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Longtime neighbor of Paul Ryan's family reflects on lifetime friendship and his rise to vice presidential candidate
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From the house lord of the campaign trail we have watched the rise of representative Paul Ryan.
But what was the vice president -- -- like before he ended up in the Washington spotlight we went to his hometown of Janesville Wisconsin to find out.
We spoke with -- -- family friend and neighbor Jim Thorpe.
Good to -- you so you know Carson Paul Ryan.
Yes -- you know I'm.
Pretty much on his whole life how -- you know -- you know.
Well he grew up right across the street.
From our home and his home -- legacy and cross the street from one another -- don't simply is yes and all of the kids and and our youngest son time is Paul's -- in there and good friends and always have been all of their lives say announces -- talents at Cadillac well down.
And you know when as soon as old as soon as they roll up to go across the street.
So but I've known him forever.
You know in my neighborhood that some of the kids so when you re on to things like -- windows and things like that than it a couple of eggs and stuff like.
All -- neck and I can't.
Not really but I'm there on time.
They -- -- pat Neal last one and -- some of those things I'm sure they weren't perfect but there were very good kids.
Let's had to think that he would be -- and anyway we we we talk to people here and then that.
You know he did so well in high school and had and -- so successfully -- activities like some of the rest of us might have been true.
Out what about that what will -- -- -- -- about what is going -- Well he's always been a very serious -- -- has been very friendly.
Quite frankly he's really has never changed and like I say to a lot of people what you see is what you get he's always been the same person.
We surprised when -- had run for congress.
Not really.
Actually we had been.
And our son and his son time his friend lives in Washington DC also in this is before you decided to run for congress.
We're out there whenever -- -- having dinner one night and he asked me.
What I would think about is running for congress and I thought that was great -- encouraged him.
I did feel compelled to ask him why he was running I thought I knew the answer but I really want to hear it.
And I asked him and he essentially said to explain to me that it was the policy aspects of things.
Then -- always been generous today and they need to be more effective actually been in office with the respect any policy making decisions.
So that's why you run and it's never been the politics of things and I believe that's true today.
He's awfully young management twenty showed that the time to do think you know you know want to wait a couple years he's always been -- very mature person I have time.
He wasn't too young.
So -- so -- take you weren't surprised -- when he won Bono no I was not surprised at all that he went although it was his first racing you never know.
And it's a tough district yes -- -- this is not consider Republican district that's correct.
So how -- why does he keep -- elected.
I think this just Paul I think a lot of people respect -- they know that.
But they have what they hear from them is the truth and he's not gonna captured sugar coat anything and he deals very well with people and he's just a very likeable and competent capable young man and I think -- electric realize that.
You know Paul's wife and children.
This.
She'd be she'd -- she came they came back here she's not she's from Oklahoma he's she's not a bad native she's had brain.
But she's she's coming along to Carolina -- and give your Syracuse difference until we -- analog that far.
I'm missing over the choose him and that's a good idea and they -- I didn't let us see whether she could do for the election.
About a siblings know them.
Yes -- is two Brothers and a sister they're all very very capable very nice people did you know his father yes.
-- here's a lawyers well -- us very very nice very very reserved guy.
Very highly respected.
They're just he just simply ninth -- point -- -- He's in his mid fifties and listening and it wasn't -- didn't call for fine him for tiger and I'm.
Paula sixteen years old I believe when -- when his -- day and then he found a meaningless home along with them and those -- very.
Not a good experience tougher -- -- very tough.
I know that the rest of chemists and he's been sort of have the rock and the family over this even noise at least youngest child.
He has he is the youngest and he's he is Iraq and the family I think that's acrid.
But I would never wrote -- under his community and his siblings there it's -- -- family.
So what do you expect to get -- when.
Well biggest Channel Tunnel so -- -- -- thank.
It's tough race I think that there's a clear choice to be made and I think probably that's going to be defined.
More than it ever has been and so is not going to be a matter of personalities it's going to be a matter I think of choice of basic political direction for the next generation.
Think this way I look at it.
Think this is gonna change that -- -- This race no not at all not at all -- -- it back.
Paul's always been Paul and yours -- -- meaning he may become.
No more sophisticated more experienced and whatever but it isn't gonna change -- -- -- -- -- very much is like a son.
Nice to see you and -- -- -- don't think.
