Wherever Speaker Ryan goes these days, the national media is following to see if he says anything about Donald Trump.
?
The Janesville Republican is a veteran of election year battles, but these days he finds himself the target of his own party's presidential nominee; and Ryan doesn't really want to talk about it.
"I would like to take a break from all the mudslinging and the mess out there on TV," said Ryan, "and introduce you to some ideas and solutions."
Ryan did not mention Trump by name during a 20-minute speech to business and community leaders. Instead, he's focused on the House Republican agenda.
?
"There is an actual choice between two different schools of thought," said Ryan, "between two different philosophies, two different agendas; but you wouldn't know it if you turn on the computer or the TV, would you?"
?
For months Ryan has been offering ideas - called "A Better Way" for poverty, national security and healthcare -but even many in the room admitted they were not aware of it.
?
"This is an agenda that says to the government 'enough already, you have been too arrogant. too condescending, too paternalistic for too long,'" said Ryan.
Longtime Republican and former Lieutenant Governor Margaret Farrow was at the Ryan event. She credits the Speaker for staying on message despite the attacks by Trump.
?
"Has this individual in all his unique ways made it difficult? Yes," admitted Farrow. "He had Ryan and he lost Ryan." But Farrow says she's still voting Republican right down the ticket.
Ryan's speech was also supposed to include a 30 minute question and answer session with the audience, but it never happened. Ryan left without taking questions.
Brandon Weathersby at the Democratic Party of Wisconsin responded by saying, "Speaker Paul Ryan has used every excuse in the book to keep supporting Donald Trump. Ryan's silence holds firm that he puts his party, and his own political future, above common decency and being the leader Wisconsinites deserve."
