Paul Ryan was clearly in friendly territory when he sat down for an interview with Fox News’ Chris Wallace Sunday. But there was a point when Wallace clearly grew frustrated with the vice presidential candidate’s failure to explain the basic principles behind Mitt Romney’s tax plan, points out Mediaite. Romney and Ryan insist they can cut individual rates by 20 percent without adding to the deficit by cutting loopholes and deductions for the wealthiest Americans.
Wallace asked Ryan to “talk specifics” and posed what seemed to be a simple question: How much would it cost? Ryan seemed stumped. When Wallace insisted, saying “you haven’t given me the math,” the vice-presidential candidate laughed, “I don’t have the time. It would take me too long to go through all the math.” (Video after the jump.) The Washington Post’s Suzy Khimm points out that “the basic message from Ryan here is: Trust us—the math adds up.”
Ryan also said that that Romney’s plan would not do away with “preferences for the middle class, for things like charitable deductions, for home purchases, for health care.” The remarks were seen as significant because Republicans have largely avoided talking about specific deductions, points out the Financial Times.
