Democrats and the Obama campaign are poised to vigorously portray Mitt Romney's selection of Rep. Paul Ryan for vice presidential nominee as a toxic choice and politically extreme.
As Romney formally announced Ryan in Norfolk, Va., deputy Obama campaign manager Jim Messina blasted out an email statement casting the Republican ticket as a potential disaster for the middle class and seniors.
"In naming Congressman Paul Ryan, Mitt Romney has chosen a leader of the House Republicans who shares his commitment to the flawed theory that new budget-busting tax cuts for the wealthy, while placing greater burdens on the middle class and seniors, will somehow deliver a stronger economy," Messina wrote.
"As a member of Congress, Ryan rubber-stamped the reckless Bush economic policies that exploded our deficit and crashed our economy," he said. "Now the Romney-Ryan ticket would take us back by repeating the same, catastrophic mistakes."