For one thing, Ryan has no significant private-sector experience. Besides summer jobs working at McDonaldââ¬â¢s or at his familyââ¬â¢s construction company, or waiting tables as a young Washington staffer, Ryan has none of the business-world experience Romney frequently touts as essential for governing. In the run-up to his first campaign for Congress, in 1998, that gap was enough of a concern for Ryan that he briefly became a ââ¬Åmarketing consultantââ¬Â at the family business, an obvious bit of résumé puffing.
But Ryanââ¬â¢s Washington experience is also light, at least for a potential Presidentââ¬âwhich, after all, is the main job description of a Vice-President. Ryan has worked as a think-tank staffer and Congressman, but heââ¬â¢s never been in charge of a large organization, and he has little experience with foreign policy. Given how Sarah Palin was criticized for her lack of such experience, Iââ¬â¢m surprised that Romney would pick someone whose ability to immediately step into the top job is open to question.
