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Thursday, August 9, 2012

Wall Street Journal Editorial Praises Ryan for No. 2 Spot

By GERRY MULLANY

The Wall Street Journal editorial page, a leading forum of conservative thought, had high praise Thursday for Representative Paul Ryan as Mitt Romney‘s possible running mate, citing his determination to curb entitlement spending. The editorial said that Mr. Ryan, the chairman of the House Budget Committee, had taken on entitlement spending “against the advice of every Beltway bedwetter” concerned about the implications of such a cause.

“The case for Mr. Ryan is that he best exemplifies the nature and stakes of this election. More than any other politician, the House Budget Chairman has defined those stakes well as a generational choice about the role of government and whether America will once again become a growth economy or sink into interest-group dominated decline.

Against the advice of every Beltway bedwetter, he has put entitlement reform at the center of the public agenda-before it becomes a crisis that requires savage cuts. And he has done so as part of a larger vision that stresses tax reform for faster growth, spending restraint to prevent a Greek-like budget fate, and a Jack Kemp-like belief in opportunity for all. He represents the GOP's new generation of reformers that includes such Governors as Louisiana's Bobby Jindal and New Jersey's Chris Christie.”

The editorial also praised another lawmaker considered high on Mr. Romney's list, Senator Rob Portman of Ohio, but noted his ties to the Bush administration during a time of growing deficits in cautioning against his selection.

“His biggest liability is his association with the Bush Administration. Many voters still blame President Bush for our current economic troubles, and the Obama campaign would use Mr. Portman to reinforce its claim that Mr. Romney is Bush 2.0.”

The editorial also said that former Minnesota Gov. Tim Pawlenty would be a “sa fe, mature choice” whose working-class roots could counterbalance “the stereotype of Mr. Romney as too rich and disconnected to average concerns.”

 

The editorial comes as Mr. Ryan is drawing more accolades from conservatives as part of what some see as a movement by them to push Mr. Romney in the direction of selecting the Wisconsin congressman for the ticket.