Washington - Democratic strategist David Axelrod attacked Republican
Mitt Romney's choice of a vice presidential running mate as an ideologue
who would demolish government health insurance for the elderly.
Paul
Ryan, Romney's pick, is "the architect of a plan to end Medicare as we
know it," Axelrod, a top advisor to President Barack Obama's
presidential campaign, said on ABC's This Week.
Ryan's
proposal to turn the public insurance plan into a voucher system will
"shift thousands of dollars of costs onto senior citizens", Axelrod
said.
Moreover, Ryan's plan to privatise the national pension
programme known as Social Security "was so out there that even George
Bush called it irresponsible", he added.
Axelrod's comments came
as Democrats mounted a fierce counter-attack a day after Romney picked
as his running mate a congressman who known as a leading advocate for
deep cuts in US spending to deal with what Republicans say are
unsustainable US deficits.
The choice was seen by many as a bold,
but risky move that will re-focuses the US presidential campaign on debt
and deficit issues amid a sluggish US economic recovery.
"I think
it will be a booster shot within his own party," Axelrod acknowledged.
"I think the Tea Party is excited. I think the social conservatives are
excited."
Ryan's budget proposal "cuts back on college aid to
kids, and research, and innovation and all the things that we need to
grow the economy. And on things that people rely on, nursing home care
for seniors, and for the disabled and so on," Axelrod told NBC's Meet the Press.
President
Obama has portrayed Romney as a wealthy venture capitalist who would
shower the rich with tax cuts, and saddle the middle class with the
bill, in the form of higher taxes and cuts to key social programmes.
Conservatives
cheered Ryan's name on the ticket as a jolt to the Republican base
ensuring the election will be framed around major issues like the role
and size of government.