October 9, 2012

Let's judge Paul Ryan.

Buzzfeed's Andrew Kaczynski put this up yesterday with the title: "Paul Ryan Gets Testy and Walks Out of Interview."



Buzzfeed has now changed the title to "Paul Ryan Gets Testy And Ends Interview," because he obviously doesn't walk out, and they've also put this up now:
The reporter knew he was already well over the allotted time for the interview when he decided to ask a weird question relating gun violence to tax cuts. Ryan responded as anyone would in such a strange situation. When you do nearly 200 interviews in a couple months, eventually you’re going to see a local reporter embarrass himself.
So... not only doesn't he walk out, he doesn't end the interview.

Maybe Kaczynski is straining to win back lefty friends after he called "handkerchief" on the Romney "cheat sheet" conspiracy theory.

Anyway, let's focus on "testy." Did Ryan get testy? Ryan speaks eloquently about guns and crime and a need to restore "civil society" to the inner cities, which prompts the reporter to ask "And you can do all that by cutting taxes? By — with a big tax cut?" It's not a terrible question, really, but it does reveal the reporter's liberal mentality. Ryan's civil society — the basis for individual "discipline" and "good character" — is "what charities and civic groups and churches do." That's standard conservative ideology, but the reporter, presumably thinking in terms of government finding ways to rebuild individual good character, leaps to the issue of tax cuts. He can't envision the private groups — charities and civic groups and churches — building civil society. He's got the "you didn't build that" attitude.

So he asks a tax question and Ryan responds as if the reporter had made the assertion implied in the question and says "Those are your words, not mine." That's abrupt. He could have said your question shows that you don't understand what civil society is and explained the deep ideological difference between conservatives and liberals, but the reporter isn't his ideological opponent. He's a reporter, supposedly asking neutral questions, and the implied argument about the role of government would need to be spelled out before it could be refuted.

It's late in the interview, and the off-camera voice says, "Thank you very much." Ryan, yanking out his microphone, says "That was kind of strange," as if the question were a complete non sequitur. And then: "Trying to stuff words in my mouth," as if it were not a question. I read this as a dominating tactic, and the reporter goes beta: "I don't know if it's strange." Ryan mellows slightly: "No, but it sounds as though you're trying to answer my question for me. That's a little odd." And the reporter meekly agrees.

Ryan could have been a bit nicer, but I liked this display of dominance in managing the reporters who are looking to get their sound bites out of him. I'm sure this reporter would have loved to show Ryan stymied by contradictory aspirations about fixing the inner cities and cutting taxes. The reporter tried to get on top and got schooled. I'm okay with that.

101 comments:

Joe Biden, America's Putin said...

Reporter = just another democrat hack.

AllenS said...

"And you can do all that by cutting taxes? By — with a big tax cut?" It's not a terrible question, really, but it does reveal the reporter's liberal mentality... your words in bold face.

It is a terrible question. Apples and oranges. Only a liberal would even think that it wasn't a terrible question.

TWM said...

The reporter looked stupid, which is not all that unusual for reporters. We just usually don't get the chance to seem them on tape.

Ryan did well. I look forward to the debate.

virgil xenophon said...

@AprilApple

^^THIS

Paul said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Joe Biden, America's Putin said...

Yet again we see that Andrew Kaczynski is a total liar with zero credibility.

Paul said...

It's great to see we have two strong alphas on the ticket.

We only had one last time.

garage mahal said...

Can't wait to see this himbo at the debate. The reason he can't explain the details of his tax plan to anyone is because he doesn't know himself.

"In what respect Charlie?"

Joe Biden, America's Putin said...

I'll bet what Ryan said never made it to the air. The dickless liberal hack "reporter" and his dickless cameraman were looking for a gotcha and they didn't get one. Fuck you - leftwing media. You are all a pack of unprofessional leftwing hacks.

Ann Althouse said...

"Only a liberal would even think that it wasn't a terrible question."

No, anyone who understands how liberals think, how ideas connect in their minds, would perceive that this is a reporter with a liberal bias asking a question that makes perfect sense to him.

The best answer for a conservative is to expose that liberal bias not to say that's a weird question. It's not weird, it's revealing.

But I'm not saying Ryan didn't see what I'm saying I see. I'm just saying he chose not to talk about that but to push the reporter off balance in a masculine dance of dominance, which is fine with me.

Ann Althouse said...

"Can't wait to see this himbo at the debate. The reason he can't explain the details of his tax plan to anyone is because he doesn't know himself."

I'm sure Ryan hopes that's what they're telling Biden in advance of the VP debate.

Joe Biden, America's Putin said...

The polls that show total distrust of the media-- Exhibit A.

One more reason America is sick to death of our collective bad faith leftwing pro-democrat corrupt unprofessional hack media.

Paul said...

"Can't wait to see this himbo at the debate. The reason he can't explain the details of his tax plan to anyone is because he doesn't know himself."

The capacity for the liberal's self delusion is truly remarkable.

This is why it was such a pleasure to watch the libs's heads explode when Romney left their god-man stunned and shuddering like a hound trying to pass a peach pit.

Fprawl said...

Looks like the Romney campaign was taping the thing from behind the camera to make sure that innocent 'cuts' and 'time constraints' didn't make Ryan appear to approve of mass murder in the streets. Which is what Liberals really think 'Tax Cuts' equals.
Weimar Republic, here we come, no matter who wins this election.

Tim said...

"That's standard conservative ideology, but the reporter, presumably thinking in terms of government finding ways to rebuild individual good character,..."

And how this malicious virus ever entered American political thought I may never know, but the sooner it is eradicated, the better off America will be.

KCFleming said...

The reporter connected restoring civil society to the inner cities with "doing it all that by cutting taxes."

A complete non sequitur. Ryan did not in any way suggest that cutting taxes led to a civil society, and did not relate the two at all because they are unrelated in his mind.

The Democrat-operative-with-video-camera never made the connection either, so is arguing in bad faith.

It was a typical Garage or Ritmo troll question, best answered with 'WTF?'

Nonapod said...

It's certainly true. I honestly can't put myself in that mindset, which is why I'm often baffled by some of those types of connections (guns and taxes) a lot of liberals seem to make. Most of my thought processes regarding these sorts of discussions are built around the concept of government being a necessary evil and of government intervention being the last resort rather than the first answer to problems.

Anonymous said...

"Can't wait to see this himbo at the debate."

You mean the debate with the empty chair with the whoopie cushion on it?

Bill said...

Ryan's typical tactic is to engage those that disagree with him and charitably show them that he understands their own arguments better than they do. He changes a lot of hearts and minds this way and it's disarmingly effective. It's not exactly alpha (or at least it's not how we usually think of alpha behavior) but it's certainly not beta either.

This was something different but like Ann, I'm okay with it. However they push back is less important than the fact that they push back.

Patrick said...

"Can't wait to see this himbo at the debate.
Garage, I — you may want to move on to another topic...

Matt Sablan said...

"The dickless liberal hack "reporter" and his dickless cameraman were looking for a gotcha and they didn't get one."

"Is this true?"

"Yes, it's true. ... this man has no dick."

garage mahal said...

" I'm sure Ryan hopes that's what they're telling Biden in advance of the VP debate."

Ryan has made his living spouting bullshit wonkery and mountain climbing lies knowing the press would never call him on it. Its all style and no substance.The minute he has to actually explain something he is stuck like chuck and throws a hissy fit like a child. Biden is going to destroy Ryan in this debate.

Anonymous said...

Good thing Plagiarizing Joe never got vetted for V.P.

Now he can lie his head off in the V.P. debates and Althouse (and her fellow baby-killing lefties) will never call him on it.

After all, why should a lefty ever be held responsible for out-right lying? It happened a long time ago, doesn't count!

Anonymous said...

"Can't wait to see this himbo at the debate. The reason he can't explain the details of his tax plan to anyone is because he doesn't know himself. "

Come on Garage. From time to time you make some pretty good points, for a liberal. This isn't one of them.

KCFleming said...

Althouse is correct in noting that liberals make such connections all the time, but they are bad faith questions, assuming ideas are related even though Ryan never said so.

It only exists as such in their minds, or else they are being disingenuous. And it's hard to tell the difference.

Ryan would be better off asking the reporter to explain the question, and then explain some more, by which time he would lose whatever thin thread he had that somehow stitched these stupid thoughts of his together.

But open hostility to the MSM as Democrat operatives is not a bad approach either.

Chip S. said...

Hard to tell if that reporter was a liberal or just a garden-variety local-tv guy who's desperately looking for the sound bite that will get him out of South Bumfuck.

By the looks of him, I'd say he's been trying and failing on that score for a while.

Nice bit of bitch-slapping, tho.

Matt Sablan said...

"Ryan has made his living spouting bullshit wonkery and mountain climbing lies knowing the press would never call him on it."
--> The press routinely calls him on "lies," unfortunately, April 2009 is within Obama's term as president.

"The minute he has to actually explain something he is stuck like chuck and throws a hissy fit like a child."
--> Did you miss Ryan v Obama during the healthcare debate where he explained you can't use the same money twice?

"Biden is going to destroy Ryan in this debate."
--> That's entirely possible. If by "is going to destroy" you mean "is going to be destroyed by."

DADvocate said...

"And you can do all that by cutting taxes? By — with a big tax cut?" It's not a terrible question, really, but it does reveal the reporter's liberal mentality.

Yes, it reveals liberal mentality, but, it is a terrible question. It is a complete non sequitur. The reporter is an idiot, which also reveals liberal mentality.

TWM said...

"Can't wait to see this himbo at the debate. The reason he can't explain the details of his tax plan to anyone is because he doesn't know himself."

Bullshit. Ryan will kill him on details. Biden's only chance is to come across as your slightly brain-damaged but funny Uncle.

Richard Dolan said...

" ...anyone who understands how liberals think, how ideas connect in their minds ..."

Yes, it was an exercise by the reporter of trying to fit everything into the preferred narrative. Obama once famously said that his biggest failing was in his role as national story-teller -- he wasn't telling the American public enough stories. He meant parables -- stories that bring out the arc of the underlying narrative, making it comprehensible for the lesser folks. Another recent example was Kristof's piece in the NYT last week, analogizing O's redistributionist policies to a kindergarten where one kid was hogging all the toys. It was silly but also revealing.

That view is a central tenet of lefties -- if you just explain it better, everyone will see how right we are! They don't get the fact that so many reject the narrative, parables and all, not because they're too dense to follow the argument but rather because they follow it too well.

Nice to see Ryan push back.

Tank said...

In an earlier thread today I commented on how Romney was not just running against Zero, but also Zero's subsidiary, the MSM.

This is a good, not so subtle, example of this, and it's heartening to see that Ryan did not allow himself to be gotcha'd.

What would the polls be if we had a neutral media? What if all of Zero's failures and scandals were front-paged every day like they do with Repubs in office?

DADvocate said...

this is a reporter with a liberal bias asking a question that makes perfect sense to him.

The voices in my head make perfect sense to me.

MayBee said...


"In what respect Charlie?"


Oh boy, do I hope they ask Biden to explain The Obama Doctrine.

That would be so genius.

edutcher said...

He kept his cool, but was a little ticked at the cheap gotcha.

Good for him.

joeshmo99 said...

Can't wait to see this himbo at the debate.

You mean the debate with the empty chair with the whoopie cushion on it?


That's Joe.

AllenS said...

WTF is a himbo? It's not in my dictionary.

Matt Sablan said...

I'm guessing it is the masculine for bimbo.

Curious George said...

"garage mahal said...
Biden is going to destroy Ryan in this debate."

Make sure to show up around here Saurday so I can mock you.

Dust Bunny Queen said...

Ryan could have been a bit nicer,

Why?

When you are dealing with morons who do NOT mean well and who are actively trying to undercut you, put words in your mouth, why should you be 'nice'.

One side gets to play by one set of rules. Act like assholes. Throw around threats and insults. And...the other side should be "nice". Screw that.

The reporter had/has an agenda and Ryan called him on it. Good for Ryan.

MayBee said...

No, anyone who understands how liberals think, how ideas connect in their minds, would perceive that this is a reporter with a liberal bias asking a question that makes perfect sense to him.

I understand how liberals think.
If this question made perfect sense to him, then he is actively trying to connect two disparate ideas together.
If you sat this reporter down, he would know that Ryan is not suggesting he "do all of that" with a big tax cut. He wants to say a tax cut will hurt the communities Ryan says he wants to help, but that is not rhetorically the same as saying he can bring about those changes *by* making a huge tax cut.

He is trying to create a gotcha, but he has crafted it poorly. Maybe he got too excited. Maybe he isn't that smart.

Maybe I just know smarter liberals, though.

DADvocate said...

Andrew Kaczynski must be related to Ted Kaczynski. He really bombed.

Shanna said...

It didn't seem testy at all, to me. He made some points which seem reasonable and then the interview ended. I don't get what the fuss is supposed to be about.

MayBee said...

Gibson: Do you agree with the Bush Doctrine?

Palin: In what respect, Charlie?

Gibson (refusing to give her a hint): What do you interpret it to be?


Fast forward four years. How awesome would it be to have Gibson ask any of the four guys on the tickets about the Obama doctrine?

The only polite response would be,
"In what respect, Charlie?"

Tank said...

What I want to see at the next debate is:

Romney, or Ryan, pull out a white hankerchief, pop it open, and blow his nose.

MayBee said...

I'm sure this reporter would have loved to show Ryan stymied by a contradictory aspirations about fixing the inner cities and cutting taxes.

But they aren't contradictory! Especially not as Ryan has laid out the problems.

Riley said...

The question seems very odd. Unrelated to the subject at hand. As if a Democrat were talking about women's access to reproductive options or the importance of affordable student loans or somesuch. And then the reporter asks "and you expect to accomplish all this by building more windmills?"

garage mahal said...

"Bullshit. Ryan will kill him on details."

I really don't think Ryan knows the details beyond the talking points. He doesn't write his budgets, Heritage does. If he is forced to explain fully the details on their tax plans, and does, it would be a first in this race.

Hagar said...

Ryan has made his living spouting bullshit wonkery and mountain climbing lies knowing the press would never call him on it. Its all style and no substance.The minute he has to actually explain something he is stuck like chuck and throws a hissy fit like a child. Biden is going to destroy Ryan in this debate.

I am again questioning whether this is the same Garage Mahal that used to be, or a moby[?] provocateur using his monicker.

The above paragraph is absolutely true, except cross out "Ryan" and write "Biden."

Anonymous said...

Remember when Obama was just elected, he did a victory lap through the Washington Post, and they were all cheering him, showing their partisan hackness...

And one guy dared to offer a substantive question to him...

And Obama patronizingly put his arm around him and basically told him, "I won. Shut up. No questions."

There's our wonderful left-wing media on display again, bitches!

I swear, if I'm ever interviewed by a reporter from a major news organization I'll just start swinging and breaking shit.

Michael K said...

That reporter got his moment of fame but I'm not sure it was the one he wanted. Garage, why not offer him a job ? Aren't you hiring these days ?

Hagar said...

My comment above will still make sense without also crossing out "Biden" and inserting "Ryan," if the press now is in a mood to start questioning the Democrat candidate as well.

See Ramirez' cartoon: "Get up. You are embarrassing us!"

MayBee said...

As if a Democrat were talking about women's access to reproductive options or the importance of affordable student loans or somesuch. And then the reporter asks "and you expect to accomplish all this by building more windmills?"

Well, in this guy's head it would be similar to saying, "and you can do all this by raising taxes on millionaires?"

But of course the liberal's answer to that wouldn't be yes, because you can't do it *by* raising taxes. You might have the funding to do things like provide "access" to contraception. But even then, there has to be a plan to do it, a program, people, regulations, etc.

Issob Morocco said...

Cut the reporter some slack, he works in Flint, Michigan.

Nathan Alexander said...

That's an interesting set of talking points you were assigned to push this time, garage.

Or did you come up with it on your own?

Either way, it should be noted that you haven't provided a single link to back up your assertion.

If it were true, it seems like you could find one example of him going into a hissy fit when asked a question about finance?

Just one?

No?

Colonel Angus said...

Biden is going to destroy Ryan in this debate.

I have to say this beats out 'There are no American tanks in Bagdahd' as one of the funnier quotes of all time.

jungatheart said...

It happened again. Ryan's syntax reminded me of Chandler Bing from 'Friends,' when he said, "Well, that was kind of strange..."

Althouse sees Ryan as seeing the logic but dodging it. My best guess is Ryan was disallowing the 'massive tax cuts' meme from progressing.

I don't understand how Romney's ideas are that different from Reagan's trickle-down, and welcome a primer.

furious_a said...

It's not that they're biased, or in the tank for Obama, or Democrat operatives with bylines...

...it's just that, as made apparent by this video, the Praetorian Media's troopers are not very good at their jobs.

...a masculine dance of dominance, which is fine with me.

1. don't blow the racial dog whistle (it's ugly).
2. don't cancel classes for a campaign stunt (it's inconvenient).
3. don't push around the lady with the camera (it's rude).
4. throw in a masculine dance number (it's hot).

TWM said...

"I really don't think Ryan knows the details beyond the talking points."

Then you know nothing of Ryan. Which really doesn't surprise me one bit.

The guy has lived and breathed budgets since he has been in Washington. He schooled Obama in the budget meetings and he will school Biden here.

You're capacity for delusion is amazing.

Scott M said...

Can't wait to see this himbo at the debate. The reason he can't explain the details of his tax plan to anyone is because he doesn't know himself.

If Ryan doesn't eviscerate Biden, the MS press will say Biden won. If Ryan does eviscerate Biden, the MS press will call him things like mean, testy, overbearing, etc, etc.

furious_a said...

Garage: I really don't think Ryan knows the details...

You're so cute, garage, I wish I had a camera.

Scott M said...

The minute he has to actually explain something he is stuck like chuck and throws a hissy fit like a child.

Right. Because that's exactly what happened when Obama chaired that summit on Obamacare.

Scott M said...

Dammit, furious...

LOL - by one minute.

X said...

Can't wait to see this himbo at the debate.

we'll finally get to find out what's more effective, P90X or retard strength.

Rusty said...

garage mahal said...
" I'm sure Ryan hopes that's what they're telling Biden in advance of the VP debate."

Ryan has made his living spouting bullshit wonkery and mountain climbing lies knowing the press would never call him on it. Its all style and no substance.The minute he has to actually explain something he is stuck like chuck and throws a hissy fit like a child.

This is irony from the guy who believes lying is a virtue.


Biden is going to destroy Ryan in this debate.


For you fragile egos sake , I hope you're right. You need a win right about now.

Rusty said...

deborah said...


I don't understand how Romney's ideas are that different from Reagan's trickle-down, and welcome a primer.



Might want to bone up on your Friedman, Hayek, or Mies. It wasn't Reagan it was those guys.

jungatheart said...

Okay, but they seem to be distancing themselves from trickle-down.

MayBee said...

Here (at about the 46 minute mark) is Obama v Ryan (part 1) at the Health Care Forum.

Ryan makes his points.
Obama says he has had more time to speak because he's president.
Then he makes his famous remark about buying auto insurance that wouldn't pay for his collision damage because he hadn't bought collision insurance.

Colonel Angus said...

Then he makes his famous remark about buying auto insurance that wouldn't pay for his collision damage because he hadn't bought collision insurance.

Mind boggling how ignorant a sitting President is about something so basic.

Mike Sigman said...

After Althouse's compleat fiasco about anyone pointing out Obama's 2004 racist speech was racist while Obama wasn't... I've become suspicious of her ability to reason san ingrained liberal thought-speak.

Yeah, Ryan was fine on that interview... the reporter should be taken out behind the woodshed and then fired for not understanding the difference between objective journalism and advocacy journalism.

MayBee said...

And here at about 8 minutes is Ryan addressing Biden and Obama with many of the critiques that are still relevant today.

At about 14:30, Obama responds, talking about Medicare Advantage.
Biden does not respond, though he has spoken prior to Ryan.

PackerBronco said...

Fast forward four years. How awesome would it be to have Gibson ask any of the four guys on the tickets about the Obama doctrine?

The only polite response would be,
"In what respect, Charlie?"


Geez even I know the Obama Doctrine. "Keep apologizing until the world starts being nice to us."

The Dark Lord said...

Garage ... maybe you should look into Ryans resume ... you'd note the degree in economics ... even if Heritage did write his budget (which they didn't) you can be darn sure he knows alot more about it than JOE BIDEN ... and he certainly knows more about ObamaCare than Biden ...

Colorado Wellington said...

A liberal hack Andrew Kaczynski reporting how a liberal hack Terry Camp beclowned himself is what passes for news these days.

Sigivald said...

[...] but the reporter isn't his ideological opponent. He's a reporter, supposedly asking neutral questions [...]

Well, the reporter isn't supposed to be that, and he's only supposedly asking neutral questions.

In his defense, he probably doesn't realize he's not being neutral or particularly ideologically opposed... but he still is.

In fact, if he realized it, he'd probably be better at actually being neutral.

Know thyself and all that.

MayBee said...

Ha, Packer Bronco!

Something that jumps out at me upon re-watching Ryan and Obama at the healthcare summit is this:

In response to Ryan, Obama says the government has to dictate what kinds of policies people can have because otherwise they will buy insurance thinking it covers something, and then when their kid gets sick they will find out they aren't covered.

But look how the Obama administration used that power, once he made the argument hiding behind sick children. He used it to force everyone to have coverage for free women's contraception, and free breast pumps. (that allowed him to begin the war on women campaign).

Utterly shameless, no?

MayBee said...

That shamelessness is an excellent example of why conservatives fear giving government power even when it is cloaked in arguments about good intentions.

Patrick said...

If he is forced to explain fully the details on their tax plans, and does, it would be a first in this race.

For The President, yeah. And look how that turned out...

The clothes have no emperor.

Fatherofsix said...

The demise of American media is sad, pitiful, and frightening. Where does one turn to get unbiased truth? The media giants of the past would surely be angered and embarrassed by the conduct of their current day off-spring. The scary part is that the stunning incompetence of of a sitting President is disguised by a left leaning media, to the rapidly accelerating detriment of our country and all of the American citizenry, including the liberals.

Segesta said...

Biden will do very well in the upcoming debate, simply because he is unmoored from reality. So he can and will say all sorts of nonsense with a straight face, and the Democratic base will eat it up.

The befuddled look of "what is this clown even talking about?" on Ryan's face will be gleefully interpreted by the media as Deer In The Headlights.

Segesta said...

Biden will do very well in the upcoming debate, simply because he is unmoored from reality. So he can and will say all sorts of nonsense with a straight face, and the Democratic base will eat it up.

The befuddled look of "what is this clown even talking about?" on Ryan's face will be gleefully interpreted by the media as Deer In The Headlights.

Colorado Wellington said...

"... anyone who understands how liberals think, how ideas connect in their minds ..."

I like your anthropological approach, Ann.

Methadras said...

First of all, that interview went much much longer then the little snippet we've seen. The little affiliate station clearly edited and parsed together this little bit of kabuki and made it look like Ryan got testy. Instead, what you see him do is look right through the little simpleton interview and recognizes right away that he's a moron and is slightly indignant, but he's calm and cool and projecting leadership. Classic Ryan, which is why i've been a fan of his for a long time.

Scott M said...

Politics ends at the troposphere. Baumgartner's balloon is being inflated.

Scott M said...

...and then the wind kicks up and they call it.

Methadras said...

garage mahal said...

Can't wait to see this himbo at the debate. The reason he can't explain the details of his tax plan to anyone is because he doesn't know himself.

"In what respect Charlie?"


Are you that unerringly stupid? Yeah, yeah you are. A fucking monkey knows more than you do, trog.

hombre said...

Ryan was reserved in the face of a stupid, biased question.

bgates said...

It is a terrible question. Apples and oranges.

AllenS is right. Imagine asking Obama, "So you want to improve our image in the Arab world - and your plan to do that is to raise the tax rate on capital gains? How will making school children eat fewer calories help to integrate gays into the military? Does increasing the use of solar power really advance the cause of eliminating bullying?"

These are stupid questions, and they can be taken seriously only by stupid people.

PaulV said...

MayBee, Krautheimer said that he had several different versions of the "Bush Doctrine"

RebeccaH said...

Why should Ryan (or Romney, for that matter) be "nicer" to biased reporters who are clearly out to get him? I think the way Ryan handled it was completely appropriate, and might make the next Democratic hack think twice.

bgates said...

Then he makes his famous remark about buying auto insurance that wouldn't pay for his collision damage because he hadn't bought collision insurance.
...
In response to Ryan, Obama says the government has to dictate what kinds of policies people can have because otherwise they will buy insurance thinking it covers something, and then when their kid gets sick they will find out they aren't covered.

And it was to illustrate how having government-imposed minimum coverage standards will eliminate the problem of people buying insurance that doesn't cover what they think it does that he told the story about the time he didn't have collision insurance because his auto policy only met the minimum government-imposed coverage standards rather than covering what he thought it did.

furious_a said...

The demise of American media is sad, pitiful, and frightening. Where does one turn to get unbiased truth?

Had to sign up for internet service so that I could learn about the Benghazi fiasco from the British press. Now I have to learn Spanish to that I can follow the 'Fast and Furious' coverage on Univision.

Mike (MJB Wolf) said...

Garage: Even for you, these are lazy and unworkable assertions. You may want to review the budget meeting when Ryan ran circles intellectually around Obama. That only happened because Ryan is smarter than your messiah. Better get used to seeing him run circles around this gang! I know people who know Ryan well and he's a very smart man, able to discuss the budget and related issues with painstaking detail. To smear him, like you do every non-progressive, is par for the GM course. But the evidence is so stacked against your agitprop that its laughable. Ha!

wildswan said...

Here's Ryan on his Roadmap to the future. For anyone who wonders how articulate Ryan is. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WifAyJioxQU

And there is also this site for anyone who wants to know the details of Ryan's plan. http://roadmap.republicans.budget.house.gov/

I think Biden is going to have a lot of trouble - he himself has said the last four years buried the middle class; he opposed the mission to kill Bin Laden. Plus if you put in the President's statements about how the private sector is doing well. Throw in the President of the United States concentrating on an imaginary threat to Big Bird when The President's Secretary of State lowered security in Benghazi for his own Ambassador who was then killed. And the President of the United States making his case to the viewers of Nickelodeon and to the multimillionaires of Hollywood. I mean there's a lot of baggage there. Challenges on all these gaffes are so new they will be interesting.

Here's a Biden classic:
"If we do everything right, if we do it with absolute certainty, there's still a 30% chance we're going to get it wrong." --Joe Biden, speaking to members of the House Democratic caucus who were gathered in Williamsburg, Va., for their annual retreat, Feb. 6, 2009

wildswan said...

Here's Ryan on his Roadmap to the future. For anyone who wonders how articulate Ryan is. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WifAyJioxQU

And there is also this site for anyone who wants to know the details of Ryan's plan. http://roadmap.republicans.budget.house.gov/

I think Biden is going to have a lot of trouble - he himself has said the last four years buried the middle class; he opposed the mission to kill Bin Laden. Plus if you put in the President's statements about how the private sector is doing well. Throw in the President of the United States concentrating on an imaginary threat to Big Bird when The President's Secretary of State lowered security in Benghazi for his own Ambassador who was then killed. And the President of the United States making his case to the viewers of Nickelodeon and to the multimillionaires of Hollywood. I mean there's a lot of baggage there. Challenges on all these gaffes are so new they will be interesting.

Here's a Biden classic:
"If we do everything right, if we do it with absolute certainty, there's still a 30% chance we're going to get it wrong." --Joe Biden, speaking to members of the House Democratic caucus who were gathered in Williamsburg, Va., for their annual retreat, Feb. 6, 2009

Lyle said...

Paul Ryan is awesome.

JackOfClubs said...

"but the reporter isn't his ideological opponent"

If only this were true!

Rusty said...

deborah said...
Okay, but they seem to be distancing themselves from trickle-down.

They can't. It's how it works. Like gravity. Ryan and Romney know this.

Rusty said...

deborah said...
Okay, but they seem to be distancing themselves from trickle-down.

They can't. It's how it works. Like gravity. Ryan and Romney know this.

Humperdink said...

I just love to hear libs mocking the trickle down theory. What are the other choices?

Trickle up from the poor? Trickle sideways by taking it from one taxpayer and bestowing it upon another? Macroeconomics must be a foreign subject to these morons.

1775OGG said...

OK, what happened at about the 27-28 second mark? Ryan's voice got cut or "interrupted" somehow. Is this now a MSM audio editing gate issue?

Other than that, Ryan handled himself well and the "reporter" failed to be build his case for whatever he "thought" Obama wanted him to say! They might have to refund their billing for this attempted Obama ad.

DEEBEE said...

Point taken about RYan could have been nicer. But so could the reporter. IMO the segue from Guns to Tax cuts and the tone was unecessarily confrontational.

cubanbob said...

If nothing else the fact that Biden and Ryan are the respective candidates is sufficient to decide who is the better presidential candidate. Court jester vs policy wonk. Can anyone seriously believe for a nano second the buffoon whose role up to now has been Obama's life insurance policy, a role he has played admirably, is a replacement president? Ryan on the other hand is a serious candidate for the role of replacement president, whether or not you agree with his positions.

Poor Plugs, he just had the rug pulled out from under him. His role has just been changed to make him look like he isn't a total idiot. No wonder he has been under wrap for a week, he is having an emergency brain transplant. If it works, it will truly be a medical miracle, transplanting a brain in to grin loosely connected to a body.