Sadly a liberal activist judge in Dane County wants to go backwards and take away the lawmaking responsibilities of the legislature and the governor. We are confident that the state will ultimately prevail in the appeals process.
~ Governor of Wisconsin, Scott Walker
Walker's attempt to silence the union men and women of Wisconsin's public sector was an immoral, unjust and illegal power grab. Now, a court has ruled that the essential provisions of Act 10, Scott Walker's draconian attack on public worker's right to collectively bargain, is unconstitutional.
~ Phil Neuenfeldt, President of the Wisoncin AFL-CIO Union, via CNN
This decision will help to re-establish the balance between employees and their employers. The decision gives us an opportunity to get back to the Wisconsin values of sitting down and working together to iron out differences, not taking away the constitutional rights of our citizens.
~ Assembly Minority Leader Peter Barca (D-Kenosha), via Milwaukee Journal
A judge living in the fantasy world of Dane County has decided they are going to substitute their singular opinion as opposed to the collective will of Wisconsin, through the Legislature and the recall process. We have litigated, reviewed and elected people because of Act. 10. In each case, they say the law works. And it is.
~ Rep. Robin Vos (R-Rochester) , via Milwaukee Journal
Juan Colas is obviously a hispanic, probably got through law school with "affimative action" grades and the same kind of guiltywhiteboy help as Obama. No doubt he is a far left moron, who smolders with resentment against white America, and does everything in his power to undermine our culture.
Americans of European descent demand freedom. WE decide what laws we want, not unelected creeps from the far left. If this punk decision is not overturned, I predict there will be ANOTHER recall, to recall his dumb ass, and undo his wrong-headed idea about the constitution.
The constitution gives power to WE THE PEOPLE, not "we the lawyers"
~ comment by beisbolfan on Politico
Shame on this leftist, partisan activist judge, What an idiot,. This MUST be Overturned. The nation is rooting for Walker and WILL SEE THAT UNION greed and thuggery is topped in its tracks. Americans are so tired of the lazy, bottom-feeder thugs.
~ comment by doveab on Politico
I'm beginning to doubt he ever read the law he is attempting to repeal. This is the conversation that took place on how he made his decision: "Hi judge, this is Mary Bell, President of WEAC, issue a ruling to repeal this law or I'll personally see that you don't get a single vote from a public union employee in your next election. Have a good day - click"
~ comment by Muktown Resident on Milwaukee Journal-Sentinal
Legislating from the bench. A Dane county specialty. Wonder how many million more dollars the unions are going to cost the good taxpayers of Wisconsin before this is overturned.
I have about as much respect for this judge as I have for AL Qaeda.
~ comment by TerryN on Milwaukee Journal-Sentinal
Without unions you would not have 8 hour work days, fair wages, over time pay, benefits of any kind, safety requirements, paid vacations, medical leave etc, etc,. Whether you are in a union or not you have benefited from unions.
Perhaps you would like to go back to the working conditions of the early 1900's, I don't.
~ comment by clandrummer on Milwaukee Journal-Sentinal
If the POS Walker would have worked with these people like he said he would do before the election this stuff wouldn't keep happening. Walker, the liar,is to blame. The GOP wouldn't even acknowledge workers on Labor day. They are anti labor Neocons.
Walmart wage scale is what they want for all workers. Owners worth 100s of billions, that pay their employees less than 10 bucks a hour with no benefits, and the every shrinking middle class of WI, can't get enough of them WI Neocons have given birth to the 2 biggest lying scum bags of all time. John Doe Walker, and Lying Ryan.
Hey WI people, take notice how the rest of the nation is making lying Ryan admit all his lies. You are the only dummies that buy these 2 guys bs hook, line, and sinker. You all deserve to end up poor, and if you keep voting the way you do, you will. WI you can't fix stupid. Now get out there and ensure yourself a huge pay, and benefit cut.
~ comment by samawry on Milwaukee Journal-Sentinal
Typical Walker. The judge, whether one agrees with his reasoning or not, based his decision on constitutional rights. Walker, in reply, points to the results of an election (as if a majority can vote to take away the minority's rights). Just another sign of how little the great patriot Walker really understands or cares about the Constitution or individual liberty. Of course, the flock is rushing to criticize the ruling, but I'll be interested to see if any base their criticism on a Constitutional argument. I won't be holding my breath, though.
~ comment by Big Picture on Milwaukee Journal-Sentinal
Psychologically fascinating moment - Romney introduces Paul as "The next president of the US" itv.com/news/update/20…
— Tero Kuittinen (@teroterotero) August 11, 2012
Romney: "Join me in welcoming the next President of the United States -- Paul Ryan!" tpm.ly/MokfCT
— Talking Points Memo (@TPM) August 11, 2012
Paul Ryan: Murderer of Opportunity, Political Coward, Candidate for Vice President of the United States . . . Leave it to Willard Romney, international man of principle, to get himself bullied into being bold and independent.
Make no mistake. In his decision to make Paul Ryan, the zombie-eyed granny-starver from Wisconsin, his running mate, Romney finally surrendered the tattered remnants of his soul not only to the extreme base of his party, but also to extremist economic policies, and to an extremist view of the country he seeks to lead.
~ Charles Pierce in Esquire
Mitt Romney selects Paul Ryan as VP running mate to balance out the whole "one has two last names, one has two first names" issue.
— Abbi Crutchfield (@curlycomedy) August 11, 2012
Both Mitt Romney and Paul Ryan have not served in the military, yet they run off a battleship to announce their big news. #Offensive
— Michael Skolnik (@MichaelSkolnik) August 11, 2012
Wouldn't mention it, but he cited his Catholic faith, so... Fact: US Conference of Catholic Bishops declared Paul Ryan's budget immoral.
— Angelo Carusone (@GoAngelo) August 11, 2012
"Please stand here sir."-Romney staffer to black man directly behind Paul Ryan.
— John Corey Whaley (@corey_whaley) August 11, 2012
I think we can rest easy knowing that at least Joe Biden will be better dressed than Paul Ryan at the VP debate. #RomneyRyan2012
— Robyn Mack (@_beanatron_) August 11, 2012
why is paul ryan dressed like josh baskin at the end of "big"? #romneyryan2012
— Steven Tsapelas (@steventsapelas) August 11, 2012
Paul Ryan is a strong conservative leader, and I am proud to have him as my running mate. He is widely respected for his leadership skills and his intellect, and for his ability to tackle serious issues. Together, we understand that a limited government and fiscal responsibility will unleash prosperity for all Americans. Donate $15 today to help restore America's greatness and build a stronger middle class.
~ From Romney Email sent out today, via Politico
"This election is about values, and today Romney doubled down on his commitment to take our country back to the failed policies of the past. Congressman Paul Ryan is best known as the author of a budget so radical The New York Times called it 'the most extreme budget plan passed by a House of Congress in modern times.' With Mitt Romney's support, Ryan would end Medicare as we know it and slash the investments we need to keep our economy growing -- all while cutting taxes for those at the very top. Over the next few days, Romney's campaign and its allies will tell a very different story about Paul Ryan."
~ From Obama Email sent out today, via Politico
The whole thing was absolutely hysterical! Romney's speech was as stiff as a board, and chock full of gag-me lines like "Paul doesn't curse the darkness---he would rather light candles!" Then the hysterical flub, "The next President of the United States!" Then Ryan emerges from the ship onto a special platform to heavy handed dramatic music (from Harrison Ford's "Air Force One" I hear). Ryan crosses over to the podium and the music keeps on and on as he just stands there! Ryan's speech was utterly predictable (although well delivered unlike Romney). Then they stand there together waving as Kid Rock's "I Was Born Free" plays way too loudly. They bring up their families as the music plays on and on.
It looks like something advertising people dreamed up to introduce New Coke!
~ comment by Joseph Propenski on Talking Points Memo
Paul Ryan is a good pick. Another emotionless robot.
Paul Ryan works. The most recently named Human Events Conservative of the Year is a lightening rod on the left for the Ryan plan, which balances the budget over the next two decades. What was not enough for some conservatives is too much for some liberals. Paul Ryan exposes the left’s great lie. They think they can just raise taxes on those who make $250,000.00 a year or more and never have to cut spending or fix entitlements.
Paul Ryan not only exposes that lie, but he has plans to solve it. He does so as a fresh, young face who is not at all scary to old people and relates to them and to young people. He himself is in his early 40′s with small kids. He’s from a swing state, out performed John McCain in his home district, and is telegenic and articulate. Paul Ryan is what Mitt Romney needs.
The left will demonize and demagogue Paul Ryan. They’d do that to anyone....
. . . The sighs you hear are Republicans sighing some relief. Finally, the Romney campaign has a spokesman who can do what Mitt Romney has never been capable of doing — defend success and articulate a message of why we must reform our nation’s budget and support free markets.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
By picking Representative Paul Ryan, Governor Romney has doubled down on his commitment to gut Social Security and end Medicare as we know it. Romney’s choice demonstrates that catering to the Tea Party and the far right is more important to him that standing up for the middle class.
~ Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, via New York Times
One small but important part of the announcement: Paul Ryan's Wikipedia page is about to undergo a wave of edits and revisions. (The page was edited 14 times in the first hour and a half following the Romney campaign's announcement.)
The first edit: Removed unnecessary statement from Early Life about prom king or "Brown Noser." This is not needed in article is not common in such brief survey sections.
The detail, in Ryan's Wikipedia biography since June 16, comes from an AP report on that date noting that Ryan "was voted prom king and the 'Biggest Brown-Noser' of his 1988 high school class before leaving for college in Ohio."
At this time we are UNABLE confirm that Romney selected Paul Ryan after enjoying his work as Gabe on the last few seasons of "The Office".
!!! RT @scottfeinberg: BREAKIN: Fox News is reporting that Mitt Romney has chosen Rep. Paul Ryan (R-WI) as his running mate! — Andrew Kaczynski (@BuzzFeedAndrew) August 11, 2012
NBC News: Sources indicate Rep. Paul Ryan is the VP choice.
— msnbc (@msnbc) August 11, 2012
NBC News: 3 Sources indicate Rep Paul Ryan is Romney’s Vice Presidential pick.
by Laura Schroff. The book description from Amazon:
