Mitt Watch: The VP Chatter, cont...

July 10th, 2012

Of all the names that seem to be on the short list for Romney's VP slot, Rep. Paul Ryan's seems to elicit the most excitement from GOP loyalists. They would be wise to examine why he's on the short list of most progressives as well.

Overlooking the obvious baggage on budgets and Medicare in particular (reminders HERE, HERE and HERE), Jeffrey H. Anderson over at NRO indulges in nothing short of delusion as he writes:

"...picking Ryan would clearly connect Romney to the post-Bush era of Republicans. It would be awfully hard to talk constantly about Bush-Cheney when running against Romney-Ryan."

You just read that right. GOP sympathizers are actually of the opinion that Ryan can be used to separate candidate Romney from the disastrous Bush legacy.

Daniel Larison is stunned:

"Bush was in the White House for most of Ryan’s thirteen years in the House. For six of those years, Ryan belonged to a Republican majority that was closely aligned with the Bush administration on both domestic and foreign policy issues, and Bush and Ryan’s careers overlapped for eight years. Ryan voted for every major piece of legislation that the Bush administration favored that came before the House. He voted for the PATRIOT Act, No Child Left Behind, the Iraq war,Medicare Part D, and the TARP. Ryan’s voting record is a perfect example of Republican support for the expansion of the size and role of government when their party is in power. His voting record is typical of a Bush-era Republican. He is a product of the Bush era. Nothing would be easier than to link Ryan to the Bush era, because he actively contributed to all of its greatest mistakes.

Let’s also think a bit more about Ryan’s “widespread appeal.” He is apparently not all that popular statewide in his own state. I have no idea why he would be very popular anywhere else in the Midwest. Portman probably wouldn’t move many votes in Ohio into the Republican column on his own, but he would presumably be more appealing to Ohio voters than a Congressman from Wisconsin. Ryanmaniacs consistently overestimate Ryan’s appeal because they find him extremely appealing. They never attempt to check their assumptions that a nationally obscure wonkish House member with a lot of Bush-era baggage is a major political sensation." EMPHASIS MINE

Please, Mitt. Pick Ryan. We're very eager to see that ticket.

On Rubio Mania

March 22nd, 2012

Larison wonders why so many GOP insiders are obsessed with Rubio for Vice President:

"I don’t deny that he has political talent, and he seems to inspire quite a lot of enthusiasm among movement conservatives, but I just don’t see why he is so often promoted to the top of these lists. I can’t recall any new Senator receiving so much admiration and praise as a presidential or VP prospect so early in his career, and that includes Obama."

Rubio has no major accomplishments in his freshman term as U.S. Senator. He has sponsored little, rarely makes waves and almost painfully hews to the background. Could it be that this lack of a substantive record coupled with his reliable lip service to general conservative notions is precisely what inspires the establishment?

In a campaign season where each of the GOP presidential contenders is flailing on specifics, it would be wise for the party to remember that a candidate Rubio would have to actually address them.