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| Paul Ryan pick draws big crowds as Obama campaign moves to downplay | Paul Ryan pick draws big crowds as Obama campaign moves to downplay |
| (about 2 hours later) | |
| The Obama campaign has attempted to play down the apparent excitement generated by Mitt Romney's new running mate Paul Ryan, a move that boosted crowds at the Republican presidential challenger's events. | The Obama campaign has attempted to play down the apparent excitement generated by Mitt Romney's new running mate Paul Ryan, a move that boosted crowds at the Republican presidential challenger's events. |
| Romney and Ryan, on their first full day campaigning together on Sunday, attracted much bigger audiences than normal for Romney events, which on the whole tend to be sparsely populated. | Romney and Ryan, on their first full day campaigning together on Sunday, attracted much bigger audiences than normal for Romney events, which on the whole tend to be sparsely populated. |
| It comes at a time when Barack Obama's own drawing-power has become an issue, with the campaign denying reports that turnout is well down on the 2008 campaign. | It comes at a time when Barack Obama's own drawing-power has become an issue, with the campaign denying reports that turnout is well down on the 2008 campaign. |
| Obama's senior adviser, David Axelrod, interviewed on CBS on Monday morning, expressed scepticism over whether the Romney-Ryan ticket would continue to generate the kind of enthusiasm seen at campaign events in North Carolina on Sunday. | Obama's senior adviser, David Axelrod, interviewed on CBS on Monday morning, expressed scepticism over whether the Romney-Ryan ticket would continue to generate the kind of enthusiasm seen at campaign events in North Carolina on Sunday. |
| He recalled that when John McCain chose Sarah Palin as his running mate, there was the same "kind of excitement". But in the longer term Ryan is, like Palin, "not going to be a plus for Mr Romney", Axelrod said. | He recalled that when John McCain chose Sarah Palin as his running mate, there was the same "kind of excitement". But in the longer term Ryan is, like Palin, "not going to be a plus for Mr Romney", Axelrod said. |
| Romney went campaigning on his own in Florida on Monday while Ryan went to Iowa to shadow Obama, who begins a three-day bus tour of the state, before hopping to Colorado, another swing state, where he will campaign on Tuesday. | Romney went campaigning on his own in Florida on Monday while Ryan went to Iowa to shadow Obama, who begins a three-day bus tour of the state, before hopping to Colorado, another swing state, where he will campaign on Tuesday. |
| Ryan attracted a large crowd to his speech at the Iowa state fair, including noisy hecklers who accused him of waging war on the working-class. | |
| A New York Times reporter said Obama, at a fundraiser in his hometown Chicago on Sunday, attracted only a half-full crowd for an event where ticket prices began at $51. The Romney campaign spokesman, Ryan Williams, tweeted: "The thrill has gone." | A New York Times reporter said Obama, at a fundraiser in his hometown Chicago on Sunday, attracted only a half-full crowd for an event where ticket prices began at $51. The Romney campaign spokesman, Ryan Williams, tweeted: "The thrill has gone." |
| The Obama campaign, as well as other journalists, disputed the the New York Times assessment by the reporter, who later deleted her first comment and posted a modified tweet. | |
| By contrast, the Greensboro News-Record reported that a Romney-Ryan double act on Sunday attracted between 10,000 and 15,000 to a campaign event in High Point, North Carolina. The venue had room for only 1,200 and most of the crowd were not able to get into the venue. | By contrast, the Greensboro News-Record reported that a Romney-Ryan double act on Sunday attracted between 10,000 and 15,000 to a campaign event in High Point, North Carolina. The venue had room for only 1,200 and most of the crowd were not able to get into the venue. |
| With polls showing a tight race in which the bulk of the voters have already made up their mind, some strategists calculate that the election will be decided not so much by swing voters but by getting out the party base. Making Ryan the vice-presidential running mate could help Romney generate enthusiasm among the party grassroots. | |
| But there is also a downside. Ryan's proposals to shake-up the popular healthcare programme for those aged 65 and over, Medicare, is a potential election-changing issue in states such as Florida, with its high proportion of retirees. But Ohio, another key swing state, also has a high proportion of Medicare recipients. | But there is also a downside. Ryan's proposals to shake-up the popular healthcare programme for those aged 65 and over, Medicare, is a potential election-changing issue in states such as Florida, with its high proportion of retirees. But Ohio, another key swing state, also has a high proportion of Medicare recipients. |
| The Romney campaign denied this was why Ryan was sent to Iowa rather than Florida and stressed the Wisconsin congressman will be campaigning in Florida on Saturday. | The Romney campaign denied this was why Ryan was sent to Iowa rather than Florida and stressed the Wisconsin congressman will be campaigning in Florida on Saturday. |
| Romney attracted a big crowd at his first event in Florida, at Flagler College, but this may have been partly because of earlier publicity suggesting that Ryan would also be present. As in North Carolina, some of the crowd had to listen from outside. | Romney attracted a big crowd at his first event in Florida, at Flagler College, but this may have been partly because of earlier publicity suggesting that Ryan would also be present. As in North Carolina, some of the crowd had to listen from outside. |
| Romney defended Ryan's proposed Medicare shake-up, saying reform is necessary to protect the programme for future generations. "We want to make sure that we preserve and protect Medicare," Romney said. | Romney defended Ryan's proposed Medicare shake-up, saying reform is necessary to protect the programme for future generations. "We want to make sure that we preserve and protect Medicare," Romney said. |
| At the same time, he has left himself a loophole if the controversy begins to damage his campaign, saying that the budget if he wins the White House would be his rather than Ryan's. | At the same time, he has left himself a loophole if the controversy begins to damage his campaign, saying that the budget if he wins the White House would be his rather than Ryan's. |
| An Obama campaign spokeswoman, Jan Psaki, travelling with the president to Iowa, tied Romney to the Ryan budget plan, saying he had described it as "marvellous". She added: "As the old saying goes, birds of a feather flock together." | An Obama campaign spokeswoman, Jan Psaki, travelling with the president to Iowa, tied Romney to the Ryan budget plan, saying he had described it as "marvellous". She added: "As the old saying goes, birds of a feather flock together." |
| She also criticised Ryan for so far failing to support Obama's farm bill to help farmers hit by the drought in states such as Iowa, one of the themes the president is to pursue on his tour. | She also criticised Ryan for so far failing to support Obama's farm bill to help farmers hit by the drought in states such as Iowa, one of the themes the president is to pursue on his tour. |