(Updated) Paul Ryan ... Reconsidering?

He will be the next president, because that’s what the market is dictating. I told you this weeks ago. Just sayin’.

Says the Weekly Standard:

Wisconsin congressman Paul Ryan is strongly considering a run for president. Ryan, who has been quietly meeting with political strategists to discuss a bid over the past three months, is on vacation in Colorado discussing a prospective run with his family. Ryan’s concerns about the effects of a presidential campaign – and perhaps a presidency – on his family have been his primary focus as he thinks through his political future.

“He’s coming around,” says a Republican source close to Ryan, who has been urging the 41-year-old to run.

“With Paul, it’s more about obligation than opportunity,” says another Wisconsin Republican. “He is determined to have the 2012 election be about the big things. If that means he has to run, he’s open to it.”

Ryan hinted at his thinking during a candid interview Friday with Charlie Sykes, an influential talk radio host in Milwaukee, telling Sykes that he was unsatisfied with the current crop of Republican candidates.

Sykes asked Ryan about state of the Republican presidential campaign. “Looking at the Republican field right now, are you confident that the candidates there are able to articulate the issues of the debt and the deficit and the need to reform entitlements in the way that you want to see done?”

Ryan laughed. “Why did you ask me that?”

“You know exactly why I asked you that question.”

“I know. We’ll see. I didn’t see it last night. I haven’t seen it to date. We’ll see. People’s campaigns evolve – they get better. So we’ll see.”

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UPDATE: The Hill now says he “denies he’s considering 2012 bid”, but that doesn’t seem to be an accurate description of the new statement from Ryan’s spokesman:

“While grateful for the continued support and encouragement, Congressman Ryan has not changed his mind,” spokesman Kevin Seifert said.

That’s not a denial of consideration, it’s a carefully worded response pointing out that Ryan has not entered the race. My take is that Ryan went a tad further than he intended in his appearance with Sykes, and that if he does choose to run, it won’t be a wink-wink affair in the days prior as happened with Huntsman’s clownish meta-campaign. Ryan is a Tea Partier: no Roveian PR, just an announcement when he is ready.

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