Savage blasts Ryan pick: 'Too little, too late'

One of the nation’s top radio hosts has fired off some hot criticism of presumptive GOP presidential nominee Mitt Romney’s choice to select Rep. Paul Ryan, R-Wisc., as his vice presidential running mate.

“This is the end of the Romney campaign,” says Michael Savage. “As good a man as he is, Ryan will be portrayed by the Marxists as another rich white male who wants to ruin the environment, destroy Medicaid and Social Security and give tax breaks to the very rich. It’s all over.

“The Romney schmucks are so out of touch with reality they do not see how they are being portrayed and perceived both by the servile press and the ignorant masses,” the radio host states on his website. “The Romney insiders detest conservatives and are trying to appease this core base with Ryan. Too little, too late.”

Assuming by “Marxists” Savage is referring to some within Barack Obama’s circle of allies, the radio host’s prediction of response to Ryan has already proven spot on.

A support letter sent this morning by Obama Campaign Manager Jim Messina asserted, “Congressman Paul Ryan is best known as the author of a budget so radical The New York Times called it ‘the most extreme budget plan passed by a House of Congress in modern times.’ With Mitt Romney’s support, Ryan would end Medicare as we know it and slash the investments we need to keep our economy growing – all while cutting taxes for those at the very top.”

In comments to the press, Messina continued the barrage: “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.”

Many Republicans, meanwhile, have been quick to paint Ryan – who has notably clashed with Obama over the costs “hidden” in the president’s health-care reform act and led a charge to propose a Republican budget alternative to Congress’ current lack of any budget – as a sharp-witted fiscal conservative.

“With energy and vision, Paul Ryan has become an intellectual leader of the Republican Party,” Romney said of his choice for running mate. “He combines a profound sense of responsibility for what we owe the next generation with an unbounded optimism in America’s future.”

“Romney-Ryan will get our fiscal house in order and get Americans working again,” New Hampshire GOP Sen. Kelly Ayotte said.

“Governor Romney showed today that he is determined to confront a host of growing crises that President Obama has ignored,” Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., said. “Where the current president has simply refused to act, Governor Romney has now pledged to lead. Paul Ryan is an excellent choice.”