Paul Ryan Will Have To Wait To Privatize Medicare, It Seems

Last week, the Stein Eriksen Lodge in Park City, Utah, hosted Mitt Romney's Experts and Enthusiasts conference. Billed as Romney's first big splash back into public/political life since the 2012 election, the conference brought together a multi-partisan array of political bigwigs, along with a multitude of private equity enthusiasts, to attend the former GOP presidential nominee's version of the Aspen Ideas Festival. (You should actually be thankful that it is Romney doing this, and not Newt Gingrich.)

As Jason Horowitz reported, much of this event was closed to the media. But one tipster who happened to be dining out at the Stein Eriksen Thursday night emailed me that while there was evident enthusiasm for privatizing Medicare, Congress' leading "expert" on the matter, Kid Budget Wonk Paul Ryan, indicated in a genial conversation that this was not in the offing. Good news for people who like Medicare, then!

Our tipster writes:

As I was leaving the dining room I walked past Paul Ryan who was speaking with Dan Senor, outside of what I assume was Ryan's room.

I asked Paul Ryan, "Congressman, how are your plans to privatize Medicare going?"

I assume he thought I was a supporter. At any rate, his response was. "We will need a new President first."

I told him that "I like our current President, I like Medicare and hope it will be available for me when I retire". He chuckled and I walked on.

He also passes along this rather murky camera-phone picture of Ryan (R-Wis.) conversing with New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie (R). There sure don't seem to be any hard feelings over Christie making a joint appearance with President Barack Obama in the aftermath of Hurricane Sandy. Which is nice, because that didn't actually affect the election.

Were you at the Experts and Enthusiasts Conference and want to tell us about it? Drop us a line! The worst that will happen is that I will get calls from angry flacks. But, you know, no big deal, they're a minor threat, et cetera.

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