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Home Page > News > Paul Ryan on Sean Hannity - says VP Joe Biden’s ‘chains’ comments show he’s desperate

Paul Ryan on Sean Hannity - says VP Joe Biden’s ‘chains’ comments show he’s desperate

Democrats stoking fear and envy of the better off, Ryan claims

ANTOINETTE KELLY,

IrishCentral Staff Writer

Published Friday, August 17, 2012, 8:15 AM

Updated Friday, August 17, 2012, 8:19 AM

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Paul Ryan & Joe Biden

Photo by Policymic

GOP vice presidential candidate Paul Ryan called in to Sean Hannity’s radio show on Wednesday and attacked Vice President Joe Biden, claiming that his recent 'chains' comment was a 'desperate' attempt to save what he called a flailing campaign.

Biden had accused GOP presidential candidate Mitt Romney of pursuing a top down economic agenda that would put the middle class 'back in chains.' He later clarified that he was making reference to the frequently used Republican phrase about their desire to 'unshackle' the private sector.

But according to the Huffington Post Ryan was unpersuaded by Biden's explanation.

'You know, these are the kinds of things you say when you're desperate in a campaign,' he told Sean Hannity on Fox News Radio.

'I think you're going to hear more of these things as we go on because they have a terrible record, they can't run on it, so they're going to kind of sink this campaign to these low levels to try and distract people, to try and you know, stoke the emotions of fear and envy.'

Republicans hope to keep their two candidates budget and personal tax controversies out of the headlines so they're coordinating an effort to keep Biden's in play, but Democrats have scoffed at what they call a 'faux outrage' to stop the public from discussing Romney and Ryan's budget plans and other issues.

President Obama told People magazine on Wednesday that Biden's comments were just that days news cycle, an opportunity for the media to fixate on for twenty four hours.

'The truth is that during the course of these campaigns, folks like to get obsessed with how something was phrased even if everybody personally understands that's not how it was meant. That's sort of the nature of modern campaigns and modern coverage of campaigns. But I tell you, when I'm traveling around Iowa, that's not what's on people's minds,' the president concluded.

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JohnGalt | Sep 10, 2012, 01:43 PM EDT

Ryan is David Dukes with a diploma and cash. His claims of "23 million unemployed Americans" 0 in fact less than 13 ... and his transparent promise to "defend liberty" translates into a dangerous little boy with too many toys and no clue. John Galt

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BrianO | Aug 20, 2012, 03:13 PM EDT

Mac31, You can't excel in school as well as Romney did on connections. As to money, Romney donated his inheritance and lived in an apartment during his years in Harvard, did he have it tough of course not, but he didn't live of the teet of his families money, he made his own on his own..

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hollabackgurl | Aug 18, 2012, 01:09 PM EDT

The GOP says: $40 trillion in Ryan debt good. $5 trillion in Obama debt bad. Can't lose with thinkers like that.

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righton | Aug 18, 2012, 11:46 AM EDT

The vice president was at a largely African-American event and used the colloquial Southern expression for "you all" this way: He's going to put y'all back in chains. . .Racist? I think so. Was he likening the GOP as slave master? Of course, he later backpedaled. Tell it within context. He was speaking to an African American audience, by and large.

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McNamara31 | Aug 18, 2012, 11:14 AM EDT

BrianO If you had his father's connections and money; you could have done the same. However, I don't think you would have physically assaulted, held down and cut another persons hair off like Romney thought it was his "entitled choice" to do. Character and integrity flaws as deep as those just don't drift away.He thought that other student "beneath" him.

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BrianO | Aug 18, 2012, 11:10 AM EDT

McNamara31, and my dogs poop smells like roses.

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BrianO | Aug 18, 2012, 10:56 AM EDT

I would have added the scores he attained,but every time I do the comments do no get posted.

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McNamara31 | Aug 18, 2012, 10:56 AM EDT

MegK311... If you don't think Obama has a record to run on you are woefully unaware of what has occurred in America in the last decade. Obama took the GOP Titanic and turned it just before it hit the Bush created economic iceberg. Do a little reading about the state of the economy left by Clinton for Bush, and how the GOP (almost criminally) mismanaged it with allowing tax cuts, unpaid wars and leverage on Wall st to reach 35 to 1 all on the backs of the middle clss. seanfer7 susan724 JimmyJK great post

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BrianO | Aug 18, 2012, 10:55 AM EDT

@jimmyjk- Reason to vote for Romney- He is brilliant, BYU, dual graduate school studies in law and business at Harvard, Graduating all with honors.

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Frosty38 | Aug 18, 2012, 10:28 AM EDT

I live in Florida close to the Villages. where the nitwit will be today. Nobody will be able to park in the any of the stores that we would going to. The parking will be a mess. they all come here to sell the books they write at the Barnes and Noble bookstore which I would not use. I drive to Ocala to Books a Million . How many times has he visit his MOMMY

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JimmyJK | Aug 17, 2012, 09:22 PM EDT

Who desires to vote for Romney/Ryan? Reasons please (and don't give me anti-Obama rhetoric. Ryan's vision via Ayn Rand (although Ayn Rand would be disgusted with Ryan because he is a life long politician, a topic she was adamant against) is to reduce our government to a skeleton and give ALL the keys of power to 2 entities. First entity is the Financial (because they have performed so wonderfully as of late) and the second entity is the Military complex. Romney/Ryan would like to end the following if they could so you know.... social security; medicare; medicaid; unemployment; all welfare assistance; food assistance; Americans with disabilities; and more. Plus beware Education is next.... They do not want to pay for the LAZY LOSERS. The budget slashes 3.3 trillion off while ALSO reducing taxes for the top earners..... Where has our sense of purpose gone? Where has our morality gone? Where has our community gone? If this is what we want.....

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seanomelb | Aug 17, 2012, 06:38 PM EDT

Hannity the fox allstar smear campaigner talking to a deer hunter who now hunts the elderly and the sick. Biden's remark was justified in his references to the middle class.

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MegK311 | Aug 17, 2012, 06:01 PM EDT

Oh my, Oh my, if you don't have anything of substance to say just start smearing peoples names and telling lies. Too bad Obama doesn't have a record to run on and Biden is a joke and always good for a laugh. Some of you folk need to grow up and stop your tit for tat and name calling. Lets get on with this election like adults and discuss the issues. America is in trouble right now and we don't need abusive name calling about the candidates.

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JohnKinMD | Aug 17, 2012, 05:45 PM EDT

It was the way he said it, only the dems talk down to the people the talk to.

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mayoman | Aug 17, 2012, 04:50 PM EDT

Is this the same Paul Ryan that has been embracing Christian fundamentalists, insisting that Big Government put an end to abortion and gay marriage, and resurrect DADT? Is this the same Paul Ryan that has boasted on numerous occasions that he is a student of the radical athetist, Ayn Rand? Rand is the author that believed that government should get out of people's lives, and probably she wouldn't be too keen to know of about Ryan's efforts to tell gay people and women what they should and should not do. But no matter, for now Ryan is furiously back-pedalling on his love of Rand, and the influence that she has had on his reactionary efforts to destroy Medicare and Social Security. Does Paul Ryan really know where he stands? Does he care? Or will he, like Romney, say anything, and embrace any issue in order to get elected? The GOP has offered the nation two dangerous, lying charlatans.

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