Governor Mitt Romney’s selection of Representative Paul Ryan as his vice-presidential running mate is revealing on a couple of levels.
First, it shows that Governor Romney has a keen eye for talent (which probably explains his success as a CEO). Representative Ryan has become an intellectual leader, perhaps the intellectual leader, of the House GOP, and that didn’t just happen by accident. He worked at it for years, taking countless political risks along the way. To get where he is today, he studied the issues hard, and thought through the policies. He taught himself how to be an effective communicator — with a lot of practice, and no doubt plenty of trial and error. In short, Ryan’s ascendance is a testament to his talent and drive — just the qualities Romney needs most both to win the presidency and to govern effectively. And to his everlasting credit, Romney had the courage to choose the right man for the job despite the fact that Ryan’s skill and effectiveness pose such a threat to defenders of the status quo that they will say and do just about anything to stop him.