Paul Ryan, Congressional Candidate? Oh, Right
Three U.S. senators — Joe Biden in 2008, Joe Lieberman in 2000, and Lyndon Baines Johnson in 1960 — share something in common with Congressman Paul Ryan this year: while running as their party’s vice presidential candidate, they also waged reelection campaigns to keep their current office.
Congressman Paul Ryan’s dual campaign contrasts with what occurred the last time a House member was tapped to be a VP candidate. In 1984, New York Democrat Congresswoman Geraldine Ferraro voluntarily relinquished her seat after becoming the first woman tapped to run on a national ticket.
Because of the precedent set by office-holding VP candidates (in 1960, then-Senator Lyndon Johnson even managed to change a Texas law so he could run for reelection while on the national ballot), the House campaign of Paul Ryan, whose name will appear twice on Wisconsin’s 1st Congressional District ballot, hardly causes a ripple.
Unless, of course, you are the political strategist tasked with getting Ryan to victory in his House race — a safe congressional reelection campaign that suddenly received the national spotlight. Meet Paul Wilson, Congressman Paul Ryan’s longtime political strategist (and a close friend — I awoke on August 12 to a 2:00 a.m. email from Wilson exclaiming: “It’s Ryan!!!! We have been filming with him! He knew but we didn’t”).
Paul Wilson owns Wilson Grand Communications, a political consulting firm in Alexandria, Virginia. Congressman Paul Ryan has been a Wilson Grand client since 1998, when Ryan, then 28, was first elected to represent his home district in southeastern Wisconsin.
So now Paul Wilson finds himself in a unique set of circumstances. This is a race that his client must win for the seventh time — but a seat that Wilson hopes Ryan will never again occupy.
—————————————–
Q. Were you surprised that Romney picked Ryan as his VP?
A. Hmmm. Yes, surprised. I saw the two together on TV in Wisconsin serving food and I thought they had a very natural chemistry between them. When August came, we were filming Ryan in the days right before the announcement, and they had used the ruse “my daughter is having an operation on her adenoids on Sunday — we can’t film.”
In reality, he secretly wanted one last Sunday with his family before all hell broke loose. I was suspicious, however, when on the next day, Monday, his daughter couldn’t remember the operation from the day before. “What?” I mockingly screamed at her. “You had an operation yesterday and you don’t remember?” She sheepishly said, “Oh yeah, I forgot.”
Since this piece was written, Intrade’s odds of President Obama’s reelection chances have declined to 65% down from 74% as mentioned in the piece. Intrade is a fluid prediction market with constantly changing numbers.
http://www.intrade.com/v4/home/
How about even if the Romney ticket wins – Ryan decides to go to congress than the VP mansion? Would he not be a big help in the House for the Republicans and the rest of hardworking America? – Romney’s feet will need to be held to the fire for him to deliver on his tax/budget promises.
Depends on who his replacement for VP would be. Maybe a hawk like Allen West? I have a feeling if the P and VP were voted on as separate offices, Romney would win somewhat handily, but Ryan either loses or squeaks by.
As Obama’s cover story comes down, the curtain goes up on the USAO’s cover-up of J.J., Jr.’s role in the Blago story
http://illinoispaytoplay.com/2012/10/05/as-obamas-cover-story-comes-down-the-curtain-goes-up-on-the-usaos-cover-up-of-j-j-jr-s-role-in-the-blago-story/
Fabulous interview, Sister Myra. Very insightful.
Lyin’ Ryan’s model for his political philosophy is Ayn Rand. Ayn Rand is required reading for all Lyin’ Ryan’s staff. From Wiki:
1) Ayn Rand “supported rational and ethical egoism, and rejected ethical altruism.”
2) “Ethical egoism is the ethical position that moral agents ought to do what is in their own self-interest.” So, Ryan approves of doing anything in his (& his ilk’s) self-interest.
3) “Ethical altruism is an ethical doctrine that holds that individuals have a moral obligation to help, serve, or benefit others, if necessary, at the sacrifice of self-interest.” So, Ryan REJECTS A NEED TO HELP OTHERS if it conflicts with his self-interest.
Rand was an atheist which makes sense as there is nothing Christian in this moral philosophy, in fact it’s 180 degrees away from Christ’s main message of “care for the least among us.” How is Ryan a Christian with this moral philosophy?
If this self-centered a$$hole makes it into the Oval Office, then the poor, disadvantaged and the struggling lower class are in deep, deep trouble. He’s scary, very scary.
Not as scary as you scary Mary. Nothing of what you say is even remotely true. The poor and downtrodden have been victimized by the Progressive philosophy – unless you think food stamps and welfare provide a good life. So let’s just keep doing it your way. Take all the money you want from the productive, create all the programs you want for the non-productive and let’s see where society goes.
Hey Mendacious Mary, would you like to go back and read about Ryan instead of Ayn Rand?
Paul does not Use Ayn Rand as his political model. He uses the theme of her novel, “Atlas Shrugged” as a loosely based model.
I’ll tell you who’s scary, it’s Progs like you who extrapolate from something you read in Wikipedia (for pete’s sake!) and go all nutso over.
Paul Ryan is a staunch Catholic and certainly would not follow the life of Ayn Rand as his model. I heard him tell about why “Atlas Shrugged” was the novel that helped firm his political convictions. He specifically said he did not follow her lifestyle. I know Progs have a hard time differentiating a book from its author, but try hard. I know, I know, thinking is haarrd!
Take a cool glass of water and settle down before you stroke out over something that isn’t true!!