Ryan’s rout
Tampa, Day the Fourth. I suspect that Joe Biden is feeling pretty awful this morning. For that matter, I’d wager Barack Obama has had better nights’ rest. Condi Rice’s speech was bad enough for the Democrats — it was serious, dignified, eloquent — but Paul Ryan hit it out of the park. They both must have watched Ryan’s speech. They both must have come away with an empty feeling in the pit of the stomach. And poor Joe has to debate Ryan in a little more than a month. I almost feel sorry for him. Almost.
Most convention speeches, most political speeches from any venue, share an uneasy kinship with the tautologous exhortations of Roderick Spode in The Code of the Woosters: “Nothing stands between us and our victory except defeat! Tomorrow is a new day! The future lies ahead!” And why not? Many people have the reaction of (as I recall) Cyril “Barmy” Fotheringay-Phipps: “You know, I’d never thought of that!” They like it when A = B and you can make the journey from premise to conclusion without leaving home.
Between us, there has been a fair amount of such thru-text at the 2012 Republican Convention, just as there will be next week at the Democratic jamboree. There were even a few hints of it in Paul Ryan’s speech.
A few, but not many. Ryan’s performance was a masterly specimen of the orator’s art. Start with the integument. Ryan’s delivery was close to flawless. He commands a reassuring serenity on stage. He doesn’t pace or jerk or flail. He stands relaxed, hands folded quietly on the podium, as he speaks with a friendly and intelligent clarity, almost as if he were talking with instead of to his audience. He never saws the air, but merely punctuates important points with a few simple, open-handed gestures.
He read the speech, but he knows how to make it seem ex tempore, almost confidential. His manner is open, confident, but somehow also humble. There is nothing swaggering, nothing of the braggart or narcissist about him. He seems impressed not by the sound of his own voice but by the facts and observations he shares with his listeners. He also exuded the physical grace of youth. His iPod playlist, unlike Mitt Romney’s, started with AC/DC and went to Zeppelin. The audience loved that.
Ryan’s obvious sincerity allows him to deliver devastating one-liners without seeming cruel:
President Obama is the kind of politician who puts promises on the record, and then calls that the record. But we are four years into this presidency. The issue is not the economy as Barack Obama inherited it, not the economy as he envisions it, but this economy as we are living it.
Ouch. But then came this:
College graduates should not have to live out their 20s in their childhood bedrooms, staring up at fading Obama posters and wondering when they can move out and get going with life.
That must have stung.
Zeppelin not Zepplin
You really think Obama or Biden watch these speeches?
I don’t.
Maybe someone on their campaign does — but even then, I doubt their assessment of the speeches is anything like ours.
No, there were no heart attack calls.
Regarding Rob Crawford’s attempt to be insightful above:
“You really think Obama or Biden watch these speeches? I don’t.”
Well Rob, your argument would be much stronger if Obama didn’t tweet his contemporaneous reactions to both Romney and Ryan’s speeches. But he did.
Of course, you’re probably right about Biden. Past his bedtime.
“Of course, you’re probably right about Biden. Past his bedtime.”
No, but probably above his level of comprehension.
the president and veep may not have watched the speech originally but I bet they will watch it sometime….and probably more than once.
Joe Biden had better keep his head on a swivel–Obama’s going to need an “October Surprise”.
The October surprise will be there. The MSM will harp on it 24/7, then discovered on Nov 7 that the “surprise” was totally built by Obama’s campaign, and said “Ooops”. Remember the 40,000 dead in New Orleans, blatant rapes in the Superdome, shootings of the rescuers? None of that happened but all were breathlessly reported by the MSM to show how inapt Bush was.
“Their moment came and went. Fear and division is all they’ve got left.”
In Chicago, stolen elections stay stolen.
If Obama’s victory begins to look unlikely, then the Holder justice department will indict Romney, Ryan, or someone important close to them for something obscure — the sort of thing police and prosecutors associated with Chicago politics traditionally call “mopery with intent to creep” — and use it as a last minute smear to turn the election around. Since this cannot also be done to the Republican House and Senate candidates without looking ridiculous — at that point it wouldn’t matter that Obama had all the MSM in his back pocket — both the Senate and House could nevertheless end up in Republican hands, setting the stage for impeachment proceedings should Obama manage to squeak out a victory.
Obama’s main defense against being removed from office will be the race riots that would ensue. After hinting at this, he will start claiming that this impeachment nonsense is taking up all his time, preventing him from fixing the economy…
There is absolutely no way we will get 67 Senators to confirm impeachment. Until you understand basic civics, STFU.
There is no doubt Obama and cronies are cooking up something for an October surprise. What we must be really concerned about is how malignant and malicious that surprise will be. If desperate times call for desperate measures, then the measure of how vicious a blow King Barry is willing to deal the United States and the American people will be found in the growing desperation of his campaign. I think we should be very afraid, of everything this creep does, from now until Jan. 20.
No, I don’t remember anyone serious ever using numbers that high. Nor, obviously, was that in October of a presidential election year, so talking about it as part of an “October Surprise” is a total non sequitur. Regardless, you think that the rumor-mongering coverage of Katrina was part of a giant media conspiracy to make Bush look bad? Some of the craziest rumors came out of Fox News, if I recall. They must have been leading the anti-Bush conspiracy, I guess. *rolls eyes*
They say there are only two campaign themes: Back to Basics and It’s a Bright New Day! There is a third, which usually loses, called It’s Not My Fault!, and that’s the one Barack Obama is going to run on. What’s amazing is that he’s still in the game.
“It’s not my fault!” is used between campaigns, in times of (failed) governance. (One who uses it during a campaign is automatically marked a loser.) What the Obama team is using now is “Those guys are EVIL!” Charges of racism, hating women, greed, intent to “throw grandma off a cliff”, etc. are all part of that evil theme.
It’s all in the wording. Obama will find some kinetic language to say. “It’s NOT MY Fault!!!”
Look for Mitt Romney to win in a landslide…57-43. The game is over for Obama.
Out of curiosity I switched to MSNBC early this morning to see some commentary from the reliably liberal panels. It was like watching cadavers discussing their own autopsies. Quite sad.
“Cadavers discussing their own autopsies”…great line. I must use that in the future.
Sad? HELL no. I’d pay to see that.
Should Ryan choose, he could make his debate with Biden about as one-sided as hunting baby seals. I’d love nothing better than for Ryan to wipe the floor with Biden’s stupid, smug face. It wouldn’t surprise me if he’s told to tone it down a bit, though. Sometimes you can come across too strong and turn people off.
It still amazes me that people said in 2008 that Sarah Palin wasn’t fit to be vice president and believed Joe Biden was. I’ve seen smarter doorknobs.
My doorknob is actually writing this reply!
sir, I award you +1
Seriously, if Ryan’s not careful, he’ll create sympathy for Biden. Nobody wants to see Grampa with Alzheimer’s laid out on the floor.
Biden could be (probably will be) figuratively lying bleeding to death on the floor from a thousand Ryan knife wounds and the sycophants in the MSM will be declaring that he won the debate going away. It never fails. Liberals can’t tell they’ve been bested in an argument.
Biden has an ace in the hole. It’s called the media. The moderator will do everything she can to help Biden. The camera crew will show us that nice smile while avoiding shots of the empty suit behind it. Biden will get questions like; “Do you prefer Beagles or Terriers?” While Ryan will get asked if he beat his wife before or after he tossed granny off the cliff.
Unfortunately, both party conventions are inside baseball. The people who need to hear this are mostly not paying attention. The debates are where things get interesting. I don’t think Plugs is up to it and the TOTUS won’t be there to help the POTUS (no POTTOTUS?). I am hopeful and a little bit confident.
Yeah, come debate time the Podium Of The United States will have to go it alone.
I am thoroughly biased, but I can’t see how an American watches that speech and would opt for the Dems.
Because they want yo stuff.
Depending on who the moderator is and who is on the panel, Biden might come off better than Ryan in their debate. It’s all in the questions.
“Uh, Mr Ryan, can you tell us in detail how you and Mr Romney intend to fix the economy and improve our standing in the world economy? you have 60 seconds.” “Now, Mr Biden, Coke or Pepsi? you sir, also have 60 seconds.”
That’s how I figure the debate will go.
Any side that can quote Roderick Spode from the Code of the Woosters deserves to win hands down. I doubt that the overeducated Joe Biden even knows who PG Wodehouse is; and the brilliant Harvard educated Obamaites are still quoting from Catcher in the Rye.
Yes, but more useful in this campaign might be this from a later book in the Bassett Cycle: “Kindly do not talk rot, Spode.” (Can’t recall which one, though.)
it’s in the book where it turns out that Spode designs women’s underwear under the trade name “Eulalie”. According to wikipendia
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Roderick_Spode
this book has the title “The Code of the Woosters”.
Of course President Obama has watched every minute (maybe on tape) and listened to every word of the convention. That is what narcissists do when they might be the topic of discussion.
I loved when Ryan referred to how pathetic it is to want to live a “government directed life”. Then, referring to Obama’s America, he said “where everything is free except us”. I love that line, and will certainly use it myself!
Unfortunately, the debates are “moderated” by the left who get to ask the questions. Almost certainly the Democrats are provided with the questions ahead of time so that they can prepare and can look smart. Questions that may prove embarrassing to Democrats are just not asked. Yes, a skillfully prepared person like Ryan will be able to get in a few jabs but I doubt it will be a rout. The Repubs need to demand a different selection of questioners. Why don’t they?
You can bet serious money that the “moderator” will ask Ryan an abortion-related question, specifically an “Akin trap” about rape and abortion.
I’m concerned that traps will be laid for Ryan at every turn to divert the “debate” from substance. There will be distorted “Mediscare” questions as well.
Ryan is one of the few politicians, VERY VERY FEW, who seems to believe what he says. And it helps that he seems to understand what the problems are and which ones government should be involved in.
It’s like 24 carat gold.
I don’t believe much in the great man theory; that people shape events rather than vice versa. But occasionlly, that theory does seem to be true, both on the good and the bad side. Lincoln and Churchill are examples on the good side.
I sure hope Mr. Ryan is in the process of becoming one of those people. Think about it, of all the people in the country, of all the 2-bit politicians in the country, of all the big talkers in the country, who is the one person who has actually taken action to solve the existential problem of the day. One of millions who recognizes the problem, but the only person with the courage and ability to actually work his way into a position to do something about it.
I didn’t think it was a good strategy to make entitlements a big issue, and it’s starting to me that it seems to be working, understanding that the game is far from over. I’ll give some credit to Romney for taking the risk (the first real risk in his life?); but the guy who made that risk possible is Paul Ryan.
Roger, why would you feel sorry – even almost – for Biden? I seem to remember – as an example of just one of his rhetorical ejaculations – him saying that it was patriotic to pay more taxes, and it was our duty to do so…or words to that effect.
No. I am not sorry for Joe. I want to hear the lamentations of his wife.
And what Biden did and said at the Clarence Thomas hearing discusts me to this day. Check it out on YouTube.
Biden is such a moron that he didn’t know dick about “natural rights,” and yet he was the Senate Judicial chairman. He brought the same level of stupidity as chairman of the Foreign Relations committee.
Ryan’s obvious sincerity????????? You clowns a delusional (again/still).
Back under your bridge, troll.
In this scene, Lonnie Wild runs into the room, and yells, “You are all great big poopyheads!”, then runs back out of the room.
No, this is just Naked Cynical Wonder with the oral runs.
Don’t count Biden out yet! His idiotic bluster may dominate Ryan’s calm logic. Biden’s simply a fool who’s fooled enough fools to become Vice president. He never has offered any real defence of Obama’s policies…he simply (oh, that word again…) can’t!
Rudy Giuliani recently stated Biden is not mentally fit to assume the presidency if needed; I agree. Paul Ryan is capable of doing that if necessary.
In the VP debates either Biden will be so ourageous he’ll tie Ryan or he’ll come across as an idiot.
Ultimately, we’ll see what the American people have to say on election day.
And Ryan didn’t once use a word like “integument.”
The dirty little four letter word that will be used here is “J-O-B-S” once Ryan says that Biden’s hair plugs and dental implants will melt.
Correction: According to Biden, JOBS is a three letter word
I’d pay good money to see that. I’m also hoping Romney drops a “bless his heart” at one of their debates just to see a vein pop on Obama’s forehead.
“College graduates should not have to live out their 20s in their childhood bedrooms, staring up at fading Obama posters and wondering when they can move out and get going with life.” Destined to become one of the great one liners of this campaign … along with the dumb, dumber, and dumbest”You didn’t build it”.
That was my thought exactly. I sort of hope they make a series of ad campaigns based on “College graduates should not have to live out their 20s in their childhood bedrooms, staring up at fading Obama posters and wondering when they can move out and get going with life.”
I don’t know if it would help to wake up any young voters or not but it sounds plausible.
Already done.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6yD43OrcjDI
RE: Ryan vs Biden mixed oratorical arts grudge match.
Remember Bill Clinton, “your vicious attacks never fed a hungry child”
or Lord Benson, “I knew Jack Kennedy, and you, Senator, are no Jack Kennedy”.
Biden will have something like that programmed into his remarks. It will close the deal with the base, and swing the leaners.
Didn’t Joe “Plaigarist” Biden try that in his pre-Plugs incarnation? “I was born a poor British coal miner unionist’s child…”
Biden should give everyone pause to think about how in hell could a presidential nominee pick a more stupid arrogant ahole for VP? Only if Gore were available could that happen. My description of Joey is not merely idle trash.. Go back as you can and review audio and video of Biden as far back as possible. I doubt you can stand 10 minutes of it before becoming either enraged or sick to your stomach or both. The man is a demon idiot from hell.
According to a report in the Daily Rash, Joe Biden spoke at a Michigan mosque this morning dressed in a burqa. http://www.thedailyrash.com/joe-biden-speaks-at-michigan-mosque-wearing-a-burqa
Larry, Brad, Roger and the rest of you concerned about Good Ol’ Joe’s health as he confronts his impending debate with Ryan, need not worry. Don’t you recall what the MSM’s propagandists…uh, I mean “journalists”, told us about ‘Ol Joe when The Won announced that he was to be his running mate?
One after another “journalist” and assorted Talking Heads assured us that Ol’ Joe has that gift accorded by the gods, only to the select few, the most remarkable, among us: Ol’ Joe has GRAVITAS. That’s right. GRAVITAS. A word coined by the ancient Romans that means intellectual and moral “weight.” A gift that commands respect from us lesser beings.
Go back to the sound-bites gushing forth from the MSM that day. The word “GRAVITAS” was on everyone’s lips. Why, if you didn’t know better, you might think they were all reading from the same script issued that very morning outlining the orders of the day to the oh-so-willing propagandists…I mean, “journalists”.
So, don’t worry, Ryan doesn’t stand a chance. How’s he gonna overcome “GRAVITAS”?
Don’t remember my Catholic School Latin much, but maybe “gravitas” stands for “Assistant Village Idiot.”
Obama Did Not Inherit An Economic Mess
An inheritance is something that is passively received. Obama actively campaigned to be give command over the mess, claiming he was uniquely qualified to deal with it.
Too early for me to celebrate. Ryan is the first serious candidate I’ve seen in years. However, vanquishing Joe Biden in a public speaking contest isn’t much of an achievement. And the last election was decided by fundamentally un-serious Americans. I haven’t seen much proof that the dreamers and the parasites on the left have learned anything. Hope I’m wrong. Check back after the last vote is counted.
From the article:
But when it comes to government spending, Obama makes Bush look like a piker. Remember: he has added $5 trillion to the federal debt in less than four years.
During the lifetime of the Strategic Air Command (SAC), 1947-1992, it is estimated that this nation spent $5.8trillion dollars on that military command. For that $5.8trillion we received security. Lots of missiles, bombers, bombs, and freedom. Not just for our country, but the world. SAC fought a cold war daily. Fought a hot war in Viet Nam and the mid-east. We could actually see, feel and experience the nation’s outlay of those monies. $5.8trillion over some 45 years!
Now, I have just one question for the new messiah: Where the hell did $5trillion go and what did we get for it?
You can try to answer that question between the screams of ‘racism’ and Biden trying to spell J-o-b-s as a three letter word at your next investiturification. (Yeah, I know that isn’t a word, but the last four years of obama haven’t exactly been what I would call a presidency either.)
a cold war that was fake unnecessary and CIA got data wrong.
you all thought mccain the war hero would also win.
that was so funny to watch you all.
Yeah, that whole Cuban Missile Crisis thingy was nothing but smoke and mirrors.
Yeah, that whole Berlin Airlift thingy was nothing but smoke and mirrors.
Yeah, that Suez Crisis thingy was nothing but smoke and mirrors.
Those ‘wars of liberation’ that were fought in Africa, South America, and SE Asia… nothing but smoke and mirrors.
Yeah, Korea, nothing but smoke and mirrors.
That whole cold war thingy… smoke and mirrors.
Your lack of education is …. telling. And I noticed you didn’t even try to answer the question: Where did $5trillion go over only 4 years? You spend that kind of money you better have something to show for it on a national scale. So… show me the hardware, the results, the jobs … WHATEVER!
And then there is the MSM reaction to the speech. “Look, a squirrel” (Janesville GM plant). “Another squirrel!” (Bowles-Simpson). “Another squirrel!!” (ObamaCare). “Oh wait, never mind”. “Gee, that Ryan speech was one squirrelly thing, wasn’t it?”. Mission accomplished. Pathetic and infuriating, all at once.
The Legacy media cannot deal with Samizdat.
In the case of the Ryan speech, simply use the great “one liners” wherever and whenever you can in conversations. Enough people will be tweaked to ask where you heard that, so you can then direct them to the source (showing the speech on YouTube via your smartphone, for example).
Simple, direct and totally bypasses the gatekeepers….
Ryan was full of obvious lies, he sounded like Eddie Munster, and
looks like Ichabod Crane.
Says you and the court jester, Jon Stewart.
I hope some humor is OK here.. So here goes.
Most polls show Obama leading Rommey by a large margin in ” like ability “. So if like ability is so important then the Dems shpuld go all out and nominate Mickey Mouse instead of Obama since Mickey is probably more like able. And that would be a good fit since they already have Goofy as their Vice Presidential nominee.
I feel sorry for Biden. He is such an idiot and, being chained to Obama, is constantly being dragged into the spotlight where all can see.
Does anyone other than me think Paul Ryan is little more than an arrogant smart-aleck? His behaviour since being christened has certainly lived up to his “best brownnoser” award. He’ll eventually cost Romney the election once people sicken of his shrill voice. If Romney had picked Pawlenty he could have won.
Hmmm, all Biden needs to do is to look at Ryan and say “you want to turn Medicare into a voucher program”. What does Ryan say? It will be devastating.
Ryan may be the money boy’s pick, but he is shouldn’t be ours. He is an ideologue in a time that requires pragmatists.
Ryan Has a Snappy Reply:
“At least I didn’t call a program that steals 700+ billion dollars from the medicare trust find a Big F!@#ing deal.”
How Bout a serious one?
“At least we have a plan to save Medicare from it’s own insolvency. Not that you have anything that actually helps.”
You know what’s going to kill medicare completely? Medicare as we know it. It needs to be reformed… and a voucher program might be just the thing that fixes it.
Runners question Paul Ryan’s claim that he ran a marathon in under 3 hours CELEBRITY FITNESS OVER 40 AUGUST 31, 2012 BY: SAMANTHA CHANG
http://www.examiner.com/article/runners-question-paul-ryan-s-claim-that-he-ran-a-marathon-under-3-hours
Published on Aug 15, 2012 Reality Check takes a look at Wisconsin Congressman Paul Ryan’s spending record during his seven terms in office.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WKJaVJpJ-FI&feature=plcp
That should be an interesting debate. Any bets on when Biden will have to leave for health reasons?
As a Roman Catholic I am glad that the bishops called Ryan’s budget cruel and inhuman. Mr. Ryan’s social Darwinism— which is essentially tax breaks for the super rich, cutting any safety net, and no cuts for the military industrial complex is revolting. Any compassion is missing from those blue eyes.