Ryan urged in NH to 'take the gloves off'
Dover, New Hampshire (CNN) - On Tuesday Rep. Paul Ryan was encouraged to "take the gloves off" at a New Hampshire town hall that included questions about dependency on government but there was no mention of running mate Mitt Romney's comments about the "47 percent."
The Republican vice presidential nominee focused instead on their opponent President Barack Obama.
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"You see, by going after the root causes of poverty and trying to break the cycle of poverty, you need economic growth, you need job creation, you need higher take-home pay," Ryan said.
With the nation's $16 trillion-plus debt being calculated on a large sign next to him, Paul, a seven-term congressman who serves as House Budget Committee chairman, slammed the Democratic administration for creating what he described a "government-centered society with a government-driven economy."
"This is what Mitt and I are talking about when we are worried about more and more people becoming net dependent on the government than upon themselves. Because by promoting more dependency, by not having jobs and economic growth, people miss their potential," Paul said in Dover.
"We should not be measuring the progress of our social programs – programs like food stamps – based upon how many people receive them. We should be measuring the progress of our social programs by how many people we transition off of them into lives of self-sufficiency and jobs and upward mobility."
A former state party chairman drew thunderous applause and a standing ovation from the more than 400 people in the audience when he urged Mitt Romney's running mate to be more aggressive in the remaining 49 days in the presidential election.
"I think it is time to take the gloves off," said Jack Kimball, a businessman and former New Hampshire GOP chairman. "The country is thirsting for this, believe me. All of the people in here are thirsting for this."
He continued, "In the `Live Free or Die' state and all the prior military men and active duty folks are thirsting for this. You got six or seven weeks. We know you can do it. We have to have the two of you in office. There is no ifs, ands or buts about it."
Ryan's response was brief before he moved onto the next question. "Thank you. We can do this," he said.
Former state party chairman Kimball, who enjoys tea party support but was pressured to resign his post last year by top New Hampshire Republican officials, said he met with the candidate and a few others prior to the Dover town hall.
"The only reason why he moved on quickly was because I had already had the conversation a little earlier with him one on one. It was just reaffirmation," Kimball said in an interview with CNN. "He made sure to let me know that they plan to go on the offensive from now and all the way to Nov. 6 so that was good news."
"I think Barack Obama has provided a lot of ammunition for our candidates to use and I think that they need to come out and stay on the offensive from now until November 6," he said. "I think they can be more aggressive, there's no question, and clearly I feel that's exactly what they're going to do from this point forward."
At his second event of the day, in the Hampton Roads area of Virginia, Ryan held a rally before approximately 2,000 people at Christopher Newport University in Newport News. He described what he believes is at stake in November.
"It's more than simply creating jobs and growing the economy. This election is not just an economic election. This is an identity election. It's about the American identity," Ryan said Tuesday evening. "It really kind of comes down to what kind of people do we want to be? What kind of country do we want to have? This is that big of an election."
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Yes, lets forget about the issues, lets personalize this. Us against them. Clearly divisive rhetoric. While our President aims to meet consensus, and cooperation with both sides of the aisle, we have a GOP Campaign of smoke and mirrors. I wont be drinking this "Kool Aide" myself.
"By not having jobs and economic growth,people miss thier potentials",so says Ryan.If only corporations sitting on $trillions of profit,and som people who make $250M from the system and chose to stack it in tax heavens,would reinvest the money in the system,it would create jobs and grow the economy from that angle.
OK genius, how do specifically propose to accomplish getting everyone to the point where they make enough to pay income taxex?
Ryan didn't need to say anything. He's already made it clear with his plan to dismantle social security and medicare that he views any recepients as deadbeats.
Ryan urged in NH to 'take the gloves off'.
Please do , and while your at it take off your running shoes !
If they can be aggressive, without being flagged constantly by fact checkers, I think it would add to the campaign.
He can't stoop any lower at least I hope. No more lies please Ryan
He will make a great Biden replacement.
This by far is one of the poorest ran campaigns I've seen. Do the republicans thinks there only gonna win by talking against the president, but when asked of their own plans they suddenly don't want to get in specifics.
Yes, we 47&'s are a pain, aren't we? Especially those pesty Social Security and Medicare moochers, right? How about government workers, like you, who are constantly sucking up resources? In fact, I think you should pay for your own healthcare instead of mooching off the voting public. Politicians are the biggest mooches of all. Talk about depending on government. Why don't you get a private sector job?
one must ask why romney is still being maintained as a viable candidate. any one of his gaffes would have doomed another player and yet the media will not really go after these two. the problems that romney/ryan face are really self inflicted. more proof that not only is romney a terrible candidate, he would also be a terrible president. his very words tell us that were he to assume the highest office he would indeed govern for just his 45% and leave the rest of America to pull themselves up by their boot straps. the problem is you must first have the boots to use the straps.
romney say his father never gave him anything but then we find out he gave him a million dollars. romney was ineligible to run for mass. governor because of taxes showing he was not a resident of the state but of Mormon utah. but no one called him on it. ROMNEY LIES!
Take those gloves off kung fu Ryan. You're far outnumbered and sifu Norquist's philosophy won't help you in the ally you and Romney are backing yourselves into.
"I think Barack Obama has provided a lot of ammunition for our candidates to use..."
The president does not provide the ammunition.
Ryan & Romney are such dumb candidates that they are their own worst enemy.
The president has only to load the ammunition handed to him by these two republican clowns.
Yeah, Ryan, "take the gloves off" and take off your human mask while you are at it. The Vegas odds are already in favor of Re-Election THREE-to-ONE. If Ryan "busts loose" like Sara Palin did in 2008, the G0P will become a true laughing stock.