Paul Ryan accepts Republican vice-presidential nomination

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Paul Ryan introduced himself to the nation last night by highlighting his Janesville upbringing, President Obama’s shortcomings and Mitt Romney’s promise of a national turnaround.

Ryan accepted the Republican vice-presidential nomination in a 37-minute speech at his party’s convention in Tampa.

The House Budget chairman said Obama wants to be judged on his promises instead of his results. Ryan said those results included a stimulus program which he called “cronyism at its worst,” and health care reform that Ryan called “the greatest threat to Medicare.”

Without getting into specifics, Ryan said he and Romney would honor what he called the “promise” that Medicare represents. He pointed to his 78-year-old mother in vowing to “protect and strengthen Medicare” for future generations.

One of the Democrats’ main criticisms of Ryan is that he espouses a plan which forces seniors to tackle the health care market themselves, using tax-funded and lower-cost vouchers.

Ryan said Obama visited the former General Motors’ plant in Janesville in his 2008 campaign and said, “If our government is there to support you, this plant will be here for another hundred years.”

Ryan said the plant didn’t last another year. “That’s how it is in so many towns today, where the recovery that was promised is nowhere in sight,” he said.

He didn’t mention that the plant actually ended production a month before Obama took office.

Ryan also had high praise for Romney, calling him “prayerful, faithful and honorable … a fine man, worthy of leading this optimistic and good-hearted country.”

Romney will accept the GOP’s presidential nomination Thursday night.

Tags: news, wisconsin, politics