Obama welcomes "decent," "ideological" Ryan to race

In his first public remarks since Mitt Romney's vice president announcement, President Obama welcomed Paul Ryan to the race, calling the Republican Congressman a "decent man" he "fundamentally" disagrees with.

"I want to congratulate Congressman Ryan," Mr. Obama said at a fundraiser on Sunday in his hometown of Chicago. The crowd of supporters expressed dissatisfaction at the mention of Ryan, but the president quieted the boos, calling Ryan a "family man."

"I know him. I welcome him to the race."

Mr. Obama characterized Ryan, best known on Capitol Hill for his budget plan, as "the ideological leader of Republicans in Congress."

"This kind of top down economics is central to Gov. Romney and is central to his running mate," the president said. "He is an articulate spokesman for Romney's vision, but it's a vision that I fundamentally disagree with."

Earlier Sunday on "Face the Nation," Obama deputy campaign manager Stephanie Cutter cited Ryan's House budget proposal as indicative of types of cuts Romney would make as president.

"I don't think that the prescription the American people are looking for," Cutter said.

Romney announced he had chosen Ryan as his running mate in Norfolk, Va. on Saturday. Departing the White House following the VP announcement, Mr. Obama ignored reporters' questions regarding his reaction.

[Dancing-in-the-Streets]

The choice has been made very clear now.

If you have a pre-existing health condition, or know anyone with one, vote Democrat.
If you are a woman, or have a woman you care about anywhere in your life, vote Democrat.
If you are a senior citizen, or plan to one day be a senior citizen, vote Democrat.
If you are a college student, or a parent of a college student, or one day will be, vote Democrat.
If you care about ANYONE other than the top 1% of this country, vote Democrat.

OBAMA/BIDEN 2012

[seabass6251]

And if you want someone else to pay for all the above, vote Democrat.

[sjc_1]

THE main problem is overpriced health care. It is the ONE factor that everyone wants to ignore but we can NOT ignore it any longer.

[BWB2020]

"Galactus909 August 12, 2012 11:17 PM EDT
Sky high unemployment. No jobs and the President of the United States giving almost 2 million work visas to illegal aliens. I don't care for the current direction of the United States...."

Yo Sherlock, if they have work visas, then they are not illegal.

BTW, it is by and large business owners, who will vote majority right-wing, who avail themselves of the undocumented workers.

It was the GOP that killed the attempts in California and Arizona to impose stiff penalties for businesses that exploit illegal labor.

So if you don't like the direction we are going in now, then you'd best not vote for the GOP, as they will only make it worse, by eliminating the minimum wage requirements for all legal labor, while eliminating unions and collective bargaining rights, for both foreign and domestic labor.

This will have the effect of creating many new jobs that don't pay enough for the workers performing them to survive, so your own progeny will be forced in the GOP-favored future to live three and more families in a house, apartment, or tenement, if they are lucky.

So, if you say we are on the highway to h*ll, the GOP wants to put the pedal to the metal, while the Dems, at least try (rather weakly, IMO)to slow the vehicle down.

Those are your only choices.

[seabass6251]

Well Sherlock, they are illegal until they receive the work visas through the President's amnesty program, which completely bypassed the legislative process. The Constitution doesn't grant the President that power, of which he even acknowledged a year ago.

When did the GOP offer legislation to eliminate federal minimum wage?

When did the FEDERAL government attempt to eliminate unions and collective bargaining rights?

I do agree that both parties are terrible though.

[Galactus909]

Sky high unemployment. No jobs and the President of the United States giving almost 2 million work visas to illegal aliens. I don't care for the current direction of the United States.

[ProgressIsTheFuture]

It took the Republicans 8 years to destroy the strong economy that Clinton left us, I don't know why people expect that it would be fixed in four years especially since 2 of those years we had a House of Reps that only cared about blocking the President for political reasons.

[AmericanCrow]

I fundamentally disagree with the current "vision" in America right now: high unemployment, massive government, and out-of-control spending. Wish I could just snap out of this vision. President Obama, I'll be voting for the "decent...family man" in Paul Ryan and Mitt Romney. Folks, let's not be afraid to vote for better business, employment, fiscal responsibility.

[ProgressIsTheFuture]

So who are you voting for since none of that describes Romney or Ryan

[Molly-Pchr]

Well, if they win, here comes another round of George Bush!

[takacrat]

Well if they don't win, another 4 years of Jimmyboy Obama

[sjc_1]

With Ryan, Social Security and Medicare will NOT be protected. They can not look at the Pentagon, nor corporate welfare, they must punish the seniors after Republicans have looted the trust fund for tax breaks and wars they could not afford and refused to pay for.

[wfw3536]

Don't worry Obama campaign committee and others are already throwing dirt at Ryan. They already have shown a person who looks like Ryan throwing grandmother over a cliff. Soon they will dig lower and probably say he was responsible for someone's death 6 years later like they did recently for Romney. How sad this is the only way they can win re-election.

[nearl451]

Of course it is nothing as simplistic as that.

Politics is a spectrum. It is never black and white, but shades of grey.

[wwpdjf]

Yes we have a choice in November. Stay the current course of high deficits and high unemployment or a plan for less government interference in business and our daily lives.

[Thinkbeforeyouwrite]

less government interference" You mean when the GOP send thousands of our best men and women to fight two wars, one of which had evidence for its need talked about repeatedly while contrary evidence was buried. Lots of "daily lives" were interfered with then. I know a few who gave up their jobs and left their families because of that fiasco.