The Marathon Man

It’s usually said that presidential campaigns have more in common with marathons than with sprints — but it is not for this reason that Paul Ryan, Republican candidate for vice president, finds himself yet again knee-deep in controversy. The case arose as a result of the congressman’s interview with well-known radio host Hugh Hewitt (SEE HERE): Ryan, who is an avid sportsman, boasted that he ran a marathon in less than three hours, an extraordinary time for an amateur athlete.

The revelation, which seemed harmless at first, quickly became yet further evidence that the Republican, who had once been praised for his seriousness, had forgotten his earlier principles and has chosen to embark on a campaign of lies. As it turns out, Ryan took “over four hours” (SEE HERE) to complete his marathon.

This discrepancy is absolutely irrelevant in political terms: It is not how fast you run in a long-distance track event that determines your ability and competence as a politician. However, after letting their stupefaction (SEE HERE) be noted, political journalists have taken an interest in the story, seeing as it feeds into the new narrative that has emerged in the aftermath of Paul Ryan’s speech at the Republican Convention in Tampa. It’s really not necessary for voters to know whether the congressman runs faster or slower than his peers, but they are fully entitled to ask themselves (SEE HERE) the question: If candidate Ryan lies about such apparently irrelevant matters, is he also lying when he speaks about the truly important issues?