With an overflow room:
I was surprised how short Romney is. On line, I see his height listed as 6'2". In person, he looked about 5'9".
Anyway... the team of Romney and Ryan was excellent. They answered questions from people as equal partners — some deference to Romney, but basically equals. Ryan is a terrific speaker, and he got more applause than Romney a couple times. Hearing them answer the same question, one after the other, I kept thinking Ryan is the stronger of the 2. And that's not to say Romney was unappealing, just less intense.
Surely, Romney will pick Ryan as his VP. Right?
I had the feeling there were 2 future Presidents in the room.
IN THE COMMENTS: chickenlittle says "Head size is an ongoing theme at Althouse" and links to this old post where I quote Tina Brown:
The heads of world-class celebrities literally seem to enlarge. Hillary Clinton's, for instance, has grown enormously since she was the mere wife of the governor of Arkansas. It nods when she talks to you like a balloon in the Macy's Thanksgiving Day parade. The years of limelight so inflated the circumference of Jackie O's cranium, it seemed her real face must be concealed by an oversized Halloween mask. If you looked into her eyes, you could see her in there somewhere, screaming.
Posts
97 comments:
Amazing! I live in the SF Bay Area and no politicians ever bother to campaign, attend any sort of town hall, make themselves available in any way, including answers to letters. I am honestly jealous.
"Surely, Romney will pick Ryan as his VP. Right?"
Ryan offers virtues to the ticket, especially amongst the limited government/fiscal hawk wing of the Republican base, but his Medicare proposal will be demagogued until all swing voters have nightmares Rep. Ryan is personally going to take an ax to their, or their parents Medicare.
And if you think voters are smart enough to think themselves past the Obama/Democrat demagoguery, just remember 53% of the electorate was dim-witted and gullible enough to vote for the least experienced man ever nominated by any major party for president in America's history.
And, chances are, Rep. Ryan is smart enough to know this.
Both of them understand enumerated powers better than Robert Wright.
Please no! The House is much more important that the silly VP slot; we need Ryan to stay right where he is.
Regardless, I'd love to see Ryan on the ticket with Romney, but just like the Easter Bunny, it isn't going to happen.
They're both quite certainly serious about addressing America's economic mess and insane federal deficits. It would be entirely typical of Romney do delegate the bulk of such a task to someone, and few people have the sort of credibility on that issue that Ryan does.
If Romney is elected I think we'll see perhaps the most solid Cabinet in many decades, and I'd also bet it might be significantly smaller by the end of his putative first term.
"I had the feeling there were 2 future Presidents in the room."
I'll take that bet. Just when I think the ol perfesser can't outdo herself in making stupid statements.
The Easter Bunny also understands enumerated powers better than Robert Wright.
If Romney is 5'9", what's Ryan, 5'7"? He looks shorter than Romney in that picture.
"Please no! The House is much more important that the silly VP slot; we need Ryan to stay right where he is."
Yes, but with qualifications.
If Romney/Ryan were to win, Ryan would be the presumptive nominee for president in 2020.
But, given an electorate easily swayed by an empty suit to buy into something as utterly hopeless as "hope and change," and "change you can believe in," it is far better for Ryan to stay safely in his House seat, and work at convincing enough Americans that ongoing votes for Democrats are votes for cannibalizing America's future.
Not enough American's understand that yet, so adding Ryan to the ticket is a needlessly risky proposition.
Someone a while ago said Rand Paul, which was sort of random.
Still, it would probably keep his dad from running as an independent.
Paul Ryan wouldn't be a bad choice. Depends if he wants to subject his family to it.
According to Intrade, Romney has a 36% chance of being elected. Why not put your money where your mouth is.
If Romney/Ryan were to win, Ryan would be the presumptive nominee for president in 2020.
I would write off our chances for 2020. It will take 8 hard years to get this country turned back from the cliff. Massive cuts in entitlement spending. A majority of Americans will respond like the New Orleans degenerates - pissed off that national guard didn't provide flatscreen tvs in the shelters.
Lets focus on 2012. Hell, Romney may even have to let Ryan have his shot after 4.
"Lets focus on 2012. Hell, Romney may even have to let Ryan have his shot after 4."
Sure.
That, or it's April Fool's Day.
Romney might want Ron Paul to run as an independent. Not sure it hurts Romney more than Obama at all. Think of all the young people voting for Paul because it's cool who would otherwise vote for Obama.
I would love to see Ryan debating Biden. Then again, although the vice president is a blithering doofus, he's also incredibly scrappy. Ryan would have to learn how not to get dragged down to Biden's level.
Great! With Ryan we can slow the bus down from 100 mph to 70 mph, spending $3.5 trillion next year and wanting to spend $40 trillion over the next ten years.
Another guy who just does not get it. (As well as being a career inside-the-beltway politician (even more than what Santorum is being attacked for by Romney) who tries to scam everyone with business-as-usual talk of "cutting" the budget over ten years.)
"I had the feeling there were 2 future Presidents in the room."
Lets think about this statement: Althouse is saying Romney will beat the odds, overcome the eraser-sketch image, and be elected in 2012. He will be re-elected in 2016. And everyone will be so thrilled with his presidency that they will elect another Republican, Ryan, in 2020. Talk about seing strange words on the kids pajamas.
Romney did give 10,000 to NOM.
Makes a mom proud.
"Think of all the young people voting for Paul because it's cool who would otherwise vote for Obama."
They've really been turning out for him during the primaries haven't they.
"2 future Presidents . . . . "
You mean Rubio was there too?
D OF OMB OR WH COS
I Love Ryan, and the April Fool's Day prank of the empty Hall only reinforces the impression they would make a great team. But would Ryan's loss in the House to a VP win be a net gain? He could loose both; yes, he could help Romney win; can a VP also be a Cabinet member? Why not? Is the "Ryan Budgeting" already done to the point where he might be better deployed as VP/OMB? He's such a nice guy.
Agree with Auntie Ann, he's needed much more in the House, so let's hope he isn't all ambition and turns Romney down.
What is NOM?
make themselves available in any way
Except when raising funds, and that's just the Dems.
I think Paul Ryan has more power to affect change where he is than if he were hidden in the Veep role. If he does become Romney's VP, then we've lost a very powerful conservative voice in Congress.
At first blush, I think that it is more important for Ryan to oversee the passage of programs to save the economy. However, I understand that he has to obtain some leadership position if he intends to run for POTUS in the future. Eight years as VPOTUS would do just that. Besides, I guess that we need at least one candidate on the ticket who understands what "conservative" means.
If you chart the growth in federal spending against which party holds the presidency, there is no correlation with a Republican president. It goes up for both.
If you chart the growth in federal spending against which party holds the Senate, there is no correlation with Republican control. It goes up for both.
Only when you chart federal spending against which party holds the House do you see any correlation. If you want spending to be stable, you have got to have a strong Republican House. It is more important than the presidency.
Althouse has to be the only person to call Romney " so likeable".
Will she get wet when he try's to reverse Don't Ask, Don't Tell?
No you just won't hear about it. She has a commenter section to pacify.
But that's ok because she really is the Phyliss Schafly of the blogging world.
Has anyone else noticed that all the supposed "Althouse gays" have disappeared?
Except, Palladian, natch.
Oh no! Romney probably looked short because he wore his Flip Flops.
We need some perspective here: the VP, until recently, was a backup drive. With almost no purpose, unless things went wrong. While that may not need to be the case, Ryan's value in the House should not be poo-poo'd....
Republicans in 2010 -- “Cut, Cap, and Balance”
Ryan and Establishment Republicans 2010 -- "say what now?"
How many lame, useless, strange attacks will Muta make before he exhausts himself? I put the over/under at 54.
Fen: "A majority of Americans will respond like the New Orleans degenerates - pissed off that national guard didn't provide flatscreen tvs in the shelters."
Mutaman: the above quoted racist crap
Huh?
Are you a Bob Wright sockpuppet?
Or just smoking crack?
Ryan -- My plan includes massive "cuts" in spending (over Obama's plan) by spending $3.5 trillion this year, going up to spending over $4.8 trillion per year by 2022.
It is nothing but the same old, same old, business as usual, more of the same BS.
Great, instead of going bankrupt in four years, we'll go bankrupt in six. And with the added bonus of all that extra deficit spending increasing the money obtained from taxation that must be spent in interest payments on the debt.
If Romney did persuade Ryan to be Veep it would be a mistake. You never pick a guy better than you to be #2.
Never.
It gives people a reason to NOT vote for you. Look at what happened with McCain/Palin. McCain was floundering, and pulled a wildcat out of his ass. Only Palin was the dreamdate for the conservatives. McCain and his people were so flustered and angry about that, they feed Palin to the sharks. To this day McCain people give interviews dissing Palin.
"But the above quoted racist crap"
She didn't mention race.
You made a mental image. A mental image of a particular race.
Nice going, Muta.
I'm not much of a Romney fan but that dig at his father on Mad Men was kinda forced.
In person, he looked about 5'9".
The politician who surprised me recently when I saw him was Chris Christie.
Meanwhile, the VP is about politics, not policy.
Ryan's more valuable in the House shaping policy rather than counting heads in the Senate.
Amazing! I live in the SF Bay Area and no politicians ever bother to campaign, attend any sort of town hall, make themselves available in any way, including answers to letters. I am honestly jealous.
Romney was in San Francisco last Monday and Stockton last Tuesday. Michelle Obama was in San Francisco this weekend.
"Althouse has to be the only person to call Romney " so likeable".
Well it is born out by the polls. I think his likabilty is now up to 30%
So is this like tag team trolling? Hat Boy out and Mutaman in?
I'm liking the notion of Governor Brian Sandoval, of Nevada but he is only recently elected and might not want the job.
He was in the Nevada legislature, on the Gaming Commission, was Attorney General, and was a federal district judge before being elected Governor.
If he would take the job, I believe he would be perfect:
Wikipedia Link
Touch the hot oven. Touch it.
It's going to be Rubio.
TOUCH IT I said.
I'll bet a cheeseburger and a coke that it will not be Rubio. The last time I saw him speak on the subject last week, he was pretty adamant and got this "will you please stop asking me about this" look on his face.
He says he *really* does *not* want the job.
Nobody wants the job. It's the vice presidency, for crying out loud. The only way the vice president pick works to your actual advantage is if you pick someone who complements you.
Reagan picked Bush. That worked because it united two GOP factions. Clinton picked Gore. That worked because Clinton knew he could sew up the Northeast and two Southerners was appealing. Cheney and Biden and Quayle were weird picks that obviously did not matter.
Romney needs a Tea Party type or a person known to be conservative and highly Christian.
I think Ryan would be a mistake for the reasons stated here already: win or lose, he is a force in the Congress.
Suri Cruise will be a movie star, and Paul Ryan will be President.
Why are liberals so mean to me?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qwt9-Wb6R5E
In person, he looked about 5'9".
It's because he has a big head.
Big head politicians do quite well. Teddy Roosevelt had a big head. William Howard Taft had a big body. There you go.
Keep Ryan in Congress. Let Romney pick his brother-in-law for VP. Who cares? Only that the VP candidate has to lie as convincingly as Biden.
Romney needs a Tea Party type or a person known to be conservative and highly Christian.
======================
NO, he needs to pick someone that appeals to independents.
Possibly someone with strong appeal in the swath of Northern industrial states, or who has appeal to younger voters/hispanics.
He doesn't need to do diddly to appease the extreme conservatives and highly Fundie christians. They have no where else to go. If they stay at home "unenthused" because Romney wouldn't kow tow - and prefer Obama - they are as stupid as the Democrats and Manhattan Elies paint them as being.
I e-mailed a photo of my wife standing with Mitt and it shows that he is a foot taller than her 5-6. I don't know what he looked short there. He isn't. She thinks he is the handsomest man she's seen other than your truly.
Has anyone else noticed that all the supposed "Althouse gays" have disappeared?
They're all lined up behind you.
In side by side pictures Romney stands at good 4 inches taller than Newt Gingrich.
So Newt is 5' 5"??
Rick Santorum is listed at 6' 4" and side by side Mitt Romney looks to be an inch or so shorter ...
Romney doesn't need an evangelical or tea party type. The states where he has lost to Santorum will vote for him anyway in the fall. They won't vote for Obama.
He needs to get Ohio. Ohio will be key.
"They're both quite certainly serious about addressing America's economic mess and insane federal deficits."
Not really, the Ryan plan doesn't balance for decades.
Romney needs to think about what will get him elected. It should not be so, but I'm afraid that two white guys from the northeast/midwest is not going to help. Maybe he needs a 'wise Latina' like Susana Martinez of Nuevo Mexico.
If Ryan goes on the ticket and loses, his career will be on hold for four years until, according to GOP tradition, he'll be next in line. At that point, since I cannot think of any good Democratic candidates, he would have a great shot at being elected president - if there is still a USA.
If Ryan stays in the House and the Dems take it back, he will totally lose visibility.
Shorter Romney.
I think the right ticket for 2012 is Romney/Rubio for geographic and ethnic reasons.
Ryan will get his chance in 2020 after he is Speaker.
Re: Ryan being a force in the House; sure. But Congress has been extremely ineffective the last 4 years. They haven't passed a budget in years. They've run around like chickens with their heads cut off when they needed to raise the deficit level and acted like they only had 2 days to do it. Not his fault, but it's like he's a great sailor or engineer on the Titanic.
Ryan is proposing plans, sure, but they aren't seeing the light of day. The only thing I can say about his performance is that he is a reliable conservative vote for the House majority party that has finally slowed down Obama's train-wreck legislation.
I'm not sure it is a big loss if a conservative was elected in his place. Or maybe Walker would get to appoint his replacement? Not sure of the rules in WI.
LOL @ Mr. Forward
Romney needs a Tea Party type or a person known to be conservative and highly Christian.
You know nothing of ;
1 Tea Party types
2 conservatives
3 christians
Not all Tea Party types are;
1 consrvative
2 christian
Many Tea party Types are;
1 Independants.
They are the game changer in this next election.The Tea Party types. The game changer that the left is closing their eyes to and wishing they would go away.
Ryan is doing a good job right where he is. Lets keep him there.
bachman would make a good VP.
I got the same impression as Ann, but there are other good choices he can make. Palling around with Ryan gave the Romster a chance to run up the tally in WI and establish some Conservative street cred.
Mutaman said...
According to Intrade, Romney has a 36% chance of being elected.
As I've said, these are the guys who've been betting on the wrong horse for 20 years.
Two white males on the ticket? Naw!
Y'all don't think a Veep can be consequential? For eight years the lefties claimed Dick Cheney was running the government.
He was both competent and consequential. Much of current domestic energy improvement is directly related to having had a VP who could actually read raw well logs and understood the logistics of getting energy out of the ground and into the market.
I cannot think of another VP who had such impact in that office. Ryan could actually give him a run for his money. Different passion, but same focus and (increasingly) competence.
Titus ... "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" a big concern of yours personally? You planning to enlist in the Army infantry or US Marines? Quite frankly, it has never really mattered to those in the military whether the soldier on their left or right was gay or not. Blood is thicker than any differences socially or ethnically when under fire. But you might not know that.
Fact is DA/DT, albeit a cop-out by Clinton et al, didn't raise "issues" until after it was over turned. Now we have rainbow flags flying over encampments ... as if that "represents" the soldiers there as a whole group. If I were there I'd be pissed and forcibly say so ... not because I'm in any fear of rainbow flags, but because as a soldier the only flags I wanted to see were the American Flag or various regimental flags (never flown in forward areas of a combat zone in the modern Army).
Add to this, the fact that in majority Muslim countries, flying a rainbow flag is similar to passing out pork chops to the hungry ... sure to lose you what alliances you might have had otherwise. All for a symbolic gesture that can get other killed. THAT is why whomever flew that flag should be kicked out.
As for you comments about the AA commenting public, you're just full of crap ... I recall no one of any regular significance denigrating gay or lesbian individuals or groups. Where do you get that? Out of your arse I suspect.
And please, Ann as Schfaly? Why don't you cite even one Althouse post that even remotely resembles Mz Schafly? I don't agree with everything Ann Althouse says (notably long ago about photography styles, for example) but I find such differences to be normal, not offensive. I kind of cheered when Althouse expressed obvious anger toward Charles Pierce ... hot dang, Ann's really human like the rest of us.
I never found you offensive until today, with your passive-agressive baloney. Until now, you have been at least entertaining and serious on some issues. That's normal.
For the record, with a military background including and up up to 2005, I never liked or approved of DA/DT. In your self-interest navel pondering you'd never guess that, preferring to project your imaginary characterizations on people like me ... which you include with your sweeping indictment.
I've run off at the mouth perhaps too much here... but you hacked me off that much with your inane selfish one liner pot shots. If you are a punk, so be it, but that has nothing to do with being gay or not. It's about being a crybaby.
Have a nice day.
So Bender, who is your political savior? What perfect candidate is out there who can save everything with a stroke of the pen? Who gets it?
Aridog, you must have missed Titus' disgusting anti-Catholic posts against Father Fox a few days ago.
Titus goes off the deep end every once in awhile; his mask slips and his inner mean and angry midget reveals itself.
It's a recurrent theme. Right now he's mad at Mommy, even though Obama is no more likely to install gay marriage than Romney.
Pogo ... thank you, and you are right, I missed that nice anti-Catholic feces spew. Apparently such "slips" aren't so uncommon for Titus, who now has demonstrated he's uncomfortable with his own character, IMO. Personally, I never figured it was anyone else's business if I bedded Sally, Patty, or Fred. Except for Sally, Patty and Fred. Heterosexual I am, but never one to participate in locker room lies and conquest assertions. (Why would I tell any one that Sally or Patty were amenable to bedding when I was enjoying that singular pleasure?) Titus' denigration of Priests by referring to those that are gay (sucky sucky)tells me his really more uncomfortable with it all, personally, than he'll ever admit.
Of course, all of that is my fault, or yours, I presume. Pass the pacifier.
More on topic, I, too, believe Paul Ryan is more valuable in Congress than as VP. Yee Gawd, someone has to propose budgets now and then, given we've been going n 4 years without one officially.
I spare you may rant (may have done it before here) on just WHY the Harry Reids and Barack Obama's of this world LIKE it when there is no budget years on end. Trust me, as a prior military and prior fed, it serves their purposes, enhances their agendas ... it is like letting 6 year old boys of leash unsupervised ... the analogy I most find apt.
Dang ... my fingers are drunk or something. Really, folks I'm not that illiterate. Sorry 'bout that.
Derf said...
Two white males on the ticket? Naw!
If only there were two albinos available to run. Two really, really white minority people. Maybe they could be gay lovers too.
Ah, perfect.
Romney and Ryan. Well, better than Zero and that idiot in the clown suit, but a box of cereal would also be better. They're both adults. I think.
@Bender - they get it, I think, but know that if they say what needs to be said, they're both out in Ron Paul land.
They're both quite certainly serious about addressing America's economic mess and insane federal deficits.
How so. Ryan's disastrous budget proposals don't even balance the budget while cutting taxes even further. At the same time, he apparently also wants to throw money at the military that they don't need or want.
How he is considered anything but a hack and why anyone takes him seriously is beyond me.
He is good looking though. Which I guess is why Ann is so smitten by him.
I'm still not seeing why he's so irreplaceable in Congress. That's not a knock on him. It's knock on Congress.
So far, there are props that he's proposing budgets. Great. Now when is the Senate going to pass it and Obama sign it? When hell freezes over?
Paul Ryan is tall. I met him in person, and I am 6'5". I think Ryan is 6'3". Romney is probably 6'.
Hope you are right about Presidents. Ryan would make a great one.
@Joe, too true.
Anyway, they have decided they don't even need to pass a budget at all.
What's the point of a budget, when you are always going to outspend what you take in?
Tax, spend, print some more.
I appreciate that he feels like he needs to finish the job he started as Rep, but seriously, you don't think he could put more weight behind budget issues if he was VP?
The only reason to stay a Rep is if the GOP regains the Presidency this year, and maybe the Senate. Then he could craft something that might see the light of day. But Boehner's still Speaker.
I think a change of scenery would enable him to make more of a difference.
Now we have rainbow flags flying over encampments
Where on earth did you hear this? I call bullshit.
If you signed a Walker recall petition, Romeny won't let you in his townhall events. How
s that for brave leadership?
Titus said...
"Black fag.
The black fags today don't look like that.
They are very "ungay"-which is hot.
I like doing black guys.
I usually ask them if I can call them a nigger when we do it. They always let me. And then I go crazy. Telling them I used to own them, and the south will rise again, and that they are a black piece of shit. Worship the white hog nigger. It makes me horny
tits."
April 1, 2012 11:30 PM
Titus wrote this on another blog. He works in HR, you know.
Titus comes out swinging. Must've struck out at the gay bar. Is that possible, to strike out at a gay bar?
I think speculating about Romney's running mate is premature, makes for good copy and gets POTUS worried.
But Obama's got a commanding lead in the Badger State right?
If you were to argue that Ryan is important where he is so that the GOP maintains its House majority, then I can buy that more than the Great and Important Work he's doing now that is going nowhere. He could be da Vinci painting masterpieces for the blind, for all we know. I'd also like to see how his plans survive their first contact with reality. I'm inclined to like what he offers, but we need to see how it works before proclaiming him our Most High Economist. And he needs to be more persuasive; get some more Dems on his side. I don't care how.
Wisconsin does seem bluer to me than I thought six months ago. If Walker is recalled, then I've really misread things. Midwestern states like Illinois, Michigan, and Ohio, blue states all, have terrible economies yet their only prescription is more cowbell. I thought Wisconsin was different, but if they throw Walker out, then I was wrong.
I really think that Ryan is perfect just where he is. The numbers wonk on the budget committee. Let him do his job.
Ryan is super-smart and can look forward to a long career, but Romney is going to have to get somebody to stand on stage with him who actually has some warmth and personality by the bucket-load. Ryan is a nice fella but doesn't qualify. Rubio has numerous personal assets of the obvious sort, and is also smart enough to play Biden like a tom-tom in debates. Luscious.
Frederson ... you call whatever you want, just accept reality in Afghanistan. BTW ... the image was published in multiple newspapers, so I guess the only bullshit here is yours. Speaking of "hacks" ....
And Frederson ole boy, before you go all blathering and claiming it was photo-shopped, check it out.
Whoops, something happened to my first response to Mr Frederson suggesting my rainbow flag remark was bullshit. Here you go Freddy rainbow flag over encampment in Afghanistan.
It's too late for that, April. If this is the best we got, we're screwed.
We. Don't. Have. The. Money.
Besides, it is this idea that there is or can be a savior is what gave us Obama. Thinking of Romney as our savior is just as odiously wrong as thinking it of Obama.
What we need, what America has to have to prevent it from all crashing down is, first, someone with a spine. Someone who is willing to keep standing even with all-out thermonuclear war being rained down on them for what MUST be done. Second, we need someone radical, someone willing to not merely chop down spending, not merely to eliminate programs, but to repeal and rewrite administrative law, drastically reducing the power of bureaucrats in every agency, eliminating most of their rule-making power, as well as their investigatory power.
Romney, being business as usual, more of the same, certainly is not that kind of guy. Newt might just be radical enough to try it, but the Establishment will resist it.
So, in the end, we are screwed. Even if nothing else, income taxes will be several percentage points higher than it otherwise needs to be in order to raise the money to pay the interest on the debt. We will be paying mega-bucks in taxes in order for the government to give it to the Chinese or those wealthy enough to invest.
And for all the bitching about Obama raising the debt limit by over $2 trillion -- Ryan voted in FAVOR of raising it so much.
He voted FOR raising the debt by over $2 trillion in ONE YEAR after joining in those closed-door, back-room, secret negotiations with Obama. And then he strong-armed other Republicans into voting for it too.
My husband and I were in the overflow room to see Romney. The one comment I made during the questions & answer period was how fluent Paul Ryan is when he speaks and Mitt stumbles over his works more. I view that has Mitt has more to lose if he misspeaks than does Paul Ryan. They were bot great though and i do see Paul Ryan not stopping at Congress as he works his way though life!
Rusty -- You know nothing of what the word or means.
So, I win.
how fluent Paul Ryan is when he speaks and Mitt stumbles over his works more
You will also notice that when he is not doing a Q&A townhall, with the crowd behind him on risers just like the Obama optics, Romney is also wedded to the teleprompter, just like Obama.
Romney stumbles giving answers because all this conservativism is not natural to him, it does not come from the heart, as it does with Ryan.
Seven Machos said...
Rusty -- You know nothing of what the word or means.
So, I win.
To what are you referring, young man?
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