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Meet Paul Ryan, Romney's Ayn Rand-Loving, Catfish-Wrangling Running Mate
By
Rebecca Fishbein
Published Aug 11, 2012
Modified Aug 11, 2012
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By
Rebecca Fishbein
Published Aug 11, 2012
Modified Aug 11, 2012
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Now that our Mitt Romney-Herman Cain '12 fantasies have come to a crushing end, we can turn our attention to the Republican Party's star of the hour, Wisconsin House Representative Paul Ryan. So who is this dashing new Knight of the Right Wing (and total Gabe from The Office doppelgänger)? Here's what we've found out:
He's a (not so) secret Ayn Rand fan:
A key element of Ryan's economic plan is maintaining tax cuts for the wealthy, so it should be no surprise that he's well-versed in the works of the Queen of laissez-faire capitalism. But Ryan's more than just a casual Rand connoisseur! Over the years, Ryan has told various publications that Rand's novels have been "the reason I got involved in public service," have "taught [him] quite a bit about [who he is] and what [his] value systems are," and are reportedly required reading for all of his interns He even put out a campaign video on Facebook lauding Rand's "morality of capitalism" in an attack on the Obama Administration's fiscal policies:
But alas, like all great love affairs, the Rand-Ryan romance was a doomed one. Rand's atheist principles are a total no-no for the God-fearing Republican Party, and in April Ryan backtracked on his Fountainhead fetish in an interview with the National Review. "I reject her philosophy," he said of Rand. "It's an atheist philosophy. It reduces human interactions down to mere contracts and it is antithetical to my worldview. If somebody is going to try and paste a person' view on epistemology to me, then give me Thomas Aquinas." The two-timing cad!
He works hard for that body:
Ryan's got a sleek physique, and he earned it the hard way. He's a self-proclaimed "workout guy," and swears by the P90x fitness training program, one of those multi-use home workout systems frequently advertised on TV in the wee hours of the morning. And it turns out those abs aren't just for show, either. Rand's body has helped draw political support from GOP-ers like Texas Representative Kevin Brady, who are impressed with his physical prowess over the years. "When I saw Paul Ryan—man, he's gotten in great shape," Brady told Politico in 2009. "He doesn't have a six-pack; he's got, like, a 12-pack." If that's not reason enough for a place on the presidential ticket, what is?
He's pretty tight with Congress:
For a party that spends a lot of time trying to cut ties with the Washington "elite," Ryan happens to be quite a Capital Hill insider. He's served nearly seven full terms as a House Representative, having been elected to represent Wisconsin in 1998, and his position as the chairman of the House Budget Committee makes him a major Republican player in Congress.
He used to drive an Oscar Mayer Wienermobile:
He worked for the company while in college, but sadly has yet to promise voters a lifetime supply of hot dogs.
He likes to stick his fist down the throats of catfish:
Yep, you read that right. It's called "noodling," and it involves catching a catfish with one's bare hands. "We walk around the banks looking for holes, and you get your hand inside the fish and they kind of come up on your hand. And then you just squeeze wherever you are on that fish and pull it out." Ryan told the Times last week. "I know it sounds a little crazy, but it's really exhilarating." Is "catfish" a code name for "middle class"? Take it away, Romney-Ryan!
Tagged
Congress
election 12
mitt romney
paul ryan
republican party
Rebecca Fishbein
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