Was Paul Ryan Picked Because Romney Thinks He'll Lose?

Liberal pundits speculate

Romney picked Ryan because he scents defeat, and wants a reason to blame his loss on the conservative wing of the party. That's the theory offered by two op-eds from the Washington Post and the National Journal.

Allegedly, Romney realized that he was poised to lose a race he was supposed to win, since at the start of August Obama had gained a small lead in the polls. That's the key to understanding the Ryan pick, according to the National Journal's Noam Schieber:

Ryan is the way Romney and his aides escape blame for their now-likely defeat – blame which would be vicious and unrelenting – and pin it in on conservatives instead. With only minor historical revisions, they will be able to tell a story about how Romney was keeping the race close through early August, at which point the party's conservative darling joined the ticket and sent the poll numbers into steady decline.

Via the Washington Post and the National Journal.

What's your take on this theory about Romney's choice of Ryan?

[Bobolinsky]

This is what's called "grasping at straws."

[Decent-Dissent]

Fingers crossed! Woulnt it be special if we had elections instead of auctions?

[Thunderchicken]

Bring it on. C'mon November!!!

[Wilberhum]

That has to be the stupidest question ever asked on Politix.

[Bambi]

I didn't know there were correspondents in La-La land. What else will the liberals come up with?

[Amos777]

I feel Americans feel we all have lost the race, not just Mr. Romney, balance of population is now leaning toward liberal type of world. It may be ascertain bankers have been tampering with our Treasury too the point the bankers and military complex together are ruling force. President is just figurehead today. Mr. Romney is just trying too correct major injury. Little too late.

[JeremyFarley]

If Obama can win in a landslide with Biden as his VP I don't think Americans really give a flying turd who the VP is.

[BigPoppaPhat]

53% isn't a landslide

[JeremyFarley]

Don't get me wrong, I'm not an Obama fan in the least, however, US Presidential elections have absolutely nothing to do with the popular vote and everything to do with the electoral college. Obama received 68% of the electoral college votes which is more than a landslide.

[CigarBulldog]

I have never heard anyone claim they voted for a candidate based on who their vice presidential pick was. Another media distraction to keep us from talking about the topics that matter to Americans.

[NormalFlora]

Nevertheless, Sarah Palin is responsible for John McCain clinching another term in the Senate!

[DABurroughs]

Paul Ryan was picked because Romney came out of the primaries disliked by the base. He is a Massachusetts liberal so this pick was only to lock in the far right of the party and the tea party at least through the convention. Ryan does nothing to bring in the moderates, the large blocks where Romney like hispanics and women or the independents who are the largest voting block in the country. If anything Ryan drives away the independents. This is not a survive the general election pick. it is a survive the convention pick.

[kubby56]

I agree with you!

[CommonSense]

Damned if he do, damned if he don't.
Romney knew if he went with someone "moderate" like himself he would still lose a lot of his base and that could stop him from being elected.
But if he chose a conservative he could lose independents and not be elected.
Either way about the same chance of winning, and same chance of losing.
But at least with a conservative by his side in case he loses he has someone else to blame.
If he loses he'll still want to continue his political career in the House or Senate. He'll stand a better chance of winning the primary if voters blame the ultraconservatives for the loss instead of the moderates.
Paul Ryan keeps "Plan B" open to Romney in case he loses.

[marine1]

If Romney and Ryan put their heads togeather and show everyone what real teamwork can do , we MIGHT all be surprised?

[Keyjo]

Unpleasantly so!

[Just_Lisa]

I for one am willing to take that chance.
Four more years of Obama is QUITE frightening.

[VCP]

Well of course he was picked just for that reason. DUH!! Romney needed to give the Tea Party a reason to get out and vote for him because, him by himself, ain't nothin to vote for! And he knows it.

[Keyjo]

I don't buy it. Romney isn't conceding defeat. Any man who can ship this many American jobs to other countries and manage to find tax shelters that even most other billionaires are unaware of, isn't going to give up that easily.
He wants to reel in the more conservative side of the GOP, as well as hopefully, more younger voters.

[truthsayer]

Dear lord bless and touch the person who wrote this question they need your help for reasons that shouldn't be said out loud.

[mimi57]

It's "News" coming from a Liberally biased source... It makes no sense any way you look at it.

[ryukage]

Is it because they're not telling you what you want to hear?

[mimi57]

I don't believe everything I read Bert? Ernie? And I'm less likely to believe it when it comes from a liberal source...I'm a conservative,
no offence to you, but I was a Dem for many years, they moved too far left for me. I've been a Conservative for 12 years now. I view the world differently since I'm a little older and wiser...

[mimi57]

I'm sorry, I do believe that was Ernie and Burt...It's been awhile...

[Stratton]

Right, because whoever has a slight lead in August is guaranteed to win the election? Is the liberal media on drugs?

[Jerryd]

This story has to be the biggest hype of nonsense out there. I truly believe the left is looking for anything to power its base up. Too bad nothing will save them from November!

[Toni]

Pyan was a bold pick by Romney to address today what is happening to this country after four years of dismal leadership by Barack Obama.
America cannot allow our government to continue to kick the can down the road. We are broke as a nation due to irresponsible spending of the treasury, and compounding it by borrowing trillions of dollars from countries who have little interest in our stability.
The losers will be "We the People", if we continue to fall for the false rehtoric of Barack Obama and his fellow Progressives.
They do not care about the debt, and are intent on continuing the spending and borrowing of trillions we will never be able to repay.
This President dord not care that the nation is at the cliff, and what measures tare needed to save it. We must reform entitlements, stop the spending of pet projects of special interests, reduce the size of the Federal government, rid government of duplication of agencies, stop the Party mentality of agencies(like GSA, Courts).
Replace Washington with people who believe in small government, adhere to the principals of our Founders. And understand that they work for "We the People", not their own interests.
Obama considers America the 1% and thrid world countries as the 99%. So he is down-grading America through his policies and diverting our wealth abroad.
No sane person would govern like Obama has and not change the course to save the country he swore to defend.
So the answer is, Obama wants America to be down-sized to la more level playing field with other countries. His Presidency has been all about redistribution of our wealth. America is broke, why? because that is exactly what Obama wants.
Tell Obama this November that you reject this course for you and your families, VOTE - NO TO OBAMA November 2012!!