Republican Ryan hides the devil in the details

US vice-presidential wannabe Paul Ryan speaks in rhetoric and glosses over essential facts, writes Andy Sullivan

PAUL Ryan built his reputation as a fearless man who wasn’t afraid to put specific numbers on his small-government ideals. Now that he is the Republican Party’s vice-presidential nominee, the devil lies in the details.

In a speech on Wednesday night that marked his ascension onto the national stage, Ryan spelled out his conservative vision in the broad brush strokes of the presidential campaign rather than the pointillistic data sets of the House of Representatives budget committee.