Typical cowardice from Ryan. Sells his soul for tax cuts and mean welfare policies. This man has to go.
Paul Ryan, a profile in scourge.
No spine. Not even a notochord. Some sort of semi-sentient bilaterally-symmetric terrestrial jellyfish.
The word, “supine”, comes to mind.
Ryan should just lie down on his back and offer to lick Trump’s boots. It would save time figuring out that he doesn’t actually “stand” for anything that doesn’t include being a reverse Robin Hood.
“I’m a constitutional conservative,” he responded. “I’m for the First Amendment. I don’t always agree and like what you guys write, but you have a right to do it. And I’m a constitutional conservative, and I’m just going to leave it at that.”
Translation- We must proceed patiently with the Remedial On The Job Education For the President of the Ignorant Aggrieved White FOX News Viewership.
The Irish Undertaker strikes again. Saying nothing at all…
“Not even a notochord.” Okay, now I’ve got some coffee to clean off the monitor.
Ryan: Slippery as an eel.
Ryan: I am a constitutional conservative and I believe in the freedom of the press!
Reporter: Okay well the President said exactly the opposite, so will you say that the President was wrong or was out of line or is clearly using his power to act as a chill on the First Amendment?
Ryan: Oh, god no! I’m too afraid of my base, Breitbart, and big money donors.
“Trump on Wednesday fiercely denied the report and suggested NBC News and other outlets invented anonymous sources…”
“…in a combative statement issued through spokesmen John Barron and John Miller.”
If Trump got a gang together and robbed a bank, Ryan would blandly note in his next press conference that there’s long-established laws on whether or not people ought to rob banks and he’s in favor of them. And if they followed up by asking if Trump was wrong to rob the bank he’d say he’s made his position on bank-robbing clear and he’s going to leave it at that.
Technically those aren’t anonymous. 
Additional confirmation if any were needed that criticism, never mind restraint, of Trump’s insanity remains an outlier position within Republican leadership.
Even if that changes as we approach the 2018 primary campaigns – and that’s likely a toss-up at best given Trump’s continuing support among older whites – the damage to democratic norms and institutions in the meantime will be horrific.
From the electoral college to the senate, our institutions were more dependent on norms than I ever imagined. It still astonishes me how much of their conduct appears to be grounded in tradition and good will rather than written rules and law but now they are proving ripe pickings for an amoral monster and, thus far at least, seem unable to defend themselves aside from the sacrifices of technocrats who’s only remaining tools are whistleblowing and leaking.
Cripes what a mess; thank god I can still turn to music.
“You can endure almost anything as long as you can sing about it.” –James Wright
OMG…Ryan got something almost right. Stop the goddamn presses. Headline news!
We all feel so much better now, Paul.
It would be quite a beautiful thing if he were to get caught up in the wave and lose reelection next year.
STOP THE PRESSES!
Speaker Ryan says he is a constitutional conservative…when he damn well pleases.
Oh wait… we knew that. Never mind.
That would be beautiful. It would be downright sublime.