The Republican establishment seems to have shaken off the disappointment that they could not make Marco Rubio a viable presidential candidate, no matter how much they puffed him up, and have decided to settle on a new savior: Paul Ryan. Somehow the House speaker and chairman of the upcoming convention will emerge from the chaos as their guy. Meanwhile, would-be king maker Charles Koch has decided that Ryan is his man.
Charles Koch is confident House Speaker Paul Ryan could emerge from the Republican National Convention as the party’s nominee if Donald Trump comes up at least 100 delegates shy, he has told friends privately.
Koch believes Ryan would be a “shoo-in” at a contested convention, should the campaign get to that point. Though Koch’s wealth gives him significant influence within the Republican Party, it does not necessarily translate into skill in political prognostication. Still, he and his brother David are fond of Ryan. As a source close to the brothers told The Huffington Post, they appreciate the agenda he has pursued as speaker, including opposition to tax extenders and heightened warnings against corporate welfare — positions that contrast with the admittedly vague portfolio pushed by Donald Trump.
That's despite Ryan's continued insistence that he's not interested, not going to do it, stop doing this. A source "close to Ryan" tells HuffPo that he doesn't want it and has good reason: "can you imagine the backlash from the Trump forces if someone who didn’t run for president wins the nomination? It would be complete chaos." Ryan doesn't want to be associated with that kind of chaos, not when he's grooming himself for 2020.
But this is really the best part of the whole story, from a Ryan "associate" who says the speaker "views himself as a check on the madness. As this Rock of Gibraltar during the chaos. And if he suddenly becomes part of the circus, it is hard for him to play that role."
So, Mr. Check on the Madness, how's that going with House Republicans? How's that whole budget process working out? It seems to have smashed up against that rock.