tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4316486182743991911.post7981567175401466081..comments2023-09-21T09:05:02.605-04:00Comments on Viral History: Paul Ryan for Vice President -- Three quick comparisonsKen Ackermanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16348967274722508119noreply@blogger.comBlogger3125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4316486182743991911.post-47499221715137182142012-08-16T18:50:11.690-04:002012-08-16T18:50:11.690-04:00Ken, I'm not sure that being the "intelle...Ken, I'm not sure that being the "intellectual leader of Congressional [House] Republicans" denotes real standing when his followers are as anti-science and dogmatic as that crowd is. I see two major risks with the Ryan selection, as follows: (1) that the policy underpinnings in the Ryan budget regarding Medicare, Head Start and other programs will produce enough negative reaction to sink the campaign, and (2) that Romney and Ryan reinforce their mutually wonky natures to the point that their PowerPoints and Excel charts turn off the public even more than Ross Perot's did. ZorroAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4316486182743991911.post-22392973249310483242012-08-11T18:14:40.849-04:002012-08-11T18:14:40.849-04:00Hi John-- I think you're right about Agnew 19...Hi John-- I think you're right about Agnew 1968 - that Nixon chose him primarily as his attack dog against HHH. The only other explanation I've seen is that it might have been to return a favor. Agrew had been an early supporter of Nelson Rockefeller and switched to Nixon shortly before the convention, helping secure the nomination. hanks for the note.Ken Ackermanhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16348967274722508119noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4316486182743991911.post-2962411348058293122012-08-11T16:06:28.749-04:002012-08-11T16:06:28.749-04:00It has only been in more recent days that the vp p...It has only been in more recent days that the vp pick included the question, "Is this person ready & able to take over?" We all know (those of us who are history geeks) that the vp choice is usually to balance the ticket or to pay off political debt. Kennedy chose Johnson to appeal to the southern vote, Johnson chose Humphrey to satisfy the liberal wing of the party, Carter chose Mondale to appealto the northern wing, Reagan chose Bush to unite the party, etc. What I am not sure of is why Nixon chose Agnew? Was it to use him as an attack dog so Nixon could appear above the fray?John McArthurhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03175735255235917757noreply@blogger.com