ST. PETERSBURG — Republican vice presidential nominee Paul Ryan Wednesday defended Mitt Romney from charges that he has changed his position on abortion.
Asked outside of Old Farmer's Creamery, where he ordered ice cream before flying to Kentucky in advance of tomorrow's vice presidential debate, Ryan maintained that "our position’s unified” when asked about difference between he and Romney on abortion policy.
Romney's position “is consistent and hasn’t changed," he said.
Romney made waves on Tuesday when he told the Des Moines Register that "there’s no legislation with regards to abortion that I’m familiar with that would become part of my agenda.”
Romney aides then walked back the statement to National Review, as conservative Republicans were puzzled and Democrats smelled blood in the water.
Asked what Romney’s position on abortion is, Ryan said “I’m sure you’ll see in these debates,” declining to elaborate.
Asked if he was upset by Romney's statement to the Iowa paper, Ryan replied again simply, “No position has changed, our position has been very consistent.”
Romney has, by his own characterization, shifted his stand on whether and how abortion should be regulated.
Ryan ordered two scoops of Moosetracks ice cream in a cup, ordering another cup of ice cream for POLITICO reporter Juana Summers' birthday (which was on Tuesday.) Ryan was wearing a pink ribbon pin for Breast Cancer Awareness Month, saying it was given to him by his body-man Jake Kastan.
Ryan told reporters that he's ready to face Vice President Joe Biden tomorrow in Danville, Kentucky, calling Biden's greatest weakness "Barack Obama's record."
"Sure, it's a nervous situation," Ryan said of the debate, attempting to lower expectations on his performance. "because Joe Biden is one of the most experienced debaters we have in modern politics."