Mitt Romney may be the Republican nominee most in the spotlight for his finances, but vice presidential candidate Paul Ryan also boasts notable worth.
Although he rakes in cash from Home Depot stocks and being a former landlord, most of his money comes from his wife and inheritances. How rich is he exactly? Take our quiz to find out!
We're happy to present this story from one of our favorite sites, The Good Men Project. Today, Charles Emrich talks about what keeps us from discussing the relationship with our partner.
So . . . Time Magazine chose to release “beefcake” photos of Paul Ryan yesterday, the day of the Vice Presidential debate. Photos that they took last year for the “Man of the Year” campaign.
The photos — which caused me to somehow laugh, shake my head, turn red with embarrassment, and clap all at once —are super weird. Paul Ryan on a weigh bench doing curls (Elspeth Reeve from Atlantic Wire explains that they are “what high school gym coaches nationwide call ‘curls for girls,’ bicep curls that make your arms beefy for the ladies but don’t really make you stronger or better at sports.”) and staring into the camera in a way that makes me want to cover my face with my hands and run away.
It’s not Ryan’s fault. No doubt that in December of 2011 the guy wasn’t thinking ahead to his run for Vice President and how that goofy stare into the camera would make him seem . . . well . . . goofy. And I don’t think it matters much whether you’re planning to vote Romney or Obama, this feels like a low-blow at a crucial point in the campaign.
I think we need to take a moment here and recognize that as hunky as his biceps may appear in these shots, Ryan is not being overtly sexualized. This series of beefcake photos is embarrassing only in its complete lack of seriousness. We still haven’t seen the elusive (and, at this point, alleged) Paul Ryan six-pack yet, and I maintain that I don’t want to see it. If I want to hate on Paul Ryan, I’d rather do it for his political strategies, fiscal policy, or anything else that actually matters.
I want to see the women and men who are best for their jobs elected in 2012. The ones whom America thinks represent the people best. And I hope we can move past these goofy high school-mentality media pranks and hear what Biden and Ryan have to say about the things that truly matter to the American people.
What do you think of Beefcake Ryan and his “Curls for Girls”? Do you think it was a mistake for him to pose for them in the first place, or is the fault planted firmly with Time Magazine for choosing to publish them today?
"I do not believe that we have a right to tell other people, women, that they can't control their body. It's a decision between them and their doctor," Vice President Joe Biden said tonight when debate moderator Martha Raddatz asked both vice presidential candidates how their Catholic faith informs their positions on abortion. Biden explained that he has been a practicing Catholic his whole life and that he accepts his church's teaching that life begins at conception, but that he would never impose his belief on the country. The vice president also made the case that Roe v. Wade and thus abortion rights would be in jeopardy if a Romney/Ryan ticket were elected and subsequently appointed conservative Supreme Court justices.
Congressman Paul Ryan for his part made it clear that he is squarely pro-life and would support banning abortion with few exceptions. "It's not simply because of my Catholic faith," he said, "it's also because of reason and science." And it's also personal. Ryan explained that when his wife, Janna, got pregnant, they noticed on the ultrasound that the baby looked like a bean. He said: "We saw that heartbeat. A little baby was in the shape of a bean. And to this day, we have nicknamed our firstborn child Liza 'Bean.' Now I believe that life begins at conception."
When Biden noted Ryan has opposed abortion in all instances, Ryan said: "If you believe that life begins at conception, that, therefore, doesn't change the definition of life." Yet Ryan conceded he would have to support Mitt Romney's policy of making an exception in the case of rape, incest, and when the life of the mother is a risk. When it came to Roe v. Wade, Ryan implied that he would favor overturning it, saying: "We don't think that unelected judges should make this decision; that people through their elected representatives in reaching a consensus in society through the democratic process should make this determination." Presumably he favors state legislatures or congress having the ability to pass abortion restrictions.
Considering the president has the power to appoint justices who could put Roe v. Wade and the right to abortion in the balance, moderator Martha Raddatz did women a service by asking the question. What did you make of the candidates' responses? And you can watch the clip of the abortion question when you read more.
Joe Biden and Paul Ryan will go head to head tonight during the one and only vice presidential debate before the November election. Find out what you can expect them to talk about — and hear our hopes for some lighter moments that don't include Big Bird — in today's PopSugar Rush.
Tonight vice-presidential candidates Joe Biden and Paul Ryan will face off in Kentucky for a live debate on hot-button national topics leading up to the November election. As the online world gets more ingrained with politics, it's never been easier to watch and follow along with the debates from your computer, mobile device, or even video game console. Below, find the must-watch streaming options, plus the Twitter accounts and hashtags to bookmark for extra perspective and facts on the topics the candidates will cover.
The debate kicks off at 9 p.m. EDT/6 p.m. PDT, but many of these resources will have early coverage leading up to the big event.
Online
Keep reading for the Twitter users and hashtags to follow.
When Paul Ryan faces off against Joe Biden tonight in the VP debate, his wife, Janna Little Ryan, who's already on track to be a picture-perfect second lady, will likely be supporting him from the audience. With a megawatt smile and impressive professional background, the 43-year-old mother of three recently gushed to People magazine about her hubby, Paul, saying he "has one of the sunniest demeanors and most positive outlooks of anyone I've ever met. . . . You know, he's pretty low-maintenance. Paul is someone who goes with the flow." Let's learn a little bit more about the wife of the Wisconsin congressman who could be the second-in-command of our country.
If you didn't know who Wisconsin congressman Paul Ryan, 42, was before this Summer, you've gotten to know him a lot better since then. After Mitt Romney tapped Paul Ryan to be his running mate, details about the congressman's policy and personality have hit the media. He wants to cut the federal deficit and spending drastically and stays in top shape with a workout that, according to him, includes "P90X and Insanity." As you get to know the man who could be a heartbeat away from the vice presidency, you might wonder where he stands on a few key issues important to women. Pro-life American women will be pleased. The congressman has a 100 percent pro-life voting record rating from the National Right to Life Committee. But if you favor legal abortion rights and government support for family planning, you won't find a friend in VP pick Paul Ryan. Here is a more detailed look before he faces off with VP Joe Biden at the vice presidential debate tomorrow!
Abortion
"Personally, I believe that life begins at conception, and it is for that reason that I feel we need to protect that life as we would protect other children," Paul Ryan wrote in a 2009 op-ed. As a pro-life congressman, it's no surprise Paul Ryan has supported bills including the Partial-Birth Abortion Ban Act and the No Taxpayer Funding For Abortion Act.
But he's also lent his support to more controversial legislation, recently backing a bill that would require a woman seeking an abortion to receive an ultrasound from her doctor to make sure she sees the fetal image. He also supported the Protect Life Act, which would allow federally-funded hospitals to deny a woman an abortion, even if it's necessary to save her life. Congressman Ryan also cosponsored the Federal Abortion Ban, which criminalizes abortion and prescribes a two-year prison sentence for doctors in some cases, and the Sanctity of Human Life Act, which defines life as beginning at fertilization and could outlaw some birth control and IVF.
Reproductive Health Funding
Like his running mate, Mitt Romney, Paul Ryan is strongly opposed to the free-contraception mandate included in Obama's healthcare reform. Four times he has voted to defund Planned Parenthood, and his proposed budget would completely defund birth control, STD screenings, and cancer screenings for low-income women available under Title X.
Marriage and Family
Paul Ryan supports traditional marriage. In 2006, he voted yes on defining marriage as between one man and one woman in the constitution. He voted against allowing gay and lesbian couples to adopt. Ryan also opposed granting four weeks of paid parental leave for federal employees.
The Economy
The economy is center stage this election and that means with women, too. "One of the biggest threats to our country's economic growth now and in the future is our mounting debt," says Paul Ryan. It's clear that Ryan isn't afraid to take on the tough fiscal issues facing the country. Before being chosen by Mitt Romney, Ryan's biggest claim to national fame was his budget proposal, which would cut spending by over $5 trillion according to Ryan. But some experts note that Ryan's plan would cut taxes on corporations and wealthy Americans, while shifting the tax burden to the middle class. Critics say it also would cut back services less-wealthy Americans rely on, like Medicare and food stamps. On the issue of equal pay, Paul Ryan voted against the Lilly Ledbetter Fair Pay Act, legislation that makes it easier for women to challenge unequal pay.
We're sure to hear more on these issues from both campaigns, maybe even tomorrow night when Paul Ryan debates Joe Biden. And after he showed his star power at the Republican National Convention, it'll be interesting to see how the Republican ticket's golden boy fares against loose cannon Biden. Who do you think will come out on top?
This presidential election season, it's important to know where the candidates stand on the issues — but International Coffee Day today, we're wondering: where do they stand on coffee? Historically, presidential candidates, their wives, and other US politicians are for it. Coffee seems to be an integral part of both campaigning and being in office, whether you're schmoozing with voters in local coffee shops, discussing the issues over a cup o' Joe at the White House, or sipping on an exotic blend while meeting with foreign ambassadors.
Of course, not all of our politicians feel the same way about the caffeinated beverage. While Mitt Romney's VP pick, Paul Ryan, was spotted enjoying a cup of Cuban coffee last week, caffeine is a no-go for devout Mormon Mitt. And even Barack Obama is more of a hot tea guy, having told Ann Curry on the Today show in 2008 that he picks leaves over beans. Bill Clinton, however, takes the cake for coffee king; the former president doesn't seem to make an appearance without a cup in hand (wife Hillary and daughter Chelsea are also fans). So see the American politicians, presidential hopefuls, and first wives drinking coffee now!
TrèsSugar's Annie Scudder is currently in Florida at the Republican National Convention, and she's filling us in on what went down during a heated second day at the event. From Paul Ryan's speech attacking Obama to the protest that broke out inside the forum, get our firsthand highlights and hear what you need to know about the RNC in this PopSugar Rush.
Those stories and more in our daily news roundup.
Photo courtesy of Yves Saint Laurent.
