Rep. Ryan Reacts To Palin's 2012 Endorsement

Palin Tells Fox News Sunday She's 'Very Impressed' With Ryan

Posted: 6:47 pm CST February 8, 2010Updated: 7:10 pm CST February 8, 2010

JANESVILLE, Wis. -- Wisconsin's Republican Rep. Paul Ryan is in the nation's political spotlight.

The Janesville politician got a shout out from former Vice presidential candidate Sarah Palin during her Sunday morning interview with Fox News Sunday, hosted by Chris Wallace.

Palin said she was "very impressed with Paul Ryan" when asked if there were any rising stars in the party who might be considered as a possible frontrunner for the 2012 presidential race.

"He's good. Man, he is sharp. He is smart, articulate, and he is passionate about these common-sense solutions that America has got to adopt to get us on the right road," said Palin.

Rep. Ryan attended the Rock-Green County Realtors Meeting in Janesville Monday and shared his reaction to Palin's comments.

"It's nice to get reconigized for the effort I've put forward, but I'm really worried about the fiscal and economic direction of our country and I think it's my job to my employers in southern Wisconsin to offer alternatives if I don't think the way we're going is the right way -- and that's just what I'm doing," said Ryan, who represents Wisconsin's 1st District.

Ryan has said in the past that he will not run for president, WISC-TV reported.

Just last week, however, Ryan did release his "Roadmap for America's Future 2.0," in which he calls for simplifying the tax code and privatizing Social Security and Medicare.

Ryan said if the fallout from Palin's comment generates attention that gets Washington to focus on his message to control the federal debt, he's all for it.

"It's helpful to get the kinds of ideas that I've been advocating noticed, and I'm suggesting it's not too late for America to turn its economics around and its fiscal problems around, but we're getting to a point (where) debt and deficit is so far out of control that we've got to act now," Ryan said. "What matters to me is not the personality conflicts in politics -- it's the ideas, the policies ... and we've got to get on with a serious converstation to turn things around ... get jobs, (that's) how we pay off our debt, so our kids and grandkids aren't stuck with a mountain of debt and a lower standard of living."

Ryan is the ranking Republican on the House Budget Committee.