Fox News
Expand
Browse All Video
Watch Live

You're watching...

Is Ryan an asset or liability to Romney's campaign?

Details

  • Description

    GOP ticket has its Republican doubters

  • Duration 6:22
  • Date

Clips

Also in this playlist...

Latest Politics

Auto-advance: ON

Auto-advance
View All

Transcript

This transcript is automatically generated

Welcome to The Journal Editorial Report I'm Paul if you go well that didn't take long within hours of Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney -- Wisconsin congressman Paul Ryan.

As his running mate so called GOP professionals.

Began a fret over the choice according to the beltway website political reaction.

From Republican strategist and campaign operatives range from quote gnawing apprehension to hair on fire anger.

Former George Bush advisor Mark McKinnon was one of the few to go on the record saying I think it's a very bold choice and an exciting and interesting pick.

It's -- elevate the campaign into a debate over big ideas it means Romney Ryan can run on principles.

And -- -- some real direction and vision for the Republican Party.

And probably lose maybe big.

Joining the panel this week Wall Street Journal -- and editorial page editor James Freeman editorial board member Joseph Rego.

And Washington columnist Kim Straus also Kim I wanna get to the worry warts in the GO PN in a minute.

But first that's been a week since the Ryan pick.

How's it going so far.

It's going great for them -- mean they have this is exactly what mr.

Romney wanted to deal.

He had up until this point been running a referendum campaign against Barack Obama.

-- him every day with these things that are real liabilities for the president the jobs numbers the economy.

All the things -- people don't like about his administration's apartment he wasn't winning on that so the idea here was to go big.

Make a big contrast by providing a real choice.

And so far the amount of attention they've got that -- is clearly playing out for them and an offer them a lot of opportunities going ahead -- One of the worries by some Republicans was that -- Paul Ryan all right we'd always a policy wonk he's a detailed guy he gets in the weeds and that's not the kind of it's.

Stump speech them let's doesn't make a good stump speech that sort of thing.

How was he doing at handling the larger themes of the campaign and serving as a as a as I an attacker of President Obama.

-- the real reason Paul Ryan is the success he is is because he is excellent at explaining those big things this is why he's one.

In his district back in a competitive district of Wisconsin over and over.

He can talk about entitlement reform he can talk about fiscal issues he can talk about tax policy and tax reform.

And that is clearly -- -- roll over this past week for the campaign to go out there and make the big -- and say to people look you don't need to fearing these changes we're in a big.

Issue problem here and and these -- the plans -- we have to make it better.

Does -- -- given Mitt Romney some energy he's better on the stump it seems to me at least just watching him in the last few days more passionate more engaged seems really.

I'm more confident -- And I got us back put so much.

And the same can be said of his voters you you look at all the enthusiasm narrate in terms of energizing the Republican base I think you're.

There's an argument that Barack Obama was already doing but I think what you see with Ryan is a chance to turn -- some voters -- real -- Angeles and I think you also have.

For independents remember they -- There is upset about the economy and mr.

almost as upset about it and mr.

Obama's performance as the people who were already identifying themselves as Romney voters so.

Paul Ryan talking about growth talking about.

Economic progress -- I think it's a good message what's the what's that.

Democratic line of attack going to be -- It's it's going to be that he's heartless.

That he.

Is pitting told -- with autism against millionaires and billionaires because of that reductions in the budget right exactly but that the thing is it it throws off the democratic game plan they thought.

Romney was gonna -- to some.

Boring old guy.

And -- and I take offense at that.

I.

United States if they were -- they were gonna run about on.

You know Mitt Romney the millionaire and that he killed somebody's -- or not and now that now they're now they're pretty -- -- -- to.

Make an argument really on the direction of the country.

It does seem to have changed that the debate and set the Democrats -- -- game.

A little bit -- although they're gonna still come back I assume with us -- cut spending cuts spending cuts campaign.

Is there a danger here that -- that Ryan and Romney will fall into the austerity trap and that instead of pushing growth.

They'll talk as is James stressed they'll talk about -- -- spending cuts and shrinking the government and so on which for a lot of these swing voters that James mentioned.

That's not the message that they want to hear what they want to hear is how where you -- and improve my life my circumstances and give me more opportunity.

Yet and that is exactly what the Democrats are gonna try to do -- they're gonna present them as the downer campaign guys you just wanna take everything away from you there's no upside.

-- you some mr.

Ryan in particular begin to address this is weakening is start talking about growth may be airing -- -- look.

People and he actually addresses of people are gonna focus on.

The cut so that we have proposed but the important thing as we are fundamentally first and foremost here too.

Improve the economy make sure you -- jobs get revenues up and if we can do that.

Then some of these cuts of more manageable we need to focus on that person that that is a message they need to stress more.

Is what about these Republicans.

-- -- with one what is of these a beltway sources we should say you know these are people who you know play conventional politics -- -- in the way and yeah.

I think they'll come around -- and you look at the enthusiasm and and I think people will start to appreciate that what this Romney has said would this pick is that he's serious about governing.

And about improving the country he's not -- just trying to win because he's the other guy and Obama's done a terrible job he's saying.

We're gonna turn away from the cliff we're gonna talk about growth we're gonna talk about reviving American and rejecting this new normal idea and I think that is gonna have broad appeal beyond.

Conservatives.

What are you hearing Joseph from your sources offenses are a lot of anxiety among Republicans or is this just sort of a Washington -- Look it's it's definitely a Washington phenomenon that does.

The issue is.

Why you government we wanna do Jackson wanna fix the problem -- -- you just want a string them from along for for years since he's I don't -- the debate engaging directly that's what -- trying to do solve problems and and if you know that's what election should be about that that.

Load More