Ryan won't talk shop tonight

AP Photo/J. Scott Applewhite

Updated: 6:00 p.m.

(CBS News) TAMPA, Fla. -- Rep. Paul Ryan might be a data wonk, but his speech tonight will be descriptives, not details.

Romney advisers tell CBS News that Ryan's speech will not lay out specific policies, but will instead focus on drawing contrasts between the president and Gov. Romney. "I don't expect this to be a policy speech. It's a convention speech," said one top aide.

Asked specifically if Medicare, however, will be mentioned, the aide coyly advised, "I believe the word comes up."

The campaign says that the focus of Ryan's speech will be on how Romney plans to strengthen the middle class, and highlight ways in which President Obama has weakened it. Unlike last night, where the main keynote speakers did not mention Mr. Obama by name, there's no indication that Ryan will shy away from it tonight. When asked if he will speak about ways he thinks the president has failed, the campaign said, "There's a nice little section on that."

"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.' The present administration has made its choices," Ryan will say, according to excerpts of his remarks. "Mitt Romney and I have made ours: Before the math and the momentum overwhelm us all, we are going to solve this nation's economic problems. 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"

Ryan is expected to touch on trade, deficit, entitlements and the budget as they relate to the middle class.

"We have a plan for a stronger middle class, with the goal of generating 12 million new jobs over the next four years," he will say, according to the excerpted remarks. 

Republican Convention 2012: complete coverage

According to the Romney campaign, Ryan has been doing speech prep for much of the day today, aided by adviser Dan Senor. Senor is one of Romney's top foreign policy aides, and has been traveling with Ryan since he became the Republican vice presidential pick. Ryan also took a spin on the convention floor around 3 p.m. ET.

Obama campaign spokeswoman Lis Smith prebutted Ryan's speech imploring the candidate to speak in more detail.

"When Mitt Romney chose Congressman Ryan as his running mate, he said that they wanted to have a substantive debate about the big issues facing our nation," wrote Smith in a statement. "But apparently, they believe they can have a substantive without any actual substance. It's no surprise why they've refused to get specific- the more Americans learn about their plans to turn Medicare into a voucher system and make the middle class pay for massive new tax breaks for the richest Americans, the less likely they are to support them."

[Ben37221]

What a dishonest speech. He even blame Obama for a factory that closed under Bush.

[bbglow]

Dear Gov. Romney & Rep. Ryan,

I agree with you 100% that we must protect the promise of America including freedom, liberty and opportunity for future generations. I agree that hard work and dedication should determine a person's worth and those looking for a government handout should be suspect. I agree that government should be limited to it's responsibility to the people and duty under the constitution and held responsible when it violates that duty. That is exactly why I am not voting for either of you.

I totally bought in to the Reagan plan for prosperity. I believed that if I worked hard in support of the people able to finance and grow America that as they rose in wealth my boat would also float higher. However, the reality has never matched the rhetoric.

As I dedicated myself to the trickle down ideal and gave my youth and effort to cubical confinement, the following is what I have experienced and noticed:

- As your cronies gained in wealth their boats got larger and larger and floated higher while the greater majority's situation began to stagnate.

- As your wealth grew, the magnitude was no longer acceptable so it became necessary to send American work off-shore and then proceed to rationalize this apparent necessity by blaming the displaced for not having the motivation to work.

- New and unique ways were invented to stagnate and rob 401K's and investments while huge salaries were channeled to the innovators and creators of the deception while also inventing derogatory terms like Muppets and Aunt Millie for the working life blood channeled to your accounts.

- When events made it necessary to defend America and call for sacrifice your cronies in their infinite wisdom determined it was now time for tax breaks that by percentage benefited the wealthiest allowing the disparity between have and have-not to grow to historic levels.

- With unfunded wars, reduced revenue and a growing government deficit it was once again necessary to find blame with the displaced because of their apparent ever-growing dependence on government.

- With depleted employment and reduced revenue the government deficit grew and once again it became necessary to blame the now growing displaced Americans as the responsible ingrates because they apparently are no longer of value to your personal wealth objectives.

- As emphasis grows abroad and revenue resources diminish it is now becoming necessary to deny the need to improve America's infrastructure and education, nevertheless, pointing the sons and daughter of these same displaced and rejected Americans to defend the growing interests abroad as the remaining value you wish to capitalize on.

I could cite additional examples, however, this alone is enough for me to proclaim I will not vote for either of you because it is my belief that your belief is that America's opportunities belong to only you and your cronies and nobody else. When I was deprived of work and opportunity I would have been much worse off if not for the government I love and the democratically minded who understood and empathized with my situation. If government obligations are growing in an uncontrolled manner as you proclaim, it is your greedy policies that are to blame. Inventing terms like right-to-work and then denying employment represents the insanity of your thought process. Your desire to control government means people like me are at your disposal and reducing regulation translates to more deceptive investment strategies along with more worker and environmental exploitation.

If you want me to vote for you next time around it is necessary for you to demonstrate your value to society. Using your wealth to create greater than subsistence level employment and making government protections stronger and more efficient is a necessary first step. I will not vote to place me and my family at your mercy so that you and your cronies can enjoy the better life at the expense of someone else.

Regards,
Strongly Independent American Voter

[bbglow]

Let's talk shop ...

"This country does in fact have a serious deficit problem. But the reality is that the deficit was caused by two wars, unpaid for. It was caused by huge tax breaks for the wealthiest people in this country. It was caused by a recession as result of the greed, recklessness and illegal behavior on Wall Street. And if those are the causes of the deficit, I will be damned if we're going to balance the budget on backs of the elderly, the sick, the children and the poor. That's wrong."

-- Sen. Bernie Sanders, Ind.-Vermont, US Senate Budget Committee, 18-Nov-2011 --

[andrewjsacks]

Right-wing loser.

[Verascity]

If Ryan were to go on TV and blurt out to America what his own policy ideas are most people would be offended. He has to defer to Mitt, but his beliefs are extreme and having him a heartbeat away from the presidency is unacceptable. All this guy needs is a cape and a dark night to bring out his real personality.

[josephp5]

"Won't talk shop?" Great way to say that Ryan would scare the pants off of everyone if he gets into the specifics of his radical plan to turn Medicare into a voucher program.

[Verascity]

Not to mention his rape as a "method of conception" line or his "personhood" for fertilized eggs reasoning. They can't put this guy on nation TV and let him "talk shop" without offending most of the TV audience.

[smirk5]

Ryan is no wonk. He couldn't even tell Brit Hume when Romney's budget would reach balance or when his budget would reach balance. He won't list specific tax loopholes he and Romney are supposedly targeting. This wonk thing is a silly construction by the Cons that the corporate media is grabbing onto without any substance to it. Ryan simply says he doesn't want to get wonky whenever he's incapable of answering even basic questions about his or Romney's budget plans.

[fastdraw2]

Republican message: Our party lied us into a war that killed over 4,000 of our youngest and best and left 20,000 or more without arms, legs and sight, and ran a debt of hundreds of billions which is still being paid out.

Then we deregulated the financial industry which allowed the top dogs in that industry to enrich themselves while driving their companies and the country into near bankruptcy and economic ruin.

We'd like the chance to do it again. Cause we did it so well last time.

[dawg_earl]

The Romney camp submits only two years of Ryan's tax records, otherwise it would show Mitt to be what? Not transparent? A new precedent with sub-standard standards has now been established by the 2012 Republican candidates for president AND vice-president. Got anything else to NOT disclose?

I also find Ryan's mission as errand boy for Mitt's asking Todd Akin to "go away" hypocritical knowing that Ryan's take on the abortion issue is EXACTLY the same as Akin's.

[Jhihmoac]

What a relief...for now! :P