Paul Ryan: Obama Won Because of 'Urban' Voters

Former Veep candidate breaks silence on election

Republican veep nominee Paul Ryan has given his first post-election interview, and some of his comments have caused a small firestorm on the left.

He says that Obama won re-election not because voters rejected Romney-Ryan policies, but because Obama's fantastic get-out-the-vote effort mobilized huge numbers of "urban" voters.

Reddit users, always a left-leaning bunch, speculate that Ryan's allusion to urban voters is racially charged. "Everyone knows urban people are only 3/5ths of a real person," said one commenter, alluding to the US constitution's original definition of black slaves.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tw4NJ4CJk04

Ryan was particularly emphatic that his electoral defeat didn't reflect a rejection of his budget plan's tax cuts. Exit polls show that 60% of voters would like higher taxes, Raw Story reports. But when asked about that statistic, Ryan contradicted it: "I don't know if I agree with that because we have divided government. They also voted for House Republicans to maintain their majority, which took a very clear stand against that."

Via Reddit, Raw Story and Channel 3000.

Is Paul Ryan right that Obama won mainly through the "urban" vote?

[Politicskid]

For sure. Romney would've won no problem if people in the city centers didn't vote.

[PNWest]

That's the funny thing. In a democracy everybody gets to vote. Too bad for the GOP.

[Politicskid]

@PNWest I was joking.

[PNWest]

@Politicskid Sorry - my bad.

[ADudeCalledRay]

@PNWest So did you vote for Obama because of him picking Sarah Palin as his running mate or was it because of his pro-life stance?

[PNWest]

@ADudeCalledRay I voted for Obama in 2008 because of the unmitigated disaster the country was in because of the GOP and GW Bush. McCain did nothing to show he was competent to run the country. From his "the economy is in great shape" to his choice of Sarah Palin I can't believe that anyone could have supported him. I voted for Obama in 2012 because he has done a good job in spite of the GOP doing every thing they could to hurt him regardless of what was good for the country.

[BigRocky]

Wrong, President Obama won because of where he stands on the issues

[bsking]

really ? name 3

[idlbeokay_bob]

Don't pay attention to people like bs king trying to pressure you into answering questions. He know why Obama won.

[Cobra]

@bsking

1. Women's issues, particularly freedom of choice with reproductive rights.
2. Gay rights
3. Ending military operations in afghanistan

[Souljah]

@bsking 1)the rich shouldnot be taxed lesser percentage than the poor... 2)all Americans deserve healthcare...3)Your god shouldnt dictate what women do with their bodies....

[BigRocky]

@bsking Tax, economy, women's rights.

[bsking]

yep. absolutely. what he failed to say was the Food Stamp vote got him elected.

it didn't really matter what he said it was going to be portrayed as racist anyways.

[jessejaymes]

Obama got re-elected because the majority (slim majority but majority) of voters saw Romney for what he was. Bush III

[shawnyc36]

Yep that's what you want to say, when in fact Romney was almost as liberal as Obama. Nothing like Bush, terrible argument.

[jessejaymes]

@shawnyc36 It's a spot on argument. For all of Romney's etch a sketch philosophy and his never ending walking back virtually everything he said for his entire political career I wondered just who was behind Romney. A quick peek showed that virtually every single important member of the Bush Administration was pulling Romney's puppet strings. The man doesn't have enough character nor backbone to call any shots. He was willing to say and switch the very next day on anything. He would have been a puppet and the puppet masters were the Bush People. That's makes Romney Bush III

[shawnyc36]

@jessejaymes Whatever Bill Maher, nice screen name Bill, Jessie James was a racist big time read his biography.

[jessejaymes]

@shawnyc36 I do not spell my name the same, do not build cars or motorcycles, have no tattoos, nor do I appear in adult films. You must have me confused with another.

[shawnyc36]

@jessejaymes oops my bad

[PNWest]

Paul Ryan continues with his lies. More people voted for democratic congress people than republican. Had it not been for the republican gerrymandered districts the dems would control both houses and the presidency.

[woodtick57]

Ryan is just repeating what Jindal said, the GOP appeals to stupid hicks...we all knew that...

[cpeter133]

As opposed to what...the rural vote?

Ryan and mitt lost the women, the gays, the hispanics, the 47%, and pretty much anyone but rich white and racists. Maybe the GOP will learn what a liability the teabaggers really are.

[DARSB]

On election night I was hugely amused at the initial states that went for Romney/Ryan - by about 7pm the Republicans had won the Confederacy.

[cpeter133]

@DARSB And now they want to secede from the union.

[DARSB]

@cpeter133 Dana Milbank in today's WaPo points out that the red states with secession petitions are a "Confederacy of Takers", states that receive more from the federal government than they give in taxes.

[cpeter133]

@DARSB I don't think they are smart enough to grasp what would happen if they successfully seceded. Fortunately, it won't happen

[Jet_Silverman]

"Urban" vote. Wonder what he really meant...after all, most people in the US live in urban areas...

[woodtick57]

Well, in Mn we're split pretty close of urban to rural.

and the popular vote wasn't that far off in the election.

[DARSB]

To paraphrase, then, President Obama was re-elected because in places that had voters, like cities, most of those voters choose him. And this is the GOP's numbers guy?

[InjusticeSucks]

For shure Ryan & Rummy lost due to Ryan and Rummy da Dummy.Love how the Rs try to shift the Blame of their epic loose on other.The GOP& Ryan and Mitt lost their election they had Won if they just would have the sense to Shut their mouths .The GOP is so out of touch they cant even understand or admit why they lost.

[Keyjo]

I know that Oregon has remained a blue state for a long time. And a lot of the rural voters blame Portland and Eugene for remaining Liberal, though Salem (same size as Eugene), usually leans Conservative.
But Ryan may be correct, considering demographics. Never the less, a vote is a vote is a vote. Every legal American citizen is entitled to ONE ballot, ONE vote every election, regardless of whether they are country folk or city dwellers.
But need I remind Ryan, that his ticket couldn't even carry either candidate's home state. Both Wisconsin and Massachusetts voted Democrat. Actions speak louder than words, Congressman Ryan. Be happy with being in the House of Representatives, you can do plenty of damage there.

[freaky6smurf]

Looks like a lot of the oboma voters will lose there jobs thanks 2 your so called free health care... sorry 2 break it 2 you but its not free.. Now all the people jumping the boarder have another reason 2 come to the USA..

The whole thing makes me sick.. who do you think will be paying 4 all this free crap .. the middle class...

[Jet_Silverman]

Time to address the elephant in the room. When Ryan said "Urban" he meant "non-white".

[shawnyc36]

Let's address the the blue whale in the room while were at it, whites are the backbone of this country.

[martydotcom]

Ryan would have been more in touch with reality is he had said: One of the reasons we lost is because we ignored the cities. The other reasons we lost was single women, Jews, and all the other demographics rejected us. We lost the key state of Ohio because of the auto industry, Va because of the legislature's wo an's rights loonies, we lost Florida because they incapable of conducting an election .....

[AtheistStand]

It was not the color of your skin that caused me not to vote for you Mr Ryan, its was your theist mind and your need to place religious views into politics, and the extreme views your party has come to stand for.

Race had nothing to do with my vote. I am white BTW.

[Zoe2012]

Sure, but how many were not fraudulent? I still believe that there is a great element of fraud with the democratic party.

[PayThatCEO]

Of course. There probably couldn't be any other reason... (like the Republicans acted like complete and utter jackasses).

[Zoe2012]

@PayThatCEO There is another reason, the lies from Team Obama regarding Mitt Romney for the last 9 months in Ohio on the television and radio. Makes me sick! But like Obama said, if you cannot run on your record, destroy your opponent. The sad thing is that there are too many non-educated people voting who believe the stupid lies and want something for nothing!

[martydotcom]

when the courts in Fl reviewed GOP voter purge effort less than 100 Dems found dead or no longer residents and nearly 1000 fraudulently registered by paid GOP operatives.....so much for you theory

[dances-weebles]

@Zoe2012 oh, for god sake, give that crap a rest. the domocrats didn't have to lie about romney... he made a fool of himself at every turn... and then ryan drug him right down the toilet with his childish, holier than thou bullshit.

[Starsplash]

@Zoe2012 Romney was full of shit to begin with and before the election. Team Obama didn't have to lie. They just had to set the Bullshit free, and they did.

[PayThatCEO]

Won because of "urban" voters?

So? Are urban dwellers not allowed to vote?

[1hardcorerepub]

Abolutely correct. Perhaps Voter ID would challenge the validity of most of those "Urban" voters.

[WattheTyler]

Why don't just come on out and say you don't want black people and Latino people voting? Because I know all to well what you mean by "urban" voter. I have very little love for you southerners and your racist sexist homophobic views make me want to throw up.

[trabig71]

@WattheTyler are you trying to say you aren't in the least bit prejudiced?? That goes both ways....but minorities seem to get away with being prejudiced while calling others racists.....it's fine to expect equal rights but now have more rights than 'whites' and still not happy, still wanting more....

[WattheTyler]

@trabig71 prejudice? I'm talking about brutal KKK racism. I'm getting sick of it.

I'm a white person by the way and I'm sick of you ignorant stupid white people that vote Republican simply because you hate black or Latino people or gay people or women.

[Starsplash]

@trabig71 What hes saying isn't totally out of reach.

I mean come on. Republicans were pushing very hard for voter ID BS everywhere and republicans and Fox News have been using the word urban like its some forbidden word or a taboo.

Im not saying the perception of possible racism in what was said is correct, but its not entirely wrong either to assume it with the evidence.

[trabig71]

@WattheTyler --nice, because you know me? First of all I'm not racist.... I voted for Romney because I am tired of working my ass off and still being broke, while too many folks (black, white, illegal aliens....) go around bragging about their 'entitlements' they receive, while carrying around their cell phones with expensive data plans, have year round tans, take multiple vacations per year, have big screen Tv's, etc...if someone else paid for MY health insurance, food, my kids got free breakfast and lunch at school, their school fees were waived.... I might also be able to get ahead one day... I do have a FEW nice things, but as I mentioned earlier, I work my ass off for them.....I don't expect someone else to work to support my laziness....

[Sonny]

This guy and/or his comments and/or this story---Is Not Even Worth Dignifying With any Commentary At All...

[KevinC]

The better questions the reporter could have asked. Is "Why did you lose your own home town" They voted against him for Senator and they voted against him for Vice President. These people know him best.