Ryan strikes populist tone in Virginia

Republican vice presidential candidate Rep. Paul Ryan, R-Wis., speaks during a campaign stop at Deep Run High School on August 17 in Glen Allen, Va.

/ Mark Wilson/Getty Images

(CBS News) GLEN ALLEN, Va. - Vice presidential candidate Paul Ryan adopted a populist tone on Friday as accused big government and big business of trying to "rig the rules" against the middle class.

"It's the people who are politically connected, it's the people who have access to Washington that get the breaks. Well, no more," Ryan told an enthusiastic crowd of over 2,000 at a high school gym in central Virginia. "We don't want to pick winners and loses in Washington, we want you to keep more of your own hard-earned dollars. Hardworking taxpayers should be treated fairly and it should be based on whether they're good, whether they work hard and not who they know in Washington. That's entrepreneurialism. That's free enterprise."

While presumptive GOP nominee Mitt Romney frequently blasts the administration for its failed investment in the solar energy company Solyndra, it's more often to suggest that the president doesn't understand free enterprise.

Ryan took that message in a different direction by suggesting collusion between big business and big government - an argument more often made by Democrats, who blame deregulation for the economic crisis.

(Watch: Ryan says Obama is the "most partisan" president he's seen.)

His rhetoric also was similar to that used by Romney's rivals in the Republican primary, such as Minnesota Rep. Michele Bachmann and Texas Gov. Rick Perry. Romney has shown little inclination to impose further regulation on Wall Street, suggesting that the Dodd-Frank financial reform law merely hurt community banks.

Ryan was in full-throated attack mode at the event as he laid the blame for gridlock and division in Washington at the president's feet.

"I've served with three presidents since I have been in Congress. This is the most partisan atmosphere I have ever seen. This is not uniting, this is dividing," Ryan said, as he praised Romney for working with a Democratic legislature as governor of Massachusetts.

[fiberglass3]

Ryan wants us to believe that he is all about cutting the deficit.
Yet he is currently crying about defense cuts.

Despite what you may have heard to the contrary, Republican'ts taking about deficits and debt is eye candy to gull the public into believing they are serious fiscal stewards. Their rhetoric is intended to camouflage their real objective, which is to slash taxes for their wealthy contributors.

[RollotheNorman]

"Vice presidential candidate Paul Ryan adopted a populist tone on Friday as accused big government and big business of trying to "rig the rules" against the middle class."

Big government and big business rigging the rules? He should know he's been in the thick of it for 14 years now. And isn't big business the folks contributing to the RNC, Willard's Campaign, and the various RepubliCON superpacs?

[Maerzie]

What a "B.S.er"! Their policies are going to make healthcare cost a lot more, AND when you're lying in bed, all worn out and feeble with cancer or a stroke, and the "vouchers" are all used up, who's going to run around and make all the phoinecalls or emails to find some charity to help pay the REST of the bills, AFTER your savings are drained dry! "Sorry! You have used up your whole voucher already."

I can't believe the LIES these guys can tell, with a straight face! And, Ryan even PRETENDS to be a "Catholic"!

"Father, forgive him, for his TRUE 'god' is power/control!"

[patsy girl]

Rig the Rules ? Look who is talking and look who is buying the election ?

[lesserof2evil]

Lying Ryan has been fooling the repug zombies, so now he thinks he can do the same to the rest of the country. WHAT A F JOKE!!!!

[thebob-bob]

Ryan should know. He did his best to make the "Party of No" the hyperpartisan party it is today. Hypocrisy knows no bounds. How many millions of stimulus dollars and earmarks did he fight for while calling both bad for America?

[Shibbol]

"Populist tone"? You're kidding. This guy has the chutzpah to lie to the cameras today about not going after stimulus money, has been living off a government paycheck since the late 1990's, and is partnered with Mr. 1% who is confident no one cares where he has stashed his money, and he wants to be a populist. Sorry, Charlie.

[Bucky4U]

Here it comes... the big move to the middle! In Virginia! How can this guy say this with a straight face to people that elected Cantor?

[RangerDan107]

He puts together plans to end Medicare, wants to give more gigantic tax breaks to the already underpaying uber rich, and will now try to fool all of us into believing he's for the middle class? Mitt and Ryan are nothing more than paid professional liars.