This caught me completely by surprise. I've never actually seen Paul Ryan deliver a political speech before; I've only seen him in action on the floor of the House, or in committee hearings.
I'm surprised by how completely natural he sounds (and appears) while in front of a crowd. I had the sense that I was hearing and seeing the real Paul Ryan, not his political persona. It wasn't a performance, it was him. Even Governor Awesome can't pull that off; when he's working a crowd, you know he's performing. And Romney? I've never seen him not performing. I don't know about you, but I find the idea of meeting the person (vs. the performer) quite ... refreshing.
His spontaneous and natural interactions with the audience were particularly telling. He reminds me of the very best teachers I ever had (those were, unfortunately, very few and far between). He wasn't just giving a speech, he was actually listening and reacting with his audience. He was having a conversation. An adult conversation.
His ability to reduce some of the complex ideas around the financial condition of the country to short, easy-to-digest sentences, things that anyone could understand. In that ability, he reminds me a bit of Ronald Reagan. There's another Reaganesque quality about Ryan as well: the cheerful, optimisitic disposition, and his civility. Even when he's ripping someone's argument to shreds (like the famous clip with Obama), he's smiling and friendly. Yup, Reaganesque.
Really I can't find anything to criticize about this speech. At least for this audience of one, it was everything I always hoped for in a political speech, but so seldom find: humor, drama, ideas, belief, commitment, and fire in the belly.
My estimation of Ryan as a political force is rising, and quickly. I'm starting to feel optimistic despite my best efforts to remain depressed about our future. I haven't quite risen to the heights that Rachel has obtained, though...
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