TAMPA – Representative Paul Ryan tonight, in accepting a vice presidential nomination that has sent a jolt through portions of the Republican Party, is planning to confront President Obama, promote Mitt Romney, and introduce himself to America tonight in the most consequential speech of his career.
The 42-year-old congressman – the youngest vice presidential candidate in 24 years, and the first from the post-Baby Boomer generation – also plans to highlight his youth by calling for changes that he believes will put federal programs on sounder footing for future generations.
“I accept the calling of my generation to give our children the America that was given to us, with opportunity for the young and security for the old – and I know that we are ready,” Ryan plans to say, according to excerpts released by his campaign. “Our nominee is sure ready. His whole life has prepared him for this moment.”
“After four years of getting the run-around, America needs a turnaround,” he will add. “And the man for the job is Governor Mitt Romney.”
Ryan will criticize President Obama’s signature health care law, reaffirming his party’s desire to repeal the law as soon as possible. He also plans to intersperse his speech with some personal details, as he addresses the biggest audience of his life that will be carried by all major television networks.
“My Dad used to say to me: ‘Son. You have a choice: You can be part of the problem, or you can be part of the solution,’ ” Ryan plans to say. “The present administration has made its choices. And Mitt Romney and I have made ours.”
Ryan’s speech will come at the end of a night with several prominent speakers, including former Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice, former Minnesota Governor Tim Pawlenty, and 2008 presidential nominee John McCain.
But the focus will be on Ryan, who has had a rapid rise to national prominence, going in 14 years from a 28-year-old congressional candidate to the vice presidential nominee of his party.
Romney’s decision to choose Ryan has been seen as a bit of a gamble because it has branded his campaign with ideas about overhauling the tax code and confronting political third-ail issues, such as changes to programs such as Medicare. Those proposals have been attacked by the Democrats and have complicated his standing in states such as Florida and Nevada, which have large populations of senior citizens.
Ryan plans to allude to those proposals in his speech tonight – casting himself as willing to confront the hard truths—although it is unclear how much he will dwell upon them.
“Before the math and the momentum overwhelm us all, we are going to solve this nation’s economic problems,” he plans to say. “And I’m going to level with you: We don’t have that much time. But if we are serious, and smart, and we lead, we can do this.”
Matt Viser can be reached at [email protected].[/I][IMG]http://www.boston.com/r/SysConfig/WebPortal/Boston/Framework/images/site_graphics/dingbat_story_end_icon.gif[/IMG]
© Copyright 2012 Globe Newspaper Company.
[h=5]You are reading this article for free courtesy of BostonGlobe.com. Get unlimited access.[/h]
The 42-year-old congressman – the youngest vice presidential candidate in 24 years, and the first from the post-Baby Boomer generation – also plans to highlight his youth by calling for changes that he believes will put federal programs on sounder footing for future generations.
“I accept the calling of my generation to give our children the America that was given to us, with opportunity for the young and security for the old – and I know that we are ready,” Ryan plans to say, according to excerpts released by his campaign. “Our nominee is sure ready. His whole life has prepared him for this moment.”
“After four years of getting the run-around, America needs a turnaround,” he will add. “And the man for the job is Governor Mitt Romney.”
Ryan will criticize President Obama’s signature health care law, reaffirming his party’s desire to repeal the law as soon as possible. He also plans to intersperse his speech with some personal details, as he addresses the biggest audience of his life that will be carried by all major television networks.
“My Dad used to say to me: ‘Son. You have a choice: You can be part of the problem, or you can be part of the solution,’ ” Ryan plans to say. “The present administration has made its choices. And Mitt Romney and I have made ours.”
Ryan’s speech will come at the end of a night with several prominent speakers, including former Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice, former Minnesota Governor Tim Pawlenty, and 2008 presidential nominee John McCain.
But the focus will be on Ryan, who has had a rapid rise to national prominence, going in 14 years from a 28-year-old congressional candidate to the vice presidential nominee of his party.
Romney’s decision to choose Ryan has been seen as a bit of a gamble because it has branded his campaign with ideas about overhauling the tax code and confronting political third-ail issues, such as changes to programs such as Medicare. Those proposals have been attacked by the Democrats and have complicated his standing in states such as Florida and Nevada, which have large populations of senior citizens.
Ryan plans to allude to those proposals in his speech tonight – casting himself as willing to confront the hard truths—although it is unclear how much he will dwell upon them.
“Before the math and the momentum overwhelm us all, we are going to solve this nation’s economic problems,” he plans to say. “And I’m going to level with you: We don’t have that much time. But if we are serious, and smart, and we lead, we can do this.”
Matt Viser can be reached at [email protected].[/I][IMG]http://www.boston.com/r/SysConfig/WebPortal/Boston/Framework/images/site_graphics/dingbat_story_end_icon.gif[/IMG]
© Copyright 2012 Globe Newspaper Company.
[h=5]You are reading this article for free courtesy of BostonGlobe.com. Get unlimited access.[/h]