Saturday, August 11, 2012
9:20 AM
Early reaction to the Ryan pick
Read below and click the links for some early reaction to Mitt Romney's selection of U.S. Rep. Paul Ryan, R-Janesville, as his running mate.
"In naming Congressman Paul Ryan, Mitt Romney has chosen a leader of the House Republicans who shares his commitment to the flawed theory that new budget-busting tax cuts for the wealthy, while placing greater burdens on the middle class and seniors, will somehow deliver a stronger economy. The architect of the radical Republican House budget, Ryan, like Romney, proposed an additional $250,000 tax cut for millionaires, and deep cuts in education from Head Start to college aid. His plan also would end Medicare as we know it by turning it into a voucher system, shifting thousands of dollars in health care costs to seniors. As a member of Congress, Ryan rubber-stamped the reckless Bush economic policies that exploded our deficit and crashed our economy. Now the Romney-Ryan ticket would take us back by repeating the same, catastrophic mistakes."
-- Obama campaign manager Jim Messina
"Governor Mitt Romney made a bold and reform-minded selection in Congressman Paul Ryan of Wisconsin. This election has to be about who is going to look out for the next generation. America needs a comeback team to turn around the economy and to turn around the fiscal status of our country. Romney and Ryan have the ideas and the experience needed to take on these core issues. This is a great day for Wisconsin and an even greater day for America."
-- Gov. Scott Walker
"Now that Paul Ryan's personal ambition has clearly trumped his interest in the First District, I have no doubt he'll find himself out of a job come November. Once Wisconsinites and voters across our country learn the truth about Ryan's radical plot to end Medicare as we know it, de-fund women's health care, and preserve tax breaks for millionaires, they'll vote against him not just once, but twice. In the coming weeks, our campaign will work with President Barack Obama and Vice President Joe Biden to continue getting the word out on Ryan's indefensible record, and building momentum to ensure victory on Election Day."
-- Democrat Rob Zerban, Ryan's opponent in the 1st CD
"Paul Ryan is going to be a great Vice President. He brings a record of leadership and personal integrity that we need in Washington. Nobody understands the federal budget better than Paul, or has worked harder to develop and offer real solutions to the fiscal challenges facing America.
Paul will be a tremendous asset to Governor Romney in crafting policy and helping get legislation passed through Congress. I will look forward to working with Mitt Romney and Paul Ryan to repeal Obamacare and instill fiscal discipline in Washington so that we can restore real, self-sustaining private sector growth to America."
-- U.S. Sen. Ron Johnson
See the WisPolitics press release page for more reaction from politicians
State bloggers are weighing in too. See their posts at WisOpinion.com
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