Just 24 hours after the New York Times editorial board tore Mitt Romney a new one for picking Paul Ryan, the editorial side got in on the act. A piece on the front page of the NYT Website highlights Ryan's links to the tea party.
The first few graphs set the tone:
For two years, Tea Party lawmakers in the House have been the stubborn barbarians at the gate, strong-arming their often reluctant Republican colleagues by refusing to compromise on spending, taxes, debt or social policy.
But Paul Ryan’s ascendency to the No. 2 spot on the Republican ticket is a signal event for a movement that counts him as one of their own. If Mitt Romney wins in November, a Tea Party favorite will be a heartbeat from the Oval Office.
More than that, Mr. Ryan is now unquestionably the face of the Tea Party caucus in Washington, and his success is certain to embolden House lawmakers whose proudly unyielding approach to governance has contributed to legislative gridlock.
By all accounts, the selection of Ryan appears to have improved Romney's stock significantly in the eyes of the teabagger-infused Republican House caucus, as well as tea party activists. It doesn't need to be said, though, that in the process, Romney may have significantly crimped his own efforts to appeal to independent voters. Especially since during the primary, he portrayed himself as the adult in the room that could get the crossover appeal necessary to get to 270.
To be sure, Ryan isn't a simon-pure teabagger. He voted for both TARP and the auto industry bailout. But since he took the gavel of the House Budget Committee, Ryan has joined his freshman colleagues in opposing any sort of compromise with the White House. He has also urged the other members of the Tea Party Caucus to hold the line in opposing any rollback of the Bush tax cuts after the election.
To my mind, the narrative is writing itself. A Romney presidency would not only represent a return to the same policies that nearly wrecked our economy, but would also bring to power the same outfit that is largely responsible for the current polarized state of our political climate. Those points need to be driven home for the next three months.