The Ryan Effect
In 2008, the Democrats did something ingenious. They found their first 21st
century candidate for the presidency.
No more Al Gores or John Kerrys. No more Clintons. No more Cold War-era
fossils. In fact, one of the biggest reasons Barack Obama was able to beat
Hillary Clinton in the 2008 Democrat primaries was because he created a new
brand based on the future. The Obama brand was able to smash the
once-omnipotent Clinton brand because the Clinton brand was yesterday's
newspaper while the Obama brand was tomorrow's.
Obama was the quintessential 21st century candidate: a young, hip, and
biracial man with a glamorous wife, adorable young children, and
friendships with pop culture icons like Jay-Z. Obama's campaign was equally
21st century: they used social media to great effect before most people even
knew what it was. They were tweeting their followers at Kanye West concerts
while John McCain, God love him, was campaigning with smoke signals.
This time, the tables have turned. While Mitt Romney sort of straddles the
20th and 21st centuries, his running mate is most decidedly 21st century.
Paul Ryan is 42 years old, making him almost a decade younger than the young
whipper-snapper of the 2008 campaign, Barack Obama. He sleeps in his
Capitol Hill office like it's a dorm room. He does the insanely tough
workout P90X. He walks around wearing headphones, like NBA stars and
Olympic athletes. He is cool.
This matters in a nation that has always been forward-looking, pioneering,
innovative, and geared toward the future. Negativity and the past don't win the
big battles for the future. Obama knew that when he crushed the Clinton
machine and later, the 20th century GOP machine. This time, the Republicans
get it, and they've found a dynamic, fearless 21st century guy in Paul Ryan.
Even Mitt Romney has become cooler, tougher, looser, and more
forward-looking since Ryan joined him on the trail.
Call it The Ryan Effect.
And consider a major piece of early evidence that The Ryan Effect is
resonating. Today, John Zogby and his firm JZ Analytics released a poll of
1,117 likely voters taken over the weekend after the Ryan announcement was
made. He found that an astonishing 40 percent of the youth vote -- those 18 to 19
years old -- now support Romney/Ryan. In 2008, a whopping 66 percent of the youth
vote went to Obama. This is a major development. Younger voters are
disillusioned by Obama's Chicago-style politicking; they can't get jobs in
the Obama Economy; they've got growing concerns about the nation's debt and
how it'll effect them; and they're increasingly becoming more libertarian,
if not conservative. "They want change," Zogby said.
Yes, they do. Most of us want change. But we want real change. Not phony
Greek columns, "we're the ones we've been waiting for" change, but rather honest
change that will restore the nation and the promise of the quintessentially
bright American future. After all, that's what the 21st century should hold
for America. And that's what the Ryan Effect is starting to deliver.
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Sep '10
Re: The Ryan Effect
The key to a successful corporate turnaround artist is identifying the man that's going to be his successor. Romney has done that, electrified the ticket, and rallied the base.
If he wants to go down in the history books on the plus side of the ledger, he's making an excellent start.
And having the Incredible Hulk deliver the keynote address at the Republican convention and deliver the hard truths that will frame the final push for the finish is about as perfect a pitch as you can throw in the final innings.
When Paul Ryan turned to publicly thank Scott Walker and wasn't ashamed to do it, I thought I was watching the final battle scene of the Return of the King. I'd rather go down to defeat with friends by my side than enemies burning my crops and stealing my land.
This isn't a time to bunt; its time to swing for the fences. Bases are loaded. Bring it home.
Dec '10
Re: The Ryan Effect
I wonder if four years of Obama have changed American youth. He pandered to those who wanted everything and wanted it handed to them, and they rewarded him by turning out in unprecedented numbers. Many who have come to voting age during his term still want everything, but the abject and obvious failures of his policies have demonstrated to these new young voters the fallacy of the free lunch. They want everything just as every 18-24 year old does, but they realize that they have to get it for themselves. Rather than wanting it handed to them they now want barriers to their own efforts removed. They want opportunity, and they will make their own outcomes. They cling selfishly to their desires just as others in their place in times past, but the desires have changed back to a more American sort. They may realize that America the idea, not America the government, will provide them with their wildest dreams. If this is so, then Romney/Ryan and the talk of an opportunity society will win huge. Or, I could be dreaming.
Jul '11
Re: The Ryan Effect
Ryan is a game changer. His energy is infectious and his connection with the young has a bit of JFK in it. Of course his morals rise far above that of the former president and the current one for that matter. Our country likes good men to lead us and we have one in Ryan.
Jan '11
Re: The Ryan Effect
I've said to my children, and also their friends, especially when they admit to supporting Obama:
-- that's your money he's spending
They get that.
Mar '11
Re: The Ryan Effect
I am all for this being cast as Ryan vs Obama. It is a perfect clash of symbolism vs substance.
Dec '10
Re: The Ryan Effect
Pseudodionysius:
I'd rather go down to defeat with friends by my side than enemies burning my crops and stealing my land.
This isn't a time to bunt; its time to swing for the fences. Bases are loaded. Bring it home.
What Pseudo said.
I think Romney and his team finally woke up this weekend. He's sounding better. Not only has he "become cooler, tougher, looser, and more forward-looking since Ryan joined him on the trail," but his writers are responding, too. Geraghty in today's Morning Jolt: "I don't know who wrote those remarks, but I think Romney's got a very, very sharp speechwriting team."
The pieces are all coming together. I like it.
Mar '12
Re: The Ryan Effect
Ryan is the first "Happy Warrior" on a national GOP ticket since Reagan. And he inspires Mitt Romney to follow suit. Put a crowd of disillusioned under-25 Obama voters looking for work and struggling to pay their student loans in front of Paul Ryan and I think they'll be ready to listen.
Feb '11
Re: The Ryan Effect
Great post. As a college freshman I was a first time voter in 1980 and voted for Anderson, believing the lies about Reagan, but accepting the evidence before my eyes that Carter was incompetent. By 1984, after 4 years of Reagan, I was a fervent Reagan voter and have only gone more rightward since. Overwhelmingly the fellow Generation-Xers I know have followed a similar track. This is one reason why I find Obama to be such a bizzare anomoly. He is one of a very few Gen-Xers who really believes the Leftist BS.
It looks more and more likely that Romney/Ryan can pull off a similar cementing of the rising Millenial generation to our cause. Especially if we have 16 years between the two of them.
Edited on August 15, 2012 at 6:40pmAug '12
Re: The Ryan Effect
Obama is a 21st century candidate only superficially. In reality, his ideology is the same old tired, big-government statism espoused some 75 years ago by such hipsters as FDR and (even further back) Woodrow Wilson.
Jun '10
Re: The Ryan Effect
If I could be Cincinnatus for a day, my first decree would be to revoke the voting franchise for everyone under 30 (except for those serving in the military). People in this demographic don't have the requisite understanding or experience to cast an informed vote. Ditto for welfare queens, disability cheats, and other assorted moochers. People who don't contribute to society should have no say in how its run.
Jul '11
Re: The Ryan Effect
Darn tootin.
Dec '10
Re: The Ryan Effect
Meh. With great freedom comes great risk. Let them vote once or twice for a nitwit like Obama then spend the next 40 years atoning for such stupidity.
May '10
Re: The Ryan Effect
Pseudodionysius: The key to a successful corporate turnaround artist is identifying the man that's going to be his successor. Romney has done that, electrified the ticket, and rallied the base.
If he wants to go down in the history books on the plus side of the ledger, he's making an excellent start.
And having the Incredible Hulk deliver the keynote address at the Republican convention and deliver the hard truths that will frame the final push for the finish is about as perfect a pitch as you can throw in the final innings.
When Paul Ryan turned to publicly thank Scott Walker and wasn't ashamed to do it, I thought I was watching the final battle scene of the Return of the King. I'd rather go down to defeat with friends by my side than enemies burning my crops and stealing my land.
This isn't a time to bunt; its time to swing for the fences. Bases are loaded. Bring it home. · 1 hour ago
Most excellent, Moody Man!
Preach it, Monica!
Sep '10
Re: The Ryan Effect
A lot of people under 30 work for a living, pay taxes, and contribute to society. We're the ones that will be crushed under the weight of the welfare society that you old timers created. If anyone should lose the ability to influence fiscal policy, it should be the blue-haired welfare queens that expect young working families to subsidize their retirement.
Mar '11
Re: The Ryan Effect
Monica Crowley:He found that an astonishing 40 percent of the youth vote -- those 18 to 19
years old -- now support Romney/Ryan.
I think that was 18-29. The Liberals I know at work are in their 30's and 40's and haven't given up on Mr Obama. But, they have a job.
It's very encouraging that the younger voters are learning from the University of hard knocks, but sad that they have to learn the hard way, because of the generation before them.
Re: The Ryan Effect
Mark Belling Fan
A lot of people under 30 work for a living, pay taxes, and contribute to society. We're the ones that will be crushed under the weight of the welfare society that you old timers created. If anyone should lose the ability to influence fiscal policy, it should be the blue-haired welfare queens that expect young working families to subsidize their retirement. · 14 minutes ago
I'd like to associate myself with MBF's comment (the part about the young folks, anyway). If we were going to prune the franchise, my preferred criterion would be the ability to pass the Naturalization Examination.
Edited on August 15, 2012 at 9:35pmJun '10
Re: The Ryan Effect
Mark Belling Fan
A lot of people under 30 work for a living, pay taxes, and contribute to society. If work and taxes were sufficient, then my paperboy should have the right to vote. If anyone should lose the ability to influence fiscal policy, it should be the blue-haired welfare queens that expect young working families to subsidize their retirement. People who have worked their entire lives have earned a franchise. As for transfer payments from the young to the old, I agree, at a minimum social security and medicare should be subject to means testing. As they soon will be given our precarious financial situation.
Jun '10
Re: The Ryan Effect
Troy Senik, Ed. If we're going to prune the franchise, the obvious litmus test seems to me to be the ability to pass the Naturalization Examination. · 8 minutes ago
Edited 7 minutes ago
I would be in favor of this, also, except the Supreme Court has already struck down literacy testing. My only point is that a universal franchise is a bad idea. People should be qualified by some sort of agreed upon standard before they're allowed to vote. Age as a qualification is completely arbitrary.
Mar '12
Re: The Ryan Effect
It was a sad turn of affairs when four years ago this nation elected a man based on style and hipness over substance (certainly BHO is the epitome of an empty suit with a great crease).
It will be sadder still if Ryan's main appeal is his youth, style and coolness versus the substance of his ideas.
Are we as a nation no longer able to look beyond the superficial?
Dec '10
Re: The Ryan Effect
Schrodinger's Cat: It was a sad turn of affairs when four years ago this nation elected a man based on style and hipness over substance (certainly BHO is the epitome of an empty suit with a great crease).
It will be sadder still if Ryan's main appeal is his youth, style and coolness versus the substance of his ideas.
Are we as a nation no longer able to look beyond the superficial? · 4 minutes ago
Ryan represents the first Republican in a generation where style and substance meet in the same individual.