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| Rousing G.O.P., Ryan Faults ‘Missing’ Leadership | Rousing G.O.P., Ryan Faults ‘Missing’ Leadership |
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| TAMPA, Fla. — Representative Paul D. Ryan of Wisconsin, whose budget plans have come to define conservative opposition to President Obama’s governing philosophy, accepted the Republican vice-presidential nomination on Wednesday as his party embraced the gamble that the small-government principles he represents have more political payoff than peril. | TAMPA, Fla. — Representative Paul D. Ryan of Wisconsin, whose budget plans have come to define conservative opposition to President Obama’s governing philosophy, accepted the Republican vice-presidential nomination on Wednesday as his party embraced the gamble that the small-government principles he represents have more political payoff than peril. |
| Before an audience of party faithful that he brought to life with his address, Mr. Ryan, 42, sought to turn his relative youth to his advantage, saying he would stand with Mitt Romney in embarking on a generational struggle to protect the very social program — Medicare — that Democrats accuse him of trying to dismantle. | Before an audience of party faithful that he brought to life with his address, Mr. Ryan, 42, sought to turn his relative youth to his advantage, saying he would stand with Mitt Romney in embarking on a generational struggle to protect the very social program — Medicare — that Democrats accuse him of trying to dismantle. |
| “Ladies and gentlemen, our nation needs this debate. We want this debate. We will win this debate,” Mr. Ryan said to thunderous applause from the Republican National Convention, making it clear that he and Mr. Romney have no intention of backing off in the face of withering Democratic attacks and unease among some Republican Congressional candidates fearful of a backlash from voters. | “Ladies and gentlemen, our nation needs this debate. We want this debate. We will win this debate,” Mr. Ryan said to thunderous applause from the Republican National Convention, making it clear that he and Mr. Romney have no intention of backing off in the face of withering Democratic attacks and unease among some Republican Congressional candidates fearful of a backlash from voters. |
| The crowd came to hear an indictment of Mr. Obama, and as he gave the highest-profile speech of his career, Mr. Ryan delivered one, fully adopting the vice-presidential nominee’s traditional role of leading the charge against the other party. Welcomed to sustained applause of a full minute, he delivered his address with a mix of searing takedowns of Mr. Obama (“a ship trying to sail on yesterday’s wind”), a gentle joke about the songs Mr. Romney favors (“which I’ve heard on the campaign bus and on many hotel elevators”), and appeals to undecided voters to leave behind whatever lingering hopes they had that Mr. Obama could bring the economy back to full strength. | The crowd came to hear an indictment of Mr. Obama, and as he gave the highest-profile speech of his career, Mr. Ryan delivered one, fully adopting the vice-presidential nominee’s traditional role of leading the charge against the other party. Welcomed to sustained applause of a full minute, he delivered his address with a mix of searing takedowns of Mr. Obama (“a ship trying to sail on yesterday’s wind”), a gentle joke about the songs Mr. Romney favors (“which I’ve heard on the campaign bus and on many hotel elevators”), and appeals to undecided voters to leave behind whatever lingering hopes they had that Mr. Obama could bring the economy back to full strength. |
| “Ladies and gentlemen, these past four years we have suffered no shortage of words in the White House,” Mr. Ryan said, drawing a roar of approval. “What’s missing is leadership in the White House.” | “Ladies and gentlemen, these past four years we have suffered no shortage of words in the White House,” Mr. Ryan said, drawing a roar of approval. “What’s missing is leadership in the White House.” |
| Mr. Ryan even at one point appeared to flirt with accusations of socialism as he recounted his own work history, starting with his days as a waiter. “That’s the American dream,” he said. “That’s freedom, and I’ll take it any day over the supervision and sanctimony of the central planners.” | Mr. Ryan even at one point appeared to flirt with accusations of socialism as he recounted his own work history, starting with his days as a waiter. “That’s the American dream,” he said. “That’s freedom, and I’ll take it any day over the supervision and sanctimony of the central planners.” |
| If his vigorous support for shrinking the size and role of government has left the party exposed to withering attacks from Mr. Obama and the Democrats, it did not seem to cause concern. Rather, Mr. Ryan ran headlong into the fire he expects to draw. | If his vigorous support for shrinking the size and role of government has left the party exposed to withering attacks from Mr. Obama and the Democrats, it did not seem to cause concern. Rather, Mr. Ryan ran headlong into the fire he expects to draw. |
| Mr. Ryan made it clear that he would portray the Romney-Ryan ticket as protecting Medicare, not “raiding it,” as he said Democrats would, saying his own mother’s reliance on the program should be proof of his commitment to it. | Mr. Ryan made it clear that he would portray the Romney-Ryan ticket as protecting Medicare, not “raiding it,” as he said Democrats would, saying his own mother’s reliance on the program should be proof of his commitment to it. |
| “A Romney-Ryan administration will protect and strengthen Medicare, for my mom’s generation, for my generation, and for my kids and yours,” he said. “So our opponents can consider themselves on notice. In this election, on this issue, the usual posturing on the left isn’t going to work. Mitt Romney and I know the difference between protecting a program and raiding it.” Mr. Ryan’s final line — which included the declaration “We can make the safety net safe again” — brought a cheer resembling something like a last-minute goal in overtime of a championship game. | “A Romney-Ryan administration will protect and strengthen Medicare, for my mom’s generation, for my generation, and for my kids and yours,” he said. “So our opponents can consider themselves on notice. In this election, on this issue, the usual posturing on the left isn’t going to work. Mitt Romney and I know the difference between protecting a program and raiding it.” Mr. Ryan’s final line — which included the declaration “We can make the safety net safe again” — brought a cheer resembling something like a last-minute goal in overtime of a championship game. |
| The night gave the first real answer about what sort of wingman Mr. Ryan will be for Mr. Romney. He showed that he was more than willing to go after Mr. Obama, using a mocking tone often laced with humor. | The night gave the first real answer about what sort of wingman Mr. Ryan will be for Mr. Romney. He showed that he was more than willing to go after Mr. Obama, using a mocking tone often laced with humor. |
| “College graduates should not have to live out their 20s in their childhood bedrooms, staring up at fading Obama posters and wondering when they can move out and get going with life,” he said midway through his speech, eliciting laughter and delighted applause. | “College graduates should not have to live out their 20s in their childhood bedrooms, staring up at fading Obama posters and wondering when they can move out and get going with life,” he said midway through his speech, eliciting laughter and delighted applause. |
| But he also showed that he would serve as a steadfast advocate for Mr. Romney, pivoting between the two messages. | But he also showed that he would serve as a steadfast advocate for Mr. Romney, pivoting between the two messages. |
| “He helped start businesses and turn around failing ones,” Mr. Ryan said of Mr. Romney. “By the way, being successful in business — that’s a good thing.” | “He helped start businesses and turn around failing ones,” Mr. Ryan said of Mr. Romney. “By the way, being successful in business — that’s a good thing.” |
| Mr. Ryan playfully referred to the generational gap between him and Mr. Romney, who watched the speech with his family at a nearby Marriott. But when it came to what the new ticket has cast as the most pressing issue facing the nation, reining in the surging costs of social programs, Mr. Ryan portrayed their approach as a politically brave effort “to meet serious challenges in a serious way, without excuses and idle words.” | Mr. Ryan playfully referred to the generational gap between him and Mr. Romney, who watched the speech with his family at a nearby Marriott. But when it came to what the new ticket has cast as the most pressing issue facing the nation, reining in the surging costs of social programs, Mr. Ryan portrayed their approach as a politically brave effort “to meet serious challenges in a serious way, without excuses and idle words.” |
| Mr. Romney’s aides have said they believe that antipathy for Mr. Obama’s health care overhaul has upended the political dynamic of Medicare in way that tilts the presumed advantage away from the Democrats. Mr. Ryan’s speech reflected that thinking. | Mr. Romney’s aides have said they believe that antipathy for Mr. Obama’s health care overhaul has upended the political dynamic of Medicare in way that tilts the presumed advantage away from the Democrats. Mr. Ryan’s speech reflected that thinking. |
| “Obamacare comes to more than two thousand pages of rules, mandates, taxes, fees and fines that have no place in a free country,” he said. “And the biggest, coldest power play of all in Obamacare came at the expense of the elderly.” | “Obamacare comes to more than two thousand pages of rules, mandates, taxes, fees and fines that have no place in a free country,” he said. “And the biggest, coldest power play of all in Obamacare came at the expense of the elderly.” |
| Mr. Ryan was referring to a provision of the health law that cuts more than $700 billion in projected spending from the Medicare program. Mr. Ryan’s budget assumes similar reductions, a point Democrats will be certain to continue making in the weeks ahead. | Mr. Ryan was referring to a provision of the health law that cuts more than $700 billion in projected spending from the Medicare program. Mr. Ryan’s budget assumes similar reductions, a point Democrats will be certain to continue making in the weeks ahead. |
| Likewise, Mr. Ryan, whose deep budget-cutting plans drew intense criticism from Mr. Obama long before the Republican ticket was completed, accused the president of failing to act on the recommendations of his own bipartisan debt commission. Mr. Ryan did not mention that he had served on that commission and dissented from its policy proposals, which included specific steps to reduce budget deficits. | Likewise, Mr. Ryan, whose deep budget-cutting plans drew intense criticism from Mr. Obama long before the Republican ticket was completed, accused the president of failing to act on the recommendations of his own bipartisan debt commission. Mr. Ryan did not mention that he had served on that commission and dissented from its policy proposals, which included specific steps to reduce budget deficits. |
| But that was of no concern to the audience, whose raucous reception of Mr. Ryan was a resounding affirmation of his popularity with conservatives who have at times shown less enthusiasm for Mr. Romney. | But that was of no concern to the audience, whose raucous reception of Mr. Ryan was a resounding affirmation of his popularity with conservatives who have at times shown less enthusiasm for Mr. Romney. |
| It was Mr. Ryan’s first turn on a truly national stage, and in many ways he was a marked contrast to his party’s vice-presidential nominee of four years ago, Sarah Palin of Alaska. Mr. Ryan formally took his place on the ticket with a well-established reputation as a policy expert, with years of experience in Washington and with few surprises lurking in his past. | It was Mr. Ryan’s first turn on a truly national stage, and in many ways he was a marked contrast to his party’s vice-presidential nominee of four years ago, Sarah Palin of Alaska. Mr. Ryan formally took his place on the ticket with a well-established reputation as a policy expert, with years of experience in Washington and with few surprises lurking in his past. |
| But in other ways he is a bigger risk for Mr. Romney than Ms. Palin was for Senator John McCain in 2008 because he represents a set of substantive policy positions that even his own party shied away from until the last year or two. | But in other ways he is a bigger risk for Mr. Romney than Ms. Palin was for Senator John McCain in 2008 because he represents a set of substantive policy positions that even his own party shied away from until the last year or two. |
| Mr. McCain addressed the convention earlier Wednesday and got a somewhat subdued reaction as he declared, “Our president is not being true to our values,” adding, “I trust Mitt Romney to lead us.” | Mr. McCain addressed the convention earlier Wednesday and got a somewhat subdued reaction as he declared, “Our president is not being true to our values,” adding, “I trust Mitt Romney to lead us.” |
| But two hours later, Condoleezza Rice, national security adviser and secretary of state under President George W. Bush, brought the crowd to its feet several times in a rare foray into electoral politics, even reprising Republican accusations that Mr. Obama has failed to project American strength, saying, “We cannot be reluctant to lead — and one cannot lead from behind.” | But two hours later, Condoleezza Rice, national security adviser and secretary of state under President George W. Bush, brought the crowd to its feet several times in a rare foray into electoral politics, even reprising Republican accusations that Mr. Obama has failed to project American strength, saying, “We cannot be reluctant to lead — and one cannot lead from behind.” |
| Mr. Bush did not come to the convention, appearing in an emotional video that was part tribute to his father, the 41st president, with whom he reminisced while at the family vacation home in Kennebunkport, Me., and part endorsement of Mr. Romney. | Mr. Bush did not come to the convention, appearing in an emotional video that was part tribute to his father, the 41st president, with whom he reminisced while at the family vacation home in Kennebunkport, Me., and part endorsement of Mr. Romney. |
| In some respects, though, the party continued to reject the domestic legacy of the Bush years. The younger Mr. Bush has fallen out of favor with the party’s fiscally hawkish base, which now views many of his policies as irresponsibly costly. | In some respects, though, the party continued to reject the domestic legacy of the Bush years. The younger Mr. Bush has fallen out of favor with the party’s fiscally hawkish base, which now views many of his policies as irresponsibly costly. |
| Mr. Ryan gave a nod to that. “In a clean break from the Obama years, and frankly from the years before this president, we will keep federal spending at 20 percent of G.D.P., or less,” he said. “That is enough.” | Mr. Ryan gave a nod to that. “In a clean break from the Obama years, and frankly from the years before this president, we will keep federal spending at 20 percent of G.D.P., or less,” he said. “That is enough.” |
Jonathan Weisman and Jeff Zeleny contributed reporting. | Jonathan Weisman and Jeff Zeleny contributed reporting. |
| This article has been revised to reflect the following correction: | This article has been revised to reflect the following correction: |
| Correction: August 31, 2012 | |
Because | Because of an editing error, an article on Thursday about Representative Paul D. Ryan’s acceptance speech at the Republican National Convention on Wednesday night misidentified, in some copies, the speaker who received a somewhat subdued reaction when he said, “Our president is not being true to our values.” It was Senator John McCain, who spoke earlier in the evening — not Mr. Ryan. |