Ryan compares NFL replacement refs to Obama
Cincinnati, Ohio (CNN) – Devoted Green Bay Packers fan Rep. Paul Ryan weighed in on the stunning referee call during Monday night's Packers-Seattle Seahawks football game Tuesday. The GOP vice presidential nominee likened the replacement referees to bad calls made by President Barack Obama.
"Did you guys watch that Packers game last night? I mean, give me a break. It is time to get the real refs," Ryan said Tuesday at a town hall in Ohio. "And you know what, it reminds me of President Obama and the economy. If you can't get it right, it's time to get out."
- Follow the Ticker on Twitter: @PoliticalTicker
- Check out the CNN Electoral Map and Calculator and game out your own strategy for November.
Ryan's beloved team lost to the Seahawks 14-12 after an NFL replacement referee awarded a questionable winning touchdown to Seattle. The Republican vice presidential nominee watched the game from his hotel room in Ohio at The Cincinnatian, according to an aide.
With five seconds left in the game, Russell Wilson, starting quarterback for Seattle, threw up a 'Hail Mary' into the end zone and refs awarded Seahawks wide receiver Golden Tate with the touchdown, when it appeared to many that Green Bay defender M.D. Jennings intercepted the ball.
The replacement referees are made up of officials who primarily work for Division II and Division III colleges and are being used in the professional games until a labor dispute with NFL referees gets resolved.
The Wisconsin native and seven-term congressman tied the NFL firestorm to the presidential campaign.
"I have to think that these refs work part time for the Obama administration in the budget office. They see the national debt clock staring them in the face, they see a debt crisis and they just ignore and pretend it didn't even happen. They're trying to pick the winners and losers and they don't even do that very well," said Ryan.
Outraged players, Packers fans and sports commentators turned to social media sites, namely Twitter, to express their frustration over the disputed call.
"Any player/coach in Seattle that really thinks they won that game has zero integrity as man and should be embarrassed," Packers Offensive Guard T.J. Lang said on Twitter.
In Ohio, Paul compared the Romney-Ryan presidential campaign to last night's game.
"Unlike the Seattle Seahawks last night, we want to deserve this victory. We want to earn this victory."
CNN's Devin Smith contributed to this report.
From CNN Politics
- Harris faces painful Black history in emotional slave outpost visit
- 10 Cards Charging 0% Interest Until 2024
- Kentucky law aimed at increasing parental oversight in education takes effect
- New York grand jury won't hear Trump case again this week
- Defense secretary defends abortion policies at center of Senate nomination hold-up
- Justice Department moves to end consent decree with Seattle Police Department
"Unlike the Seattle Seahawks last night, we want to deserve this victory. We want to earn this victory."
Really, Mr. Ryan? You just don't want it handed to you by the progaganda compaign of millionaires who want to protect their money by insulting the concepts of truth and reality? Yeah, I believe you. Right.
It tickles me to hear these rabid anti-union hucksters moaning and crying for the union refs to return! Even soon to be former Governor Walker came out on the union refs' side. Since none of these folks give a rat's patoot about other union workers, they must all have had $$$ on the game.