Republican Party vice presidential hopeful Paul Ryan rallied the party faithful in West Chester while addressing a crowd of thousands at the American Helicopter museum on Aug. 21. The crowd — estimated to be 4,000- 5,000 strong — responded vocally, interrupting Ryan several times with cheers, and chants of “USA, USA.”
Presumptive Republican nominee Mitt Romney chose Ryan as his running mate more than a week ago.
Local political figures were on hand for the event. Chester County Sheriff Bunny Welsh, of Pennsbury Township, led the audience in the Pledge of Allegiance and Pennsylvania State Sen. Dominic Pileggi, R-9, of Chester, was one of the warm-up speakers.
The event was not without some protest. A small airplane flew overhead before Ryan’s arrival toting a sign, “Romney. Ryan. Akin = Wrong 4 Women.”
The Akin referred to is Rep. Todd Akin, a Republican challenging Claire McCaskell for senate. Akin said in an interview that women can’t get pregnant if raped, even if the rape was “legitimate.”
The Romey/Ryan campaign has been distancing itself from Akin. Romney has said Akin should pull out of the Missouri senate race. Ryan, however, made no reference to Akin during his speech.
Ryan’s speech was standard campaign fare, challenging President Obama’s record while praising Romney.
The seven-term representative from Wisconsin challenged what he called “Obama’s reckless defense cuts,” saying they would cost more than 40,000 jobs and weaken U.S. defense capability.
“National defense is the federal government’s first priority,” he said.
He added that the only job that should be taken away is Obama’s. The crowd, then, erupted into the first “USA, USA” chant.
The would-be vice president hammered on the fiscal and jobs issues throughout his talk.
“There is a clear choice, [either] stick with the president’s plan that has us in debt, or a new plan to get us back on track.”
Speaking of the national debt that’s now at $16 trillion — up $5 trillion since Obama took office — Ryan said the president has “put his re-election ahead of the next generation,” adding that “Medicare has become a piggy bank to pay for Obamacare.”
After saying the Obama administration has failed, Ryan promoted the presumptive Republican ticket with Romney in the lead role.
“Mitt Romney has ideas to get us back on track,” he said.
Specifically, Ryan promoted Marcellus Shale and building the Keystone Pipeline as ways of creating jobs and developing energy independence.
He also invoked a tea party theme while talking about the debt: “Stop spending money we just don’t have. There’s a debt crisis coming,” he said, “that gives children a diminished future and lower standard of living. It’s our duty to save the American dream.”
Ryan said of Romney, “He is a leader and statesman with principles and vision who has the ability to bring put that vision in place.”
About Rich Schwartzman
Rich Schwartzman has been reporting on events in the greater Chadds Ford area since September 2001 when he became the founding editor of The Chadds Ford Post. In April 2009 he became managing editor of ChaddsFordLive. He is also an award-winning photographer.
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