So my daydream about Obama on the stump goes like this:
Obama: ....yeah. Get this: not only does Mitt Romney say he doesn't want us to talk about his tax returns; or his time at Bain Capital. He doesn't want us raising any issues about fairness or what he might hiding in those offshore accounts or his tax returns. he doesn't want us reminding folks that Ahe's not leveling with the American people. But...just (yesterday) he announced his VP pick.
[booooo!]
Obama: Yep. Paul Ryan. The leader of this last GOP do nothing congress and creator of a budget plan that wants to cut the deficit by giving seniors $7000 vouchers to use to go find health insurance!
[boooooooooo!]
Obama: yea. The architect of that plan, a plan that would cut pell grants for college and early education for kids; that would make it harder for women; harder for middle class Americans to get by; a plan that raises your taxes just so millionaires and billionaires can get more tax cuts on top of the bush tax cuts...the architect of the budget plan that independent analysts say would explode the deficit, Paul Ryan, is now Mitt Romney's VP choice.
[boooooooo!]
Obama: and BTW, Dick Cheney and George Bush came out and endorsed the budget and Romney's VP pick. If that doesn't tell you everything you need to know right there....
[laughter]
Obama: So, he makes this big announcement. Causes all this excitement. Oh, this may be the big turning point...(pause)
But not three hours later, same day, three hours later, Romney says he's not necessarily endorsing Ryan's budget. (pause)
[wild laughter]
Obama: But no, I'm serious! (scratches head, confused look). I mean...he picked the guy and then threw the guy right under the bus! Think about that. He picked a VP, someone who is supposed to not only be ready for the presidency, but someone with whom you agree ideologically. He picked him and then threw him and his signature plan right under the bus in just a couple of hours! I mean no offense to congressman Ryan but - aside from his Ryan Budget, there's not a whole lot else anybody knows him for. Paul Ryan IS that budget. You'd think that if Romney picked him, it would be, at least in part, because he approves of Ryan's budget. And in fact, he actually did say, at one point, that he approved of it. And yet, you add the guy to you ticket, cause a bit if excitement and a few hours later kick him to the curb.
(pause)
Because...this is how Mitt Romney does things. He threw thousands of American factory workers under the bus fro his own gain. He threw Mr. Soptic and his wife under the bus for his own gain. He still, to this day, throws the American economy under the bus for his own gain by shipping jobs overseas and hiding his money offshore in tax havens so he doesn't have to contribute to the American economy like everybody else. And America (or location where he's stumping), make no mistake, he's gonna throw you under the bus too, for his own gain, if you let him. Pay attention. This is about character. This is about trust. This is about fairness and doing the right thing by the American people.
[wild applause]
Obama: (quietly) But you know something else? I mean, think about this. You bring on a VP to be on your ticket. His signature budget plan, which Romney himself endorsed multiple times by the way, is now somehow "not the plan you'd write". Really? And the plan you'd write is not going to be available and open to scrutiny by the American people until "after you're elected"?
[booooooo!]
Obama: I mean, how hard is it to stand for something, anything?! This guy has been taking two sides of every issue since...well, for a very long time! He's been on both sides of every issue his entire life. Whatever is politically expedient is what he'll say or do. And even after this VP pick, he wants to wiggle out of taking a firm position. Wants to continue to be vague. And hopes you don't notice. It's deceptive and he thinks you're either stupid or not paying attention.
[boooooooooo!]
Obama: No I'm serious! Watch him. Whenever he's asked a question, he'll answer with plenty of words but you won't know where he comes down on the issue. That's not what the American people expect from a Presidential candidate. It's not what you deserve!
[applause]
Obama: I'll tell you where I stand: We are going to rebuild the middle class and grow our economy by requiring millionaires and billionaires to pay their fair share. We're going to close the tax loopholes people like Romney enjoy. Loopholes that allow them to pay virtually no taxes and cheat the American people and the American economy! We're going to use that money to invest in good solid middle class jobs and education and clean energy. We're to use the money to begin to pay down our deficit and build a strong foundation for the future. You won't catch me waffling on this - you'll always know exactly where I stand. Everyday. All the time. I stand with you and with America's middle class.
[wild applsuse]
Obama: (smiles) And by the way, Joe Biden and I both approve of this plan.
[laughter]
__
My daydream ends here.
My point is, I'd like to see Obama force Romney's hand. Either make him look like a flaming waffling flip flopping asshole who can't even stick by his tea-party-darling VP pick (thereby further enraging his base) or force him to save face (and base votes) by endorsing the Ryan Plan (again) and let's get on with the debate about that hackneyed piece of shit or force him to shit or get off the pot by producing a concrete detailed plan of his own, since Ryan's plan is so much "teh suck".
Taunt him in to it, Mr. President. Bait him. He's proven to be pretty easy that way. Force him to jump from the frying pan into the fire or to look like a coward he is, standing next to the stove.
Sink this pathetic excuse for a ticket. We've got your back.