Too good not to share. Jon Chait at NYMag raises the question, “Since When Did Paul Ryan Become A Liar?”
… Ryan’s Tampa speech, while pretty dishonest, was not especially so by Ryan’s standards. Here you can see why Ryan must view the sudden attack of the truth squad so bewilderingly. Ryan has been saying things like this, and worse, all along. The bit where he sadly shakes his head and blames President Obama for the failure of the Bowles-Simpson deficit commission that Ryan killed himself has been a staple of the Ryan shtick for two years. Reporters usually bat their eyes and coo sympathetically. Now it has become evidence of his duplicity.
Ryan seems to have fallen victim to circumstances he didn’t quite foresee. The Romney campaign has spent the last several weeks practically daring the national press corps to call out its lies. Well beyond the usual exaggerations of a national campaign, Romney has built its entire message around two accusations — “you didn’t build that” and “just send them a check” — that are obviously false. A day before Ryan’s speech, a Romney adviser told reporters, “We’re not going to let our campaign be dictated by fact-checkers.” The media that had spent the last two and a half years nuzzling gently in Ryan’s lap had been prodded with sharp sticks and reacted in the predictable fashion, though probably not predictable to Ryan himself.
The thing about Ryan is that he has always resided in a counter-factual universe. He is a product of the hermetically sealed right-wing subculture. Many of the facts taken for granted by mainstream economists have never penetrated his brain. Ryan burst onto the national scene with a dense, fact-laden attack on the financing of Obama’s health-care bill that was essentially a series of hallucinations, pseudo-facts cooked up and recirculated by conservative apparatchiks who didn’t know what they were talking about or didn’t care. His big-think speeches reflect the influence of fact-free conservatives and collapse under scrutiny.
During the last couple of years, Ryan took his act to the big city, expanding beyond his Washington conservative movement base and pitching himself to a broader audience as a straight-talking avatar of fiscal responsibility. That he managed to pull off the feat was completely incredible….
Apart from applauding the much-deserved downfall of our enemies, and awaiting the latest updates from our team in Charlotte, what’s on today’s agenda?
danielx
What’s incredible is Chait regarding this feat as incredible. It’s no more incredible than Newt Gingrich or Rick Santorum (or for that matter Rick Perry) being regarded as serious candidates for the presidency – which they were, not more than a couple of months ago. It’s not news that Republican voters and Villager pundits take complete horseshit seriously.
But Paul Ryan is still a Very Serious Person, just ask David Brooks.
hep kitty
No, no, no, no, no.
The NYT did NOT equate Michelle and Obama’s early married life struggles with Mitt and Ann’s tuna fish dinner lies.
No, they did NOT.
And CSPAN, honestly, bite me. Get those fucking republicans off the line for now.
giltay
Meanwhile, in Canada, the Parti Québécois won in the Québec provincial election, then someone shot two people at their victory rally and tried to set the place on fire. He was arrested immediately, while shouting, “Les anglais se reveillient! [The English are awakening!]”
brantl
It’s going to be interesting to see how the RMoney campaign reacts, if they are actually called out on the bullshit.
Baud
The first night of the DNC was so partisan and biased. All those speakers supporting Obama, and not a single one making the case for Mitt Romney.
kay
Ryan repeating the Medicare lie should have clued them in, and Ryan repeated the Medicare lie all thru the 2010 midterms.
Karl Rove inventing and selling that lie in the 2010 midterms is one thing.
The (alleged) intellectual powerhouse of the libertarian-Republican alliance repeating the lie like a parrot is quite another.
The Medicare lie was the tell that he’s full of shit. As usual, they’re 2 years behind people who ACTUALLY listen.
mai naem
@hep kitty: I haven’t listened to CSPAN callers in a while but, seriously, both sides do it. They get these obviously planned calls. I used to hear then during the Clinton/Bush years. The tip off is when you get the “I’ve been a Republican/Democrat for 35 years and Bush/Clinton is the reason I am no longer Republican/Democrat. So utterly fake. And,they always call on the independent line.
Paul
Yesterday, Ryan said there was no debt clock at the DNC. He claimed this is because Obama had run up the debt and didn’t care about our debt.
This from Mr Ryan who helped cause the debt all by himself. Ryan voted for the unpaid and costly Iraq war, he voted for massive unpaid tax cuts and he voted for the expensive and still unpaid Medicare bill.
He is the poster boy for the borrow and spend Republicans. He spent money like a drunken sailor between 2000-2008, and now pretends he is a fiscally conservative who cares about our debt. The guy should be ridiculed.
Ash Can
@brantl: They have been called out, on occasion, and the strategy has been to deny and/or ignore and/or obfuscate and/or double down (see for e.g. Ryan getting caught on his marathon whopper).
MattF
It’s good to see some facts about Ryan coming to light, but Chait still doesn’t quite get the picture. Ryan is a con artist. His “Who, me?” reaction is exactly what one would expect.
One thing to note is that it’s not all con artists in the Republican party– there’s the Coward Caucus, the Dazed and Confused Bloc and there are a few who are genuinely nuts.
The Ancient Randonneur
RobeMe/Lyin’ 2012: The Mayans Were Right.
I gotta tell ya, after the Deval Patrick and FLOTUS speeches, Bill and Barry better bring their A Game. Tonight will be interesting as expectations are off the charts right now. If any two people can do it, it will be these two guys.
It really was nice to see the Democrats openly and proudly supporting repeal of DADT, marriage equality, reproductive health care rights, equal pay for the same work, and most especially owning Obamacare. It has probably been noted in an earlier thread but I doubt it was an accident that the woman who introduced Michelle Obama has fours kids who’ve served in the military and hoped ger fifth would also choose to serve, unlike a certain candidate of the privileged class who has five sons who chose NOT to serve. OFA is taking RobMe?Lyin’ 2012 to the woodshed by hitting the GOP where they live. So just sign me up as an unabashed Obamabot. I love a fighter. Fvck all the civility and cordiality in campaigning. Eviscerate the motherfvckers, then be gracious after you win. We’re right and they’re wrong.
Mike Dixon
This is from 2011, but still.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YD0lh1Zj81I
As he marched with other politicians in the Janesville Labor Day parade, the congressman was confronted by Wisconsin workers who were struggling with high unemployment and bleak prospects. A man was videotaped asking what his representative planned to do to aid Ryan’s unemployed constituents.
“So what should I have to work for to get a job?” the man asked. “Should I have to work the same wages as in China? Should I have to work for $1 an hour?”
Ryan tried to brush his questioner off. But when the man persisted, Ryan said, “C’mon, we’re all here to have a good time.”
When he was reminded that it was Labor Day, which would seem to be an appropriate time to discuss unemployment and the condition of workers, Ryan finally offered something:
“Would you like some candy?” Ryan asked. “Would you like a Packer-Badger schedule?”
http://www.opednews.com/articles/1/Paul-Ryan-s-Labor-Day-Prom-by-John-Nichols-120903-369.html
Same thing a month ago at the Iowa state fair “Come on, I’m just here trying to enjoy the fair.” AND GIVE A BULLSHIT CAMPAIGN SPEECH.
The Ancient Randonneur
@Baud:
I know you are joking but the woman who lead the prayer after FLOTUS spoke did in fact pray for Romney and Obama.
PurpleGirl
Last night I said I didn’t know who Kal Penn was. I looked him up this morning… I’ve seen him on House. In fact the seasons when he was a cast member are the seasons I’ve watched most.
Cassidy
I feel horrible for missing the speeches last night. I caught some bits and pieces, but the kids mutinied and wanted to watch America’s Got Talent and my laptop is being repaired so I couldn’t watch the live stream. Oh well.
Kirbster
I would love to see the weasel-words “misspoke” and “mischaracterized” banished from political language, and “told a brazen, shameless lie” substituted. I’m willing to bet that Republicans would be hurt more by this change than Democrats.
raven
@PurpleGirl: Check out The Namesake.
hep kitty
@mai naem: yup! I hear the same thing with Obama. Not only that, some of them talk like they are going to vote for Romney. Sure.
hep kitty
@Cassidy: I think CSPAN.org would have all of it
J.
Speaking of Mr. Paul Lyin’, I received this gem of a comment on a blog post re how to keep the candidates honest during the debates:
The truly scary thing is, I probably know this person.
Cassidy
@hep kitty: Yeah, I’m sure I can watch it later. I just hated that my only connection was the comments section from last night.
MikeBoyScout
Today’s agenda?
Why it is talking with everybody about how proud Michelle made every American last night and how will they help support the reelection of her husband and OUR president.
What else could I do?
Mark S.
Anyone who looks at the implications of the Ryan Budget and isn’t horrified is either an idiot (like David Brooks) or a sociopath. I’m not even talking about VoucherCare; I’m talking about the fact that people like Mitt Romney would pay less than 1% in taxes. In what sane universe is that remotely fair?
John S.
@J.:
That’s an interesting writing style, sort of like imbecilic pentameter or something. Let me give it a swirl…
America is a Christian nation. Fact.
Wow, that totally works!
Paul
@Mark S.:
A poll yesterday had Romney leading in Florida by 48-47. I guess a lot of seniors don’t mind voucher care. And if they think they are going to get exempt from it, they are delusional.
mai naem
@Paul: Floriduh also voted in a governor who was the CEO of the healthcare co. which settled with the Feds for the largest medicare fraud case ever. I have no idea what Floriduh contributes to this country – I wish it would just break off and become part of Cuba or something. I am sure it’s a federal dollar sucker not contributor. You get New Yawkers who get residency there to save on taxes. Really, just it contributes nothing.
hep kitty
My understanding is that the Romney campaign is not giving the press the kind of access they are used to. This might be part of the reason they are acting like real journalists.
sm*t cl*de
Ryan getting caught on his marathon whopper
Waiting now for the mountain-climbing crowd to check the peak registries in Colorado and see how many of their mountains he has *actually* been to the top of.
hep kitty
@J.:
I’m guessing they did not catch that Brit Hume interview cuz he “hasn’t run the numbers.” How do you know the facts about a budget when the author of said budget don’t have no numbers?
Why isn’t that considered a gaffe, srsly?
Cassidy
@mai naem: You’d be surprised at how important Florida is to current trade, but it’s cool. I get it. I don’t like Scott, either. As for becoming part of Cuba, I will happily take universal health coverage in exchange for you guys keeping your pasty white, dumbass, teabaggin, non-driving dipshits. Fair? Suddenly your state won’t be much better if you have to deal with your own rubes.
bemused
Rep. Chip Cravaack campaign strategy: Announce meet & greets at last minute so only supporters attend.
This morning I read a small item on the front page of a local right leaning newspaper that Cravaack had a Q&A in Virginia, MN accompanied by a photo. The caption says Cravaack “answers questions from a group of supporters Tuesday evening during an election rally in Virginia”. News to me and evidently a large portion of his constituents. I signed up for Cravaack email notices but have yet to receive one. I checked his facebook and so far there is nothing about this rally or a few other recent appearances.
MN blog, Bluestem Prairie wrote a few days ago Cravaack was in Two Harbors, MN on Aug. 29 to talk about mining and EPA regulations and had a last minute “meet and greet”. The Duluth News Tribune Capitol Chatter wrote that the paper “learned about the Two Harbors evening appearance because a supporter called to inform the newspaper late in the afternoon, saying he had heard people grumble about Cravaack not spending time in the region talking to the public about issues”. Doh! The reporter noted Cravaack’s website and facebook posted no event information. The paper posted information at 4:11 for the 6:30 pm meet and greet event.
Chip also appeared in a parade in Nimrod, MN, town of 69 people. Yes, the town’s name really is Nimrod. There is a photo of Chip standing in front of the Nimrod highway sign which I thought was rather special. Also from Bluestem Prairie.
Ronzoni Rigatoni
@mai naem: Well, FL wouldn’t lean GOP if we weren’t over-run by rich folx from elsewhere who can afford a 2nd home as their “primary residence” to avoid income taxes in their “home states.” Here in Manatee County, which, through some “glitch” in the redistricting process, is merged with Sarasota County, which houses an overwhelming number of these assholes (Dist. 13), our Congressional critters are inevitably mountebanks, liars and outright crooks. But we continue to try. Go, Keith Fitzgerald!
Ronzoni Rigatoni
@Cassidy: Cassidy Says:
@mai naem: “You’d be surprised at how important Florida is to current trade, but it’s cool. I get it. I don’t like Scott, either. As for becoming part of Cuba, I will happily take universal health coverage in exchange for you guys keeping your pasty white, dumbass, teabaggin, non-driving dipshits. Fair? Suddenly your state won’t be much better if you have to deal with your own rubes.”
Oh, yes, a thousand times yes.
jibeaux
@J.:
I immeserate. I think.
Phylllis
@Ronzoni Rigatoni: Shout out to my home county. Grew up on 37th between 9th & 11th ave.
Citizen_X
@Cassidy:
Same dynamic explains Arizona.
Violet
@sm*t cl*de:
Me too. Is anyone monitoring that action?
Anne Laurie, thanks for linking this piece. It’s great. Exactly the kind of thing I’d been hoping to see out there. The more than Ryan is shown to be a liar and the more it sticks, the better.
AHH onna Droid
[email protected]mai naem: tomatoes, now with 20% less slave labor (but only bc the feds showed up)
wrb
@J.:
Clouseau style
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9KsVu11CSrQ
Ronzoni Rigatoni
@Phylllis: “Shout out to my home county. Grew up on 37th between 9th & 11th ave”
Hey, neighbor! Have about 47 cousins that live around there. Hope this is our year. Keith is really trying.
J.
@wrb: Brilliant! Thank you. Just posted it over on my blog.
J.
@John S.: Oo, imbecilic pentameter. I like it!
Meg
“Romney ignored warnings about Ryan’s history of lies, exaggerations”