'Running With Romney' Series: House Budget Committee Chairman Paul Ryan
Tonight on Special Report’s series “Running With Romney,” Bret Baier spoke to House Budget Committee Chairman Paul Ryan (R-WI). Romney campaigned with the congressman in Wisconsin and has also embraced Ryan’s budget plan.
Republican strategist Mike Murphy noted a downside if Romney chooses Ryan as his vice presidential nominee, saying, “Paul Ryan budget genius, very important in the Congress, good guy, Romney’s close to him, talks to him a lot. The downside is you nominate Paul, one, you take a real player out of the Congress. And two, you’re going to re-litigate the Ryan plan which has policy advantages but some political baggage.”
Ryan reiterated what he has previously stated when asked about becoming Romney’s running mate. “If they ask me to consider it, then I’ll consider it. But that’s months away from that kind of decision being made as far as I know.
I like my job. I think I can make a big difference doing what I’m doing.”
At age 28, Ryan was elected to Wisconsin’s 1st congressional district but he quickly moved up to become the youngest chairman of the House Budget Committee in 2011. Speaking about his budget plan, Ryan says, “We knew that if we offered solutions, that they were going to demagogue those solutions. But we feel that we have a moral and a legal obligation, that if we don’t like the direction the president’s taking the country, we should do something about it.”
President Obama has criticized Ryan’s budget in regards to student loans, saying that it cuts back on Pell Grants and essentially turns its back on young people. Ryan addressed the issue, saying, “I think every week we’re going to see the president pander to various groups in this country in order to try and build an election coalition … and apparently if we’re not increasing as much as the president proposes that’s considered a huge cut.”
It’s not all about budgets for the married father of three who says his favorite thing to do is playing with his kids. Ryan quips that he’s got making it to the airport on time down to a science, “I don’t have a place out here in D.C. I’m here four days a week, after the last vote I head home, go to Milwaukee … I’ll make it home for dinner tonight.”
Watch the rest this 'Running With Romney' segment below:
