Paul Ryan gave a campaign speech at the Iowa State Fair on Monday, addressing an appreciate crowd of thousands??? plus a few protesters who grew violent, and had to be escorted from the venue by state troopers. The Des Moines Register reports:
The audience of more than 3,000, many holding up Romney campaign signs, hooted and cheered, but a handful of protesters shouted at him about cutting Medicare and ???the war on the poor.??? It was an intense 12 minute speech, with much shouting and Iowa State Patrol officer dispatched into the crowd multiple times to quell unruly behavior. One protester struck a woman in crowd in the face, and there was a report that state Sen. Joni Ernst, R-Red Oak, was getting pushed down.
???It???s funny because Iowans and Wisconsinites, we like to be respectful of one another and peaceful with one another and listen to each other. These ladies must not be from Iowa,??? Ryan said of the protesters, who tried to jump up on stage and struggled to get away from state troopers.
(Emphasis mine.) ABC News has some video of Ryan gracefully handling the hecklers, who were unable to distract him from the effective delivery of his speech:
Remember, the best way to deal with an intelligent candidate who wields an impressive command of the facts is to shout him down with slogans, and rush the stage when that doesn???t work. Independent voters are always favorably impressed by goon squads!
The Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel has some more details of Ryan???s presentation:
In his stump speech, Ryan said the Romney-Ryan plan would build a stronger middle class in the country.
"It will get us back to the path of prosperity in this country," Ryan said.
Ryan outlined ways he said the Romney-Ryan ticket will create 12 million jobs in the country. He said the country needed to use more of the oil and gas reserves already within the nation's borders; help the country's workers develop better skills; stop the growth in federal spending; promote free and fair trade; and help small businesses by lowering the corporate income tax.
Obama, Ryan said, has given the country four years of trillion-dollar plus deficits.
"We don't have to stand for that. We're not going to stand for that. And on Nov. 6, we're going to change that," Ryan said to loud cheers.
Ryan praised Romney for his business background. He said Romney helped save the Salt Lake City Olympics and, as governor of Massachusetts, balanced a budget without raising taxes, lowered unemployment, and increased household incomes.
Ryan also criticized Obama for changes in welfare reform rules that were first passed by former President Bill Clinton in the '90s. Work rules for welfare recipients have been relaxed, Ryan said.
The Right Scoop has posted a full video of Ryan???s speech, which runs about 12 minutes in length.
