Former GOP presidential hopeful and House Speaker Newt Gingrich called House Budget Committee Chairman Paul Ryan (R-Wis.) “the smartest strategic thinker in Republican elected office today.”
“I mean, you look at what he has mastered in the budget, you look at — whether you like or dislike the details, this is a guy who has thought deeply about the reshaping of the American government to make it affordable at a level that`s really pretty courageous,” Gingrich said on MSNBC last night.
“And he’s done it in a blue-collar district with a large UAW membership, a lot of auto plants, and he’s gotten reelected by big margins going home and telling people who he is and what he honestly believes.”
Gingrich said he believes only Mitt and Ann Romney, as well as VP vetter Beth Myers, are making the decision about the presumptive Republican nominee’s running mate.
“I mean, Rob Portman is very, very smart. Marco Rubio was a great speaker of the house in Florida. I’ve known Marco for years. He has a tremendous future, in my judgment. Governor McDonnell’s a great governor of Virginia, and Virginia’s going to be — could well be the — Virginia could be for this election what Ohio was in 2004,” he said.
About New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie (R), Gingrich quipped, “As a guy who’s always had a weight problem, I’ve always hoped Christie would become a national figure so I could stand in his shadow.”
“As a guy who’s always had a weight problem, I’ve always hoped Christie would become a national figure so I could stand in his shadow.”
+1
Chris Christie is ten times the politician I’d ever be.
Love Paul Ryan, maybe the politician with the most integrity in the country, but he would be a mistake this time.
The Criminal in Chief would love to make the campaign about entitlement reform rather than the economy. If you think the demagogery is at a fever pitch now, you ain’t seen nothing yet. And just in case you think that fight is a good one to have, consider whether granny, who is probably more likely to vote for Romney than the moron this time if she isn’t scared to death, will be able to parse the subtle arguments that the marxists would be throwing out.
I’m surprised that Gingrich spoke well of Rubio, as Gingrich stood up for Michele Bachmann against her de facto Muslim Brotherhood supporter attackers, and Rubio was one of them.
Perhaps Gingrich’s suggestion that Rubio has a “tremendous future” is his way of saying Rubio isn’t ready yet, but he might be one day. I agree, Rubio failed this early test.
I’ve noticed that some folks believe conservatives must agree on every issue all the time.
That’s not the way it works, folks.
Picking the VP is very tricky as McCain demonstrated. No one perfectly fits the bill. It was easy for Obama. Just pick the stupidest guy he could find. Biden was guaranteed not to show Obama up at any level. He was absolutely no threat. An emparrassment, yes, but no threat.
Portman is just another rich, white guy, John Thune is virtually unknown and we don’t want an even small minority in the senate. Jindhal is a strong conservative governor, and Ryan is vulnerable on the entitlements issue, though modifications to his “age 55″ plan would make it more palatable (and sensible) to change the age to 50. That would provide 15 years (50% more) to ramp up a retirement account. And Ryan would be a huge loss to the House. The margin there is too slim already. Rubio really can’t guarantee the Latino vote, which is a stupid assumption from the git go. NJ need Christie, plus, I am really concerned about his physical condition. Sadly, it’s too bad Gingrich had so much baggage and Romney so effectively trashed him. He would eat the whole Obama team for lunch.
Unfortunately, I can’t provide positive input, but this is my cut.
The GOP’s willful blindness about Paul Ryan will prove fatal. He is TOXIC, not to mention
the fact that he would not add a single additional vote. I viscerally despise Obama but
am furious at the serial stupidity of the Republican Party. The odds of the Repubs taking
the Senate have dropped from 80% to 48%. The Tea Party continues its ridiculous purge
of electable senate candidates. The 2012 election is the LAST chance to stop the destruction
of the country. It’s not the time to for extremism because that is NOT what a majority of
the country wants. Independents are sick of the petty politics and the failed agenda of
the Repub House. It misplayed every hand and revived Obama’s chances of reelection. Even
more pathetic is that spending continues to explode with every CR.