I'm going to go back to my original thesis - that Ryan was picked, aside from personal amity that Romney feels for him, and the air of youthful competence that Ryan seems to exude, to help him swing the bluish-purple WI, which makes the electoral vote race much closer.
So the question is - sure so maybe he can help swing WI, but won't Ryan be a burden on the senior vote in reddish-purple FL? As well as depress the senior (and near senior vote) everywhere? Here's the reason:
Romney figures he can etch-a-sketch his way out of this box.
Notice how Romney is going all out saying on the one hand that he support Ryan's budget, while on the other saying he will not cut Medicare. It's like he is etch-a-sketching in real time. I just have to believe that Romney has figured that since he has etch-a-sketched his way from being to the left of Ted Kennedy to being on the right of Ronald Reagan to get the Republican nomination, that he can easily etch-a-sketch his way out of this small detail. It's the only way that his strategy makes sense.
Of course, whether he can actually buffalo the seniors - especially in the now critical state of FL - remains to be seen ...