Ryan Pledges GOP Rebirth - Wall Street Journal

By COREY BOLES

Corey Boles on The News Hub tells us what to expect from Paul Ryan's speech tonight and the importance it holds in introducing the vice presidential nominee to the American public.

TAMPA, Fla.â€"Vice-presidential candidate Paul Ryan will pledge to the gathered Republican faithful here that an administration led by Mitt Romney and himself will solve the nation's economic problems, warning that the country doesn't have much time to act to tackle its fiscal challenges, according to excerpts released by the Romney campaign.

"So here is our pledge," he will say according to the excerpts. "We will not duck the tough issuesâ€"we will lead. We will not spend four years blaming othersâ€"we will take responsibility."

Mr. Ryan will take the stage on Wednesday evening at the Republican National Convention, bringing his message about the need to drastically shrink the size of the federal government and overhaul the social safety net to a prime-time audience.

The House Budget Committee chairman, who has delivered a much needed shot of energy to the campaign since being named as Mr. Romney's running mate earlier this month, is likely to spell out his vision of the role of government, drawing sharp contrast with that of the Obama administration.

Senator Orrin Hatch (R-Utah) spoke with WSJ's WorldStream at the Republican National Convention in Tampa, Fla. on August 27, 2012 about Mitt Romney and Paul Ryan as well as the negative tone of the campaign. Photo: AP.

Mr. Ryan is a superstar among conservative activists of the Republican party, but many Democrats were cheered by Mr. Romney's decision to add him to the ticket as they think they can make political gains on the back of Mr. Ryan's plan to radically reduce domestic spending programs.

His plan would give people under the age of 55 the option of receiving federal subsidies to purchase health insurance in the private marketplace when they become seniors rather than rely on the Medicare program. It would also give block grants to states to provide health-care coverage for poor people, shaking up the federal Medicaid program.

Democrats have warned that his Medicare proposal would result in people being unable to afford health-insurance coverage as price increases outstrip subsidy rates, and would lead to the end of Medicaid as states wouldn't be obliged to meet the current rigorous standards required to receive federal funding.

Sen. Jon Kyl of Arizona said Wednesday that a victory by the Romney campaign would be an indication the country is prepared for a tough conversation about the future of safety-net programs like Medicare. He said there is a growing awareness and concern by voters about the future viability of the programs.

Romney campaign advisers said the candidate will return to Tampa from Indiana where he delivered a campaign speech Wednesday, but will watch Mr. Ryan's speech from a hotel suite with his wife, Ann Romney.

Photos: The Republican National Convention

David Goldman/Associated Press

A cardboard cutout of Mitt Romney stood on the floor at midday.

The focus on Mr. Ryanâ€"one of the leaders of the "young guns" faction of the GOPâ€"comes a day after Mr. Romney was officially anointed as the party's standard bearer in the November election before the party faithful heard addresses from Mrs. Romney and popular New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie.

Conservative author and radio host Bill Bennett on how Paul Ryan was groomed to be a real reformer. Photos: Associated Press

Mrs. Romney sought to focus on her family's story seeking to broaden the GOP's appeal to women, whom polls show are leaning heavily toward President Barack Obama. Mr. Christie, for his part, emphasized the focus on individuality and personal responsibility, touching on central tenets of Republican party philosophy.

Earlier speakers included other stars in the party, such as Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker and former Pennsylvania Sen. Rick Santorum. The party also attempted to emphasized its diversity, with a speech from Mia Love, an African American candidate for congress in Utah, seen as a standout.

In addition to Mr. Ryan's keynote address, Wednesday's session will feature remarks from some of Mr. Romney's defeated rivals for the presidential nomination including former House Speaker Newt Gingrich and former Minnesota Gov. Tim Pawlenty.

Sen. John McCain (R., Ariz.), who ran unsuccessfully against President Barack Obama in 2008, is expected to sharply criticize the president's foreign policies in his speech. Mr. McCain has been forcefully advocating for U.S. military involvement in Syria for several months.

Other prominent Senate lawmakers including Sens. Rob Portman (R., Ohio), who was seen as a potential running mate for Mr. Romney, and John Thune of South Dakota, who mulled his own run at the White House, will also speak to the convention.

Sen. Rand Paul (R., Ky.), the son of retiring House lawmaker Ron Paul of Texas, another of Mr. Romney's defeated rivals, will also speak. The senior Mr. Paul isn't addressing the convention this week, although he held a shadow convention on Sunday, and will be featured in a convention tribute video. His son is seen as a future leader of the libertarian wing of the party that Ron Paul has championed.

Louisiana Gov. Bobby Jindal was scheduled to speak, but canceled his appearance because his state is being drenched by Isaac. The storm came ashore last night slightly less strong than had been earlier feared, but is holding steady off the cost of Louisiana, raising concerns over flooding in the New Orleans area.

Write to Corey Boles at corey.boles@dowjones.com