Rick Wilson on Paul Ryan: ‘He Behaved as if He Was Some Deferential Junior VP at a Trump Resort’

Longtime Republican political strategist Rick Wilson, hitting the nail on the head in his column at The Daily Beast on the sudden retirement of Paul Ryan:

Ryan and his caucus hoped to run on the tax cut, the economy, and infrastructure. All of these messages now will be swept aside. Ryan owns his share of the blame; too often, he behaved as if he was some deferential junior VP at a Trump resort and not the leader of the House of Representatives in a co-equal branch of government. The idea, popular among the House leadership, that a diet of ass-kissing and deference would make Trump into a normal President who didn’t need the political equivalent of Depends was always a strategic mistake.

Ryan is now paying the price. The rest of his caucus will pay in the fall.

★ Wednesday, 11 April 2018