On Saturday morning Mitt Romney announced that Paul Ryan will be his running mate. Already there has been a lot of ink spilled about Paul Ryan's background, the personal compatibility of the two men, what his selection means for the race, the pros and cons of the "Ryan budget" and other policy positions. Whether or not they support him, everyone seems agreed that Paul Ryan is a serious individual.
Reflecting his business background, Mitt Romney seems to this observer to have picked Paul Ryan to serve as his Chief Financial Officer. He needed someone who was comfortable diving deeply into the numbers but who could also maintain the big-picture perspective necessary to craft 30-second soundbites that would explain economic strategy. The Executive Branch positions of Treasury Secretary and Office of Management and Budget, important as they are, are too limiting for what Paul Ryan will be asked to do.
He could have picked other running mates who would appeal to the diversity demographic or who might hail from larger swing states. His selection of Paul Ryan becomes more understandable if one thinks of Mitt Romney as a CEO who needed a CFO who knows the numbers better than anyone else. © 2012 Stephen Yuen
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