Romney-Ryan Ticket Sets Contours For 2012 Election

Marco Rubio

"Throughout his life, Mitt Romney has made great decisions, and choosing Paul Ryan as his running mate is a truly inspired choice. I got to know Paul during my Senate campaign when he endorsed me early on when I was still considered a long shot. Paul Ryan is a courageous reformer who understands our nation's challenges, has proposed bold policy solutions to solve them, and has shown the courage to stand up to President Obama and other Washington politicians trying to tear him down. "The Romney-Ryan ticket is going to win in November because it offers the American people visionary leadership to recapture the free enterprise spirit that has empowered countless Americans to build businesses from scratch and live the American dream. I'm excited about the visionary change a Romney-Ryan team will bring to Washington, and I look forward to campaigning

Rob Portman

<blockquote> "Mitt Romney has made a great choice in Paul Ryan. He is an accomplished public servant and a leading voice on the most pressing issues facing our country. Paul is one of my best friends in Congress and someone I have worked closely with as a former colleague on the House Ways & Means Committee. "Jane and I wish Paul and Janna and their kids the very best. As the Chairman of the Romney campaign in Ohio, I look forward to working with Paul to ensure that the Romney-Ryan ticket carries Ohio and is victorious in November. Most importantly, as a member of the Senate, I look forward to working closely with a Romney-Ryan Administration to restore fiscal sanity and enact pro-growth policies to create jobs."</blockquote>

Obama for American Campaign Manager Jim Messina

<blockquote>"In naming Congressman Paul Ryan, Mitt Romney has chosen a leader of the House Republicans who shares his commitment to the flawed theory that new budget-busting tax cuts for the wealthy, while placing greater burdens on the middle class and seniors, will somehow deliver a stronger economy. The architect of the radical Republican House budget, Ryan, like Romney, proposed an additional $250,000 tax cut for millionaires, and deep cuts in education from Head Start to college aid. His plan also would end Medicare as we know it by turning it into a voucher system, shifting thousands of dollars in health care costs to seniors. As a member of Congress, Ryan rubber-stamped the reckless Bush economic policies that exploded our deficit and crashed our economy. Now the Romney-Ryan ticket would take us back by repeating the same, catastrophic mistakes."</blockquote>

Michelle Malkin

Michael Moore

Brad Woodhouse

Rachel Maddow MSNBC

mike murphy

Michael Steele

Larry Sabato

davidfrum

Charles M. Blow

Robert Reich

Nilay Patel

Mark Harris

Progressive Change Campaign Committee

The Progressive Change Campaign Committee issued the following statement: <blockquote>"Paul Ryan is a right-wing extremist who wants to end Medicare. This is a major unforced error by Mitt Romney. It gives President Obama and Democrats a chance to draw a clear contrast in 2012 by promising not to cut one penny from Medicare or Social Security benefits. If Democrats win in a landslide, this was the game changer." -- Adam Green, co-founder, Progressive Change Campaign Committee, a 1 million member grassroots organization</blockquote>

Laura Ingraham

John Kasich

Ari Fleischer

Susan B. Anthony List

The national pro-life organization released the following statement: <blockquote>"By selecting Congressman Ryan as his vice presidential running mate, Governor Romney demonstrates his commitment to protecting American women and unborn children," said Marjorie Dannenfelser, president of SBA List. "A longtime pro-life advocate and a strong fiscal conservative, Congressman Ryan has insisted that there can be no 'truce' when it comes to advancing the rights of the unborn and achieving fiscal responsibility. He has a pristine pro-life voting record and will be an asset to Governor Romney's campaign. "Pro-life voters are a key demographic and help secure victory in critical elections," continued Dannenfelser. "The addition of a second strong pro-life leader to the ticket energizes the pro-life base - we are thrilled with this pick."</blockquote>

GOProud

<blockquote>"The selection of Paul Ryan is a bold and inspired pick," said Jimmy LaSalvia, Executive Director of GOProud. "Paul Ryan has been the architect of policies that would benefit all Americans, especially gay Americans." "Paul Ryan is one of the few political leaders anywhere in the country willing to tell the American people the truth about the unprecedented budget crisis we are facing, and - more importantly - willing to put forward bold plans to put this country back on the road to fiscal solvency," continued LaSalvia.</blockquote>

Log Cabin Republicans

<blockquote>"Congressman Paul Ryan is a strong choice for vice president, and his addition to the GOP ticket will help Republican candidates up and down the ballot," said R. Clarke Cooper, Log Cabin Republicans Executive Director. "As chairman of the House Budget Committee and author of the Republican "path to prosperity" that provided the blueprint for serious spending cuts in this Congress, nobody is more qualified to articulate a conservative economic vision to restore the American economy and stimulate job creation. </blockquote>

Sen. John Cornyn (R-Texas)

Jason Chaffetz

Center For American Progress President Neera Tanden

<blockquote>"Just like Sen. John McCain's choice of Sarah Palin and George H.W. Bush's selection of Dan Quayle, Mitt Romney has been cowed by the right wing into choosing an extreme vice presidential nominee who will alienate moderate voters. It's now clearer than ever that as president, Mitt Romney would end Medicare as we know it, and will raise taxes on middle class families by more than $2,000in order to slash taxes on the wealthiest Americans. While there is a lot that can be said about Paul Ryan's extreme views, more important is what this choice says about Mitt Romney: that he is unwilling or unable to stand up to the far-right of his party and select a vice-presidential candidate that is both able to be president on day one and capable of governing by reaching across the aisle."</blockquote>

SEIU President Mary Kay Henry

<blockquote>"If there were ever any doubt that Mitt Romney is not on the side of working people, today's choice of Rep. Paul Ryan as a running mate makes it crystal clear. With this choice, Romney has shown the American people that he believes Rep. Ryan's extremist, irresponsible and anti-worker agenda is what's right for our country. "Rep. Ryan has made a name for himself by fighting in the halls of Congress for tax giveaways for the wealthy and big corporations while proposing to gut vital services like Medicare and education, and eliminating any sense of retirement security for working families. His no-holds barred record of attacking seniors, children, and working men and women is frightening for the 99 percent of Americans who are not rich -- but for Mitt Romney it was a calling card to choose him as a running mate."

NARAL Pro-Choice America President Nancy Keenan

<blockquote>"Mitt Romney's choice of Rep. Ryan as his running mate reminds us of why elections matter when it comes to our ability to make personal and private medical decisions," Keenan continued. "The outcome of the 2012 presidential election very well could determine whether abortion remains legal and accessible for the next generation of American women. Romney has pledged that taking away women's rights will be a priority for him and his choice of Ryan amplifies that promise to the extreme anti-choice backers of this ticket. My organization's priority is to make sure President Obama remains in the White House."</blockquote>

Kelly Ayotte

Herman Cain

Rick Perry

Tommy Thompson

Pete Hoekstra

Steve King

Eric Cantor

Dana Rohrabacher

Kenny Marchant

Gregg Harper

Rick Santorum

Rep. Kathy Hochul

<blockquote>"Americans deserve new ideas for how we can reduce the debt and protect our seniors and the middle class. Just one year ago, Western New York voters rejected the Ryan-Collins policies that would end Medicare as we know it and hurt middle class families while giving more tax cuts to the rich. Our country needs to move forward, not re-hash failed ideas. Given Chris Collins' ongoing support for tax cuts for the rich that add nearly $1 trillion to the deficit and his willingness to send his business to China to line his pockets, it is clear my opponent is going to continue to pursue policies and priorities that have already been rejected."</blockquote>

Sen. Lisa Murkowski

Claire McCaskill

Jim DeMint

Chris Van Hollen

Rep. Mary Bono Mack

Sam Brownback

John Shimkus

Rep. Trent Franks

Frank Pallone

Michele Bachmann

Rob Zerban

<blockquote>"Now that Paul Ryan's personal ambition has clearly trumped his interest in the First District, I have no doubt he'll find himself out of a job come November. Once Wisconsinites and voters across our country learn the truth about Ryan's radical plot to end Medicare as we know it, de-fund women's health care, and preserve tax breaks for millionaires, they'll vote against him not just once, but twice. In the coming weeks, our campaign will work with President Barack Obama and Vice President Joe Biden to continue getting the word out on Ryan's indefensible record, and building momentum to ensure victory on Election Day."</blockquote>

Scott Walker

<blockquote>"Governor Mitt Romney made a bold and reform-minded selection in Congressman Paul Ryan of Wisconsin. This election has to be about who is going to look out for the next generation. America needs a comeback team to turn around the economy and to turn around the fiscal status of our country. Romney and Ryan have the ideas and the experience needed to take on these core issues. This is a great day for Wisconsin and an even greater day for America."</blockquote>

Chuck Grassley

Michael Steele

Nikki Haley

<blockquote>WE now officially have a Dream Team of solutions: Mitt Romney/Paul Ryan! Both of these men understand its not about complaining and blaming, but producing results for the people of our great country. The race is on: Romney/Ryan vs Obama/Biden.</blockquote>

Newt Gingrich

Ralph Reed

Bobby Jindal

<blockquote> "Paul is a good friend and one of the smartest guys I served with in Congress. He has the courage of his convictions, which is what our nation needs."</blockquote>

Harry Reid

<blockquote>"By picking Representative Paul Ryan, Governor Romney has doubled down on his commitment to gut Social Security and end Medicare as we know it. Romney's choice demonstrates that catering to the Tea Party and the far-right is more important to him that standing up for the middle class. "The months ahead will provide Americans with a clear choice between the Romney-Ryan plan to gut Social Security and Medicare, and Democrats' balanced approach to deficit reduction that combines smart spending cuts with asking millionaires and billionaires to pay their fair share. Democrats in the Senate look forward to engaging in that debate."</blockquote>

Rupert Murdoch

Debbie Wasserman Schultz

<blockquote>"Today, Mitt Romney named Congressman Paul Ryan as his pick for Vice President. Congressman Ryan has been called a serious person, but he, like Mitt Romney has seriously flawed ideas for our economy that have only failed us in the past. "Congressman Ryan laid the groundwork in Congress for Mitt Romney's budget-busting scheme that gives an additional $250,000 tax cut for millionaires while punishing middle-class families with tax hikes of up to $2,000 a year. This tried and failed trickle-down economics scheme is familiar and troubling: cuts to education and other job creating initiatives, ending Medicare as we know it and saddling our seniors with the bill all to pay for more tax cuts for millionaires and billionaires. And I can say with no doubt, middle class families and seniors in my home state of Florida want no part of a Romney-Ryan economic scheme that puts millionaires ahead of Medicare and throws the middle class under the bus to give more tax breaks to the wealthy. "The American middle-class and our seniors cannot afford to go back to the failed policies of the past, and it is unconscionable to ask them to foot the bill for the Romney-Ryan scheme. A Romney-Ryan ticket is sure to take us back and repeat the same catastrophic mistakes that got us into the mess we found ourselves in in the first place."</blockquote>

Nancy Pelosi

<blockquote>"There is no question that former Governor Romney now owns the Republican, Ryan budget that puts millionaires ahead of Medicare and the middle class. Congressman Paul Ryan led House Republicans in voting to end the Medicare guarantee, which increases costs on seniors and weakens America's great middle class in order to give tax breaks to millionaires, Big Oil and corporations that ship jobs overseas. "As Democrats, we will always preserve Medicare, strengthen the middle class and work to reignite the American Dream by building ladders of opportunity for all those who work hard and play by the rules. The choice Americans are facing could not be more clear."</blockquote>

John Boehner

<blockquote>"Paul Ryan is a reformer and a proven leader who will be a great partner to Governor Romney in his efforts to get our country, and our economy, back on track. At a time when millions of Americans are still looking at President Obama's policies and asking 'where are the jobs?' Paul Ryan and Mitt Romney will focus on common sense solutions to stop Washington from spending money it doesn't have and get the federal government out of the way of small business job creators. "I'm proud to call Paul Ryan a friend, and I will do everything in my power to make sure that he and Mitt Romney - along with our entire Republican ticket - are well positioned to win in November."</blockquote>

George W. Bush

"This is a strong pick. Governor Romney is serious about confronting the long-term challenges facing America, and Paul Ryan will help him solve the difficult issues that must be addressed for future generations."

Frank Lautenberg

"The choice of Paul Ryan is an outright attack on middle class Americans. While Mitt Romney wants to raise taxes on the middle class in order to give tax breaks to the wealthy, Paul Ryan has sought for years to end Medicare as we know it. It's a one-two assault on the middle class that will close down opportunities for future generations and snatch away retirement security that people worked all their lives to build."

MoveOn.org

"Romney and Ryan are the 1% Dream Team. Rep. Paul Ryan is an extremist ideologue who wants to end Medicare, radically redistribute wealth to the top 1%, and throw America's middle class under the bus. Ryan's proposed budget would cost America more than a million jobs in less than one year. Like Romney, Ryan believes the poor and middle class should pay more so the rich can get richer. Romney's choice of Ryan is sure to energize MoveOn's more than 7 million members as we work to ensure voters know the truth about Romney and Ryan's extreme plans to demolish Medicare, raise middle class taxes to fund tax cuts for billionaires, and destroy jobs."

Kevin McCarthy

"I believe that by choosing my good friend Paul Ryan as his running mate, Mitt Romney has once again shown why he possesses the leadership and vision to get this country back on the right path. Paul has dedicated his career to promoting ideas of economic growth and fiscal responsibility. I am confident that a Romney-Ryan ticket will not only energize our party, but will energize our nation as well, further drawing a distinction between President Obama's failed record on jobs and the Romney-Ryan record of solutions. The Obama Administration has relentlessly advanced policies that have deepened our economic malaise, causing many Americans to question whether their children will have the same opportunities for success that past generations had. Under the leadership of Mitt Romney and Paul Ryan, I believe we can restore the American dream and create a brighter tomorrow."

Bob McDonnell

"Paul Ryan is a tremendous choice to serve as the Republican nominee for Vice President of the United States. In selecting a bold, innovative thinker, Mitt Romney has ensured that his campaign--and ultimately his administration--will be led by individuals with courage, determination, judgment, and wisdom. With this great announcement, America is on its way back. The Romney-Ryan team will get our fiscal house in order, our economy back on track and Americans back to work."

Mitch McConnell

"Gov. Romney showed today that he is determined to confront a host of growing crises that President Obama has ignored. Where the current President has simply refused to act, Gov. Romney has now pledged to lead. Paul Ryan is an excellent choice, and a confirmation that Gov. Romney is serious about strengthening America's economic future, tackling the deficits and debt that have skyrocketed under President Obama, and returning to a path to solvency and security. "Americans are looking for leadership that has been lacking on the most critical issues facing our country's economic future. The Romney-Ryan team can return much-needed leadership from day one and help bring real recovery to our economy, reverse the damage of the Obama economy, and take a serious approach to the Obama debt and focus on growing jobs--not the size of the government. "President Obama's term has been marked by overwhelming national debt, a first-ever downgrade of America's credit rating, high unemployment and a disappointing lack of leadership when it comes to addressing spending. It's time to change that, and Gov. Romney and Chairman Ryan will be ready on day one to give America the leadership it deserves."

American Federation of Teachers President Randi Weingarten

"Mitt Romney conceded with the selection of Rep. Paul Ryan as his running mate that this fall's election is not a referendum on President Obama. Instead, Romney cemented the fact that this presidential election is a clear choice between two vastly different visions for America's future. On one hand, the Obama/Biden ticket wants to strengthen the middle class and restore prosperity for all Americans. On the other, the Romney/Ryan ticket stands for creating more wealth for those who need it least and telling the rest of America, 'You're on your own.' "Rep. Ryan's record speaks for itself. He would reduce, not expand, real opportunities for all students to have access to high-quality public education. He would repeal the healthcare reform law that is helping millions of Americans gain access to the medical care they need. And he is the architect of the radical Republican budget scheme that would end Medicare as we know it. "Romney's selection of Rep. Ryan is a clear signal that the Republican ticket doesn't understand the needs and challenges Americans are facing right now. Not only is Romney on the wrong side of issues affecting the middle class, but now he's assembled what may be the most out-of-touch ticket in decades. The Romney/Ryan ticket is the wrong choice for hardworking middle-class Americans, working families and the future of our great nation."

Michigan Democratic Party Chair Mark Brewer

"Mitt Romney's selection of Paul Ryan, chairman of the House Budget Committee and author of the radical Republican House budget, should surprise no one. The two share an extreme ideology and commitment to slashing taxes for millionaires and billionaires, while harming middle-class families and seniors. The Ryan budget, which Romney has endorsed repeatedly, would cut education funding from pre-kindergarten to college and cost the U.S. more than 1 million jobs. In addition, Ryan has advocated for ending Medicare as we know it and privatizing Social Security, making seniors pay thousands more for health care and making their retirement less secure at the same time. "While Ryan voted in favor of the auto rescue legislation, when asked later on Fox News if the federal government should have 'bailed out the auto company,' Ryan said, 'No.' Now the Republican Party has presidential and vice presidential nominees that, if they had their druthers, would have allowed the American auto industry to die and with it hundreds of thousands of jobs."

Tammy Baldwin

"Congratulations to Paul and Janna Ryan. I know Wisconsin takes pride that one of our own has been chosen for a place on the national ticket. Paul and I went to Congress together in 1998; I consider him a friend. We have always managed to disagree without being disagreeable. We have both dedicated our lives to public service, but I am committed to building a much different road to the future. I believe that the wealthy needs to pay their fair share and that the middle class needs to get a fair shot at the American dream. Mitt Romney, Paul Ryan and all my opponents in the Senate race believe that we can move our economy forward by looking to the policies of the past that failed and got us into our fiscal mess in the first place. They all support providing budget busting tax cuts to millionaires and paying for them by increasing out of pocket health care costs for seniors, increasing the cost of higher education for students and their families, and ending Medicare as we know it for future generations. I believe that path is wrong for Wisconsin, wrong for our nation, and that we need to do what's right for the middle class."

America's Voice Executive Director Frank Sharry

"Paul Ryan voted against the DREAM Act in 2010 and voted for the infamous Sensenbrenner bill in 2005, which would have turned undocumented workers and anyone who helped them - including their priests and pastors - into felons. On the campaign trail this year, Ryan attacked President Obama for not passing the very type of immigration reform that all Republicans opposed. Ryan's opposition to the DREAM Act and immigration reform that includes a path to citizenship is especially curious given his reputation for fiscal discipline - and the array of projections from CBO and other independent analysts showing that the DREAM Act and comprehensive reform would be an economic and fiscal boon to the nation. "While Ryan's selection was far from a Romney attempt to improve the Republicans' standing with Latino voters, we can nonetheless expect to hear spin that Latino voters will respond to Ryan's small government agenda and the tenets of the Ryan budget. Yet in theOctober 2011 impreMedia/Latino Decisions tracking poll of Latino voters, by a 73%-22% margin, Latino voters opposed cutting spending on Medicare. "For those holding out hope that the VP selection would represent an indication that Romney and the Republicans are ready to start improving their immigration stance - and to start repairing their brand image among Latino voters in the process - today's selection of Paul Ryan is a troubling reinforcement of the Republican immigration status quo."

John McCain

Orrin Hatch

David Vitter

Wicker for Senate

Terry Branstad

Jared Polis

Martin O'Malley

Nikki Haley

"WE now officially have a Dream Team of solutions: Mitt Romney/Paul Ryan! Both of these men understand its not about complaining and blaming, but producing results for the people of our great country. The race is on: Romney/Ryan vs Obama/Biden."

Steny Hoyer

"I congratulate Chairman Ryan on the honor of being chosen as Gov. Romney's running mate. He and I have served together in Congress for several years, and I know he cares deeply about putting America back on a sustainable fiscal path, just as President Obama and Vice President Biden do. "However, I believe his ideas of how to do so are simply wrong for our country and will not, in fact, bring us to a solid financial footing. "Chairman Ryan's selection will make this year's presidential race an even clearer choice for voters. By placing Chairman Ryan on his ticket, Gov. Romney is making the centerpiece of his campaign the two Ryan-designed, tea-party inspired, disastrous budgets the House passed this Congress. They would end Medicare as we know it. They would ask less from those who have more and more from those who have less. Those budgets further shift the burden of deficit reduction onto the vulnerable and middle class alone, and slash funding for critical programs. "Gov. Romney's choice also represents an embrace of House Republicans' strategy of delaying action on our most pressing national challenges. We saw that when Chairman Ryan, and the two other House Republicans on the Bowles-Simpson Commission, walked away from a balanced, bi-partisan solution and voted no on the Bowles-Simpson plan. "As Americans prepare to cast their ballots this November, the priorities of Gov. Romney and Chairman Ryan are clear. At every turn, they have opted to protect the wealthiest at the expense of the middle class, while Democrats continue to propose solutions for creating jobs, putting our nation on a balanced, responsible path to reducing the deficit, and ensuring that all of our people can pursue the American Dream."

Condoleezza Rice

"Paul Ryan is a bold and inspiring choice as Governor Romney's running mate. Congressman Ryan shares the belief that American leadership is vital to a more peaceful and prosperous world. He will help to restore America at home so that we can lead again because he understands that America is an exceptional and indispensable nation on the world stage."

Elizabeth Warren

"For years now, America's working families have been getting hammered, and Mitt Romney just picked up a bigger hammer. The Ryan Budget is a plan to hit families, seniors, our kids harder--all so that millionaires and billionaires can get more tax breaks. Mitt Romney and Paul Ryan are a demolition team that will wreck our economy and leave working people and small businesses to struggle in the mess. "The choice is clear. Mitt Romney and Paul Ryan will work to make the rich and powerful, richer and more powerful. I'm standing with President Obama to work for our families, to invest in our kids, and to give our small businesses a fighting chance to succeed because I believe that's how we build a strong foundation for our future."

Ted Cruz

"In Paul Ryan, Mitt Romney has chosen a champion of fiscal sanity and a formidable advocate for policies that will get our country back on the right path. When it comes to the federal budget, we can't afford four more years of reckless, runaway spending. As the next President and Vice President of the United States, Mitt Romney and Paul Ryan will lead an administration that finally brings fiscal responsibility back to Washington."

Kelly Ayotte

"Governor Romney has made a fantastic choice in selecting Paul Ryan to be our nominee for Vice President. Mitt Romney and Paul Ryan will put America back on a path to prosperity by reforming government, enacting real deficit reduction, and overhauling the tax code to spur economic growth. America needs a Romney-Ryan administration to get our fiscal house in order and put Americans back to work."

John Bolton

"Every American and every American ally abroad should be heartened by Mitt Romney's selection of Paul Ryan as his running mate. Congressman Ryan deeply understands that American leadership in foreign policy makes for a more peaceful world and a safer, more prosperous America. And he and Governor Romney will restore our economic strength at home that is the basis of our influence abroad. For nearly four years, we have seen the dangerous conditions that are created when a president refuses to lead. Mitt Romney and Paul Ryan will restore American leadership."

Source: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/08/12/romney-ryan-2012-election_n_1769959.html

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