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| Focus on Ryan Extends to His Budget Plan | Focus on Ryan Extends to His Budget Plan |
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| TAMPA, Fla. — Representative Paul D. Ryan, the Republican Party’s budget architect turned vice-presidential nominee, is set to get his prime-time moment at the Republican National Convention on Wednesday night, putting heightened attention on his plans to reshape Medicare, cut taxes and reduce federal spending. | TAMPA, Fla. — Representative Paul D. Ryan, the Republican Party’s budget architect turned vice-presidential nominee, is set to get his prime-time moment at the Republican National Convention on Wednesday night, putting heightened attention on his plans to reshape Medicare, cut taxes and reduce federal spending. |
| As the storm-shortened convention headed into its second full day of activities, Mr. Ryan, the Wisconsin lawmaker who leads the House Budget Committee, was the unequivocal star attraction in a lineup of speakers that was heavy on Mr. Ryan’s Congressional colleagues, including Senator John McCain, the party’s unsuccessful 2008 presidential nominee. | As the storm-shortened convention headed into its second full day of activities, Mr. Ryan, the Wisconsin lawmaker who leads the House Budget Committee, was the unequivocal star attraction in a lineup of speakers that was heavy on Mr. Ryan’s Congressional colleagues, including Senator John McCain, the party’s unsuccessful 2008 presidential nominee. |
| Mr. Ryan’s speech was to provide the biggest opportunity yet for the 42-year-old conservative to make the case for his vision — embraced by Congressional Republicans and much of the party’s intelligentsia — of how to rein in soaring entitlement spending, shrink the size of government and alter federal spending priorities. His admirers were expecting him to shine. | Mr. Ryan’s speech was to provide the biggest opportunity yet for the 42-year-old conservative to make the case for his vision — embraced by Congressional Republicans and much of the party’s intelligentsia — of how to rein in soaring entitlement spending, shrink the size of government and alter federal spending priorities. His admirers were expecting him to shine. |
| “Tonight, the American people — millions who may not know a lot about Paul Ryan other than the headlines that they’ve read — are going to get to know Paul Ryan the way many of us know him; as a serious policy thinker,” Senator Marco Rubio, Republican of Florida, said on ABC’s “Good Morning America.” He called Mr. Ryan someone who “brings a unique life experience and a unique perspective on some of the issues that we face because of his age, because of our generation but, at the same time, someone who is as deep and serious a thinker about our issues as ever before.” | “Tonight, the American people — millions who may not know a lot about Paul Ryan other than the headlines that they’ve read — are going to get to know Paul Ryan the way many of us know him; as a serious policy thinker,” Senator Marco Rubio, Republican of Florida, said on ABC’s “Good Morning America.” He called Mr. Ryan someone who “brings a unique life experience and a unique perspective on some of the issues that we face because of his age, because of our generation but, at the same time, someone who is as deep and serious a thinker about our issues as ever before.” |
| Democrats were just as eager as Republicans to focus public attention on Mr. Ryan and his plans. A group of top Democrats arrived in Tampa to slice and dice Mr. Ryan’s budget. The Democratic National Committee took out a full-page ad in The Tampa Tribune to accuse Mr. Ryan of trying to “end Medicare as we know it” through his proposal to provide federal health insurance subsidies for future retirees so they can buy private insurance rather than enroll in Medicare. The party also has two billboards with similar themes in the vicinity of the convention hall and plans to have a plane pull a banner Wednesday night with the message: “Romney-Ryan: Wrong for the Middle Class.” | Democrats were just as eager as Republicans to focus public attention on Mr. Ryan and his plans. A group of top Democrats arrived in Tampa to slice and dice Mr. Ryan’s budget. The Democratic National Committee took out a full-page ad in The Tampa Tribune to accuse Mr. Ryan of trying to “end Medicare as we know it” through his proposal to provide federal health insurance subsidies for future retirees so they can buy private insurance rather than enroll in Medicare. The party also has two billboards with similar themes in the vicinity of the convention hall and plans to have a plane pull a banner Wednesday night with the message: “Romney-Ryan: Wrong for the Middle Class.” |
| Even as the political sniping went on, the convention managers and the Romney campaign were closely monitoring events unfolding along the Gulf Coast just a few hundred miles away as Hurricane Isaac pummeled Louisiana with rain and wind, causing flooding and providing a stark televised contrast to the convention festivities. | Even as the political sniping went on, the convention managers and the Romney campaign were closely monitoring events unfolding along the Gulf Coast just a few hundred miles away as Hurricane Isaac pummeled Louisiana with rain and wind, causing flooding and providing a stark televised contrast to the convention festivities. |
| Besides Mr. Ryan and Mr. McCain, the speakers were to include Senators Mitch McConnell of Kentucky, John Thune of South Dakota and Rob Portman of Ohio; Mr. Portman was among the top contenders for the vice-presidential slot that went to Mr. Ryan. | Besides Mr. Ryan and Mr. McCain, the speakers were to include Senators Mitch McConnell of Kentucky, John Thune of South Dakota and Rob Portman of Ohio; Mr. Portman was among the top contenders for the vice-presidential slot that went to Mr. Ryan. |
| Mr. Ryan’s speech is unlikely to focus too heavily on the wonkier details of his budget plan, which has twice passed the House. The Romney campaign has been distancing itself from the proposal, seeking to make clear that the presidential nominee will be the one responsible for setting economic policy. | Mr. Ryan’s speech is unlikely to focus too heavily on the wonkier details of his budget plan, which has twice passed the House. The Romney campaign has been distancing itself from the proposal, seeking to make clear that the presidential nominee will be the one responsible for setting economic policy. |
| Mr. Ryan also needs to introduce himself to the many Americans who will be listening to him for the first time. But the budget and his economic proposals are such an indelible part of his identity that discussion of the contentious policy plans and their implications will be unavoidable. | Mr. Ryan also needs to introduce himself to the many Americans who will be listening to him for the first time. But the budget and his economic proposals are such an indelible part of his identity that discussion of the contentious policy plans and their implications will be unavoidable. |
| Republicans say they believe that the American public is ready to engage in a serious debate over how to get a handle on entitlement costs and that they can persuade voters that their plans will help keep Medicare solvent and show them as the party willing to make tough decisions. They see Mr. Ryan’s budget as a formidable political weapon. | Republicans say they believe that the American public is ready to engage in a serious debate over how to get a handle on entitlement costs and that they can persuade voters that their plans will help keep Medicare solvent and show them as the party willing to make tough decisions. They see Mr. Ryan’s budget as a formidable political weapon. |
| “It does distinguish what we are about as Republicans versus what the president has been about,” said Representative Eric Cantor of Virginia, a close ally and friend of Mr. Ryan. | “It does distinguish what we are about as Republicans versus what the president has been about,” said Representative Eric Cantor of Virginia, a close ally and friend of Mr. Ryan. |
| “What the budget that Paul offered does is say that we Republicans want to solve a problem,” said Mr. Cantor, the House majority leader. | “What the budget that Paul offered does is say that we Republicans want to solve a problem,” said Mr. Cantor, the House majority leader. |
| Democrats argue that Mr. Ryan’s approach would instead cause problems by driving up the costs of health care for older Americans and shaking the foundations of Medicare, the popular health insurance program. | Democrats argue that Mr. Ryan’s approach would instead cause problems by driving up the costs of health care for older Americans and shaking the foundations of Medicare, the popular health insurance program. |
| Representative Chris Van Hollen of Maryland, Mr. Ryan’s Democratic counterpart on the Budget Committee, accused Mr. Ryan on Wednesday of a “calculated, cynical effort to confuse seniors and to hide from seniors just how bad the Romney-Ryan plan would be.” | Representative Chris Van Hollen of Maryland, Mr. Ryan’s Democratic counterpart on the Budget Committee, accused Mr. Ryan on Wednesday of a “calculated, cynical effort to confuse seniors and to hide from seniors just how bad the Romney-Ryan plan would be.” |
| Joining other Democrats at a news conference, Mr. Van Hollen also said that Mr. Ryan’s presence on the national ticket and the emphasis on his budget were boosting Democrats in Congressional races around the country. | Joining other Democrats at a news conference, Mr. Van Hollen also said that Mr. Ryan’s presence on the national ticket and the emphasis on his budget were boosting Democrats in Congressional races around the country. |
| Aides to Mr. Ryan sought to push back forcefully against Mr. Van Hollen. | |
| “Having already saddled the country with $5 trillion in new debt while cutting Medicare by $716 billion to pay for Obamacare, President Obama cannot defend his broken promises, so he and his campaign are resorting to tired and misleading attacks,” said Brenda Buck, a spokesman for Mr. Ryan. “Mitt Romney and Paul Ryan have a plan to strengthen the middle class by cutting the deficit, preserving and protecting Medicare, and lowering taxes for all American so we can create 12 million new jobs.” | |
| Mr. Romney, who is scheduled to deliver his acceptance speech Thursday night as the convention concludes, was leaving Tampa on Wednesday to fly to Indianapolis for a campaign appearance. | Mr. Romney, who is scheduled to deliver his acceptance speech Thursday night as the convention concludes, was leaving Tampa on Wednesday to fly to Indianapolis for a campaign appearance. |
| In a change of schedule, aides said that Mr. Romney was not expected to stay overnight in Indiana but instead would return to Tampa to watch the convention speeches from his hotel room with his wife, Ann. | In a change of schedule, aides said that Mr. Romney was not expected to stay overnight in Indiana but instead would return to Tampa to watch the convention speeches from his hotel room with his wife, Ann. |