Could Paul Ryan Emerge as Last-Minute Presidential Candidate?

If it were anyone else offering the suggestion, it might seem absurd. But the source in this case proves credible. Speaking to the New York Times about the Republican establishment’s fear of the ascendant candidacies of Donald Trump and Ted Cruz, former ambassador to Finland Earle I. Mack suggested that Paul Ryan could emerge as a last-minute alternative.

… the heavy bloodletting in the Republican race might prevent any candidate from clinching the nomination. In that case, [Mack] said, Republicans should turn to Speaker Paul Ryan. He said, “In these horrible crossfires … it would be good to nominate somebody uncontroversial, who could appeal to a broader electorate.”

That such an outside possibility has even been raised in public demonstrates how desperate the old guard has become. It also speaks to the degree of self-centeredness prevalent among the lower-performing candidates, who cling to fading hopes and divide mainstream support among them.