It's Romney-Ryan

46:35

August 13, 2012

Mitt Romney names Wisconsin's Paul Ryan as his VP running mate. We'll look at the Ryan factor.

Republican presidential candidate, former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney, right, and vice presidential running mate Rep. Paul Ryan of Wisconsin, greet the crowd during a campaign event at the Waukesha County Expo Center, Sunday, Aug. 12, 2012, in Waukesha, Wis. (AP)

It’s Romney-Ryan as the Republican ticket. Mitt Romney, businessman former governor who won the primaries but did not set the Republican faithful on fire.

Paul Ryan, the 42-year-old Wisconsin congressman who’s government-slashing “Ryan budget” is the battle hymn of the Republican right.

He’s a live wire, even as his veins – as he told a Wisconsin crowd yesterday – run with cheese and bratwurst. Democrats call him a radical extremist. And the race, we’re told, is now clarified as a big, deep choice. This hour, On Point: Romney-Ryan, Obama-Biden, and the choice.
- Tom Ashbrook

Guests

Major Garrett, White House correspondent for National Journal.

Mark Halprin, senior political analyst for Time magazine, Time.com, and MSNBC.

William Hart, Paul Ryan's former professor at Miami University in Ohio.

Congressman Brad Sherman, Democrat of California.

From Tom's Reading List

Washington Post "Mitt Romney has selected Rep. Paul Ryan of Wisconsin as his vice presidential running mate, introducing the seven-term congressman and architect of Republicans’ budget-cutting plans at a spirited rally on the deck of a battleship here Saturday morning."

National Journal ""Paul Ryan isn't a two-fer in presidential politics. He's a ten-fer. Not because it's convenient but because it's true, Ryan brings five potential advantages and five potential hazards to Mitt Romney. Unlike anyone else Romney could have picked, Ryan is multifaceted politically and genuinely memorable on the gritty substance of fiscal policy. Next to Romney, Ryan stands equally balanced between promise and peril."

Time "The left, right, center are in general agreement: Romney felt he was on a trajectory to lose a close contest and chose Ryan as a risky game-changing pick to move the frame from a referendum election on the President’s economic record to a choice election on the future of the size and scope of the federal government."

Video: Paul Ryan's Acceptance Speech

Here's Congressman Paul Ryan's full acceptance speech as Mitt Romney's VP choice:

This program aired on August 13, 2012.