Democrats quick to criticize Romney's choice of Ryan for running mate

12 hours ago CNN Political Unit (CNN) – Responding to Mitt Romney's announcement of Rep. Paul Ryan of Wisconsin as his running mate, Democrats attacked the House Budget Committee chairman for his controversial budget proposals.

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Jim Messina, campaign manager for President Barack Obama's re-election campaign:

"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. The architect of the radical Republican House budget, Ryan, like Romney, proposed an additional $250,000 tax cut for millionaires, and deep cuts in education from Head Start to college aid. His plan also would end Medicare as we know it by turning it into a voucher system, shifting thousands of dollars in health care costs to seniors. As a member of Congress, Ryan rubber-stamped the reckless Bush economic policies that exploded our deficit and crashed our economy. Now the Romney-Ryan ticket would take us back by repeating the same, catastrophic mistakes."

Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid:

"By picking Representative Paul Ryan, Governor Romney has doubled down on his commitment to gut Social Security and end Medicare as we know it. Romney's choice demonstrates that catering to the Tea Party and the far-right is more important to him that standing up for the middle class. The months ahead will provide Americans with a clear choice between the Romney-Ryan plan to gut Social Security and Medicare, and Democrats' balanced approach to deficit reduction that combines smart spending cuts with asking millionaires and billionaires to pay their fair share. Democrats in the Senate look forward to engaging in that debate."

Rep. Steve Israel, chairman of Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee

"Congressman Paul Ryan and Mitt Romney are a match made in millionaires' heaven, but they'll be a nightmare for seniors who've earned their Medicare benefits. For the last 18 months, we've said Republicans will have to defend the indefensible – their vote to end Medicare. Now with Congressman Ryan on the ticket, House Republicans face the one thing they hoped to avoid – a national debate on their budget that puts millionaires first and Medicare and the middle class last."

Cecile Richards, president of Planned Parenthood Action Fund:

"Planned Parenthood is the nation's leading women's health provider and advocate, and sees firsthand the women who are being hurt by the policies that Mitt Romney and Paul Ryan support. We now have a full picture of this ticket, and it's deeply troubling for women's ability to make their own medical decisions and have access to basic health care. Just like Mitt Romney, Paul Ryan wants to end safe and legal abortion, would work to eliminate funding for Planned Parenthood's cancer screenings, birth control, and other basic health care, and would repeal the Affordable Care Act, denying access to birth control, well-woman checkups, and other preventive care to millions of Americans."

AFL-CIO President Richard Trumka:

"Whether its outsourcing American jobs or picking his running mate, Mitt Romney's proven just how bad his decision making is for working people. Aligning himself with the poster-child for ending medicare and social security puts to rest any suggestion that Romney has a clue what the middle-class needs. We're witnessing the radical Tea Party extremes drive its final nail in what was once the Republican Party."

Nancy Keenan, president of NARAL Pro-Choice America:

"Rep. Paul Ryan's extreme anti-choice record shows just how serious a threat Mitt Romney's presidency would be for women," Keenan said. "He has cast 59 votes on reproductive rights while in Congress and not one has been pro-choice. Rep. Ryan has also repeatedly voted to defund family-planning programs and supported the 'Let Women Die Bill,' which would allow hospitals to refuse to provide a woman emergency, lifesaving abortion care, even if she could die without it. It comes as no surprise that Romney would choose a like-minded running mate who is just as out of touch with our nation's values and priorities as he is. The Romney-Ryan ticket is dangerous to women's health."

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