The spate of recall elections in Wisconsin is now over. “The presidential” is upon us, and Paul Ryan is very much at the center of the debate that will consume a large part of the country for the next 16 weeks. 

One reason: Ryan is one of a small group of Republicans being vetted as a possible running mate for Mitt Romney. Very few people know exactly who is under consideration, and in most cases they’re not talking. But the consensus among Republicans I’ve talked to in recent weeks is that Ryan is getting serious consideration and that his vetting isn’t one of those satisfy-a-constituency looks that campaigns undertake just to leak.