Romney Runs with Ryan

At least he's helping me out with my alliteration.

I've been traveling all day and visiting with my son and daughter-in-law in preparation for the imminent arrival of my first granddaughter - much more important than any politics. It put me in a unique position to be shielded from the news reports and analyses today even though I caught the first announcement of the selection of Ryan before I boarded the plane. And I had a whole day to think about it on my own.

I congratulate Governor Romney on the best choice he could have possibly made. He shores up the conservative base with someone who is more of a fiscal conservative than a social one, although Ryan certainly has the social conservative cred as well. Romney might actually win some support in Wisconsin, maybe enough for a win [in Wisconsin]. But then, he just lost Florida on the Paul Ryan budget and Medicare.

It is a bold move which is nice to see out of Romney. It's a bit of a risky move, too. Ryan is a young, popular, rising star in the Republican Party. And I mean star quality. He is as telegenic as the former Governor of Alaska. And a heck of a lot smarter, you betcha!

He will give Joe Biden a challenge on budget wonkery. But Biden doesn't need cue cards to defend Medicare and Social Security.

Most importantly, Ryan is not Palin or Perry or Bachmann or Trump or Gingrich or Cain. I still have my policy disputes and some big philosophical issues on basic principles of government of, by, and for the People. We can develop those later if you haven't already caught up with my older posts. But thank Heavens! Ryan is not a Sarah Palin "game changer."