Breaking: Romney to announce his losing mate Saturday in Virginia

[Contrary1]

Now, the real fun begins.

"Richmond, Virginia (CNN) - Presumptive Republican presidential nominee Mitt Romney will announce his running mate at the beginning of a four-day, four-state bus tour in Norfolk, Virginia, on Saturday morning, his campaign announced in a statement late Friday night.

Rep. Paul Ryan of Wisconsin is Mitt Romney’s running mate pick, three Republican sources told CNN.

Romney called several of the Republicans on his vice presidential shortlist on Friday evening to tell them he has selected a running mate and to thank them for assisting with his campaign, a Republican familiar with the calls told CNN. Romney did not indicate on the calls who he had selected as his running mate, according to the source.

Three Republicans close to the Romney campaign told CNN that key staffers have been told to prepare for the rollout on Saturday morning, when Romney tours the U.S.S. Wisconsin, a museum battleship at the National Maritime Center in Norfolk..."

http://politicalticker.blogs.cnn.com/2012/08/11/romney-to-announce-running-mate-saturday-morning/?hpt=hp_t1

Edit to add this blogger's take:

Paul Ryan
U.S. representative, Wisconsin


Age: 42 | Born: 1/29/1970 in Janesville, Wisconsin

Career: Seven-term congressman from Wisconsin, chairman of the House Budget Committee and serves on Ways and Means Committee; Author of "Ryan Plan" addressing Medicare and spending; legislative director, Sen. Sam Brownback, R-Kansas, 1995-1997; staff, Empower America, 1993-1995; aide to Sen. Robert Kasten, R-Wisconsin, 1992

Pros: Strong economic credentials. Would be an effective spokesman on Economic, spending and budget issues. Respected by conservatives and deficit hawks. Was a leading GOP voice against the Obama administration on debt, spending and health care battles. Could help make Wisconsin more competitive. Easily re-elected in a district Obama won in 2008. Young and telegenic.

Cons: Controversial plan on deficit reduction and Medicare would be a top target for Democrats. Romney gave nuanced statements of support of the plan during the primaries. Has a 13-year congressional voting record for Democrats to pick through. Though Republicans hope to make Wisconsin competitive, Ryan has never won a statewide election there. Not well known nationally. The last congressman elected directly to the vice presidency was House Speaker John Nance Garner in 1932.

http://www.cnn.com/interactive/2012/04/politics/interactive.vp.candidates/index.html?hpt=hp_t1

[No Elephants]

1. Isn't it amazing how this news broke after midnight, yet, by early morning, a crowd

of Republicans, who apparently found cause for cheering in every inane, even menacing thing, Romney or Ryan said, had made it to the SS Wisconsin in Virginia?