After “Republican establishment pundits” like David Brooks, David Frum, Joe Scarborough, and Peggy Noonan had endlessly criticized Mitt Romney, Ryan took a swipe at the professional Republican punditry and came to Romney’s defense this weekend.
In an interview with the Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel, Ryan dismissed the center-right criticism of Romney and his campaign for not being bold enough.
“A, we still have a ways to go. We still have a lot left that we’re planning on doing,” Ryan said. “B, I think that’s just what conservatives do by nature. I think that’s just the nature of conservative punditry is to do that – to kind of complain – about any imperfection they might see.”
Ryan said Romney’s selection of him was proof Romney had not been timid in the general election.
“His very selection of me as his running mate, the guy with all the specifics, who’s put out all these solutions on the table. It shows you very clearly Mitt Romney’s not afraid of making big decisions, making tough decisions, putting specifics out there,” Ryan said.
Some Ryan supporters, like Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker, have complained Romney has not unleashed Ryan. Walker has urged the campaign to let “Ryan be Ryan” and allow him to take the policy fight to Obama by making this election a fearless and bold contest of contrasting ideas for America’s future.
Ryan addressed those critics as well, saying the Romney campaign has not kept him in check.
“Look, Scott’s my friend. He’s just an advocate. He’s just always going to be going to bat for me like that,” Ryan said. “Never once has the (Romney) campaign asked me to stop something or do something differently or not do anything.”
Although Ryan slammed the “conservative” punditry, it would have been more accurate to have referred to Romney’s critics as “Republican” commentators.
One of the great ironies of the 2012 campaign has been conservatives and Tea Partiers who were the most critical of Romney during the primary have been more supportive of Romney than the Republican intellectuals who continuously parroted that Romney had to be the nominee because he was the most electable.
These Republicans have again proven they care more about being liked by the mainstream media above all else.
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