House Speaker Paul D. Ryan (R-Wis.), who said Wednesday that he will not seek reelection in November, maintained a complicated relationship with a press corps whose changing portrayals of him reflected the shifts in national politics that may have hastened his retirement at age 48. In an interview on Fox News in 2012, when he was the Republican vice-presidential nominee, Ryan said, “It kind of goes without saying that there’s definitely a media bias. They must reject any group or cause that is built on bigotry.”Not terribly bold stuff. He said Wednesday that he is “extremely proud” of his efforts to reduce government spending through cuts to social welfare programs. But as Trump entered and advanced in politics, personal decorum became a point of greater emphasis in news coverage, and Ryan became a kind of foil for the coarse billionaire.

Source: Washington Post April 11, 2018 21:11 UTC