Birds on the Brain

Quote 12 Aug 73 notes

… Democrats will have to be smart. They should show respect for [Paul] Ryan for being a serious guy, but then just explain to people, urgently but not over-heatedly, what he’s proposed. It’s just very hard to imagine that middle-of-the-road voters want harsh future cuts to Medicare, massive tax cuts for the rich, and huge reductions to domestic programs that most swing voters really don’t hate. Does this choice work in Florida, with all those old people? If Romney just sacrificed Florida, he’s lost the election already.

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Michael Tomasky in Michael Tomasky on Romney’s Stunning, Terrible Choice of Ryan for VP - The Daily Beast (via bohemiansouth)

Also this:

Think of it: The candidate will be running on his vice president’s ideas! It’s a staggering thought. Ryan might as well debate Obama this October, and Romney can square off against Biden.

and this:

And why? To placate a party that doesn’t even want him as its nominee anyway. It’s psycho-weird. But at least it will carry the benefit, if this ticket loses, of keeping conservatives from griping that they lost because their ticket was too moderate. Conservatism will share—will own—this loss.

There’s a common belief that the running mate can’t really do a whole lot to help the candidate electorally, but can do a lot to hurt the campaign. Romney’s really hoping that won’t be true this time around. I think it shows Tomasky’s right, Romney is just that insecure.

(via scoldylox)

And Romney will have to run on Ryan’s ideas because he’s avoided being specific about his own ideas while giving the impression that he’ll do whatever the right wing of the party wants. So Ryan’s ideas become Romney’s by default.

#politics #Mitt Romney #Paul Ryan