Paul Ryan Tells Hunters Thought of Second Obama Term Makes Him 'Shudder'

COLUMBUS, Ohio - Paul Ryan warned a group of hunters and fishermen this evening that he "shudder(s)" to think what President Obama would do "if he never has to face the voters ever again."

"You see the federal government already infringing upon the First Amendment right to religious liberty," Ryan said, referring to the federal mandate that all employers include insurance coverage for birth control.

"I see the president put these kind of regulations out there in a tough election year that could cost him votes, I wonder, I shudder as a gun owner, seeing his record when he was in the Illinois State Senate, what would he do if he never has to face the voters ever again?" Ryan said. "These are the kinds of questions we think about.

"The next president will appoint a lot of different judges and these are lifetime appointments," he said. "If you want to make sure that judges respect our Second Amendment rights, you need a president who respects those rights as well."

Speaking at the U.S. Sportsmen's Alliance's Annual "Save Our Heritage" banquet, the GOP vice presidential nominee stressed that his ticket would "respect the Second Amendment."

Ryan is an avid hunter and an accomplished bow hunter and this state's season for bow hunting kicked off today. He was welcomed into the group of fellow sportsmen with a gift of a 20 gauge shot gun.

Ryan grabbed the gun and held it, but then gave it back citing congressional ethics rules. He donated it to the silent auction, which already had a hunting hog decoy, South African safari, and Alaska fishing trip up for grabs.

He told the group to "remember one thing: we are all taxpayers."

"That means we as taxpayers own our public land," Ryan said. "Hunters are the original conservationists. Bureaucrats more and more these days think that public lands have to be protected from hunters. I myself see it another way; I think hunters need to be protected by the bureaucrats."

The House Budget chairman was clearly comfortable talking to the group, mentioning that he takes his family hunting and telling the crowd that his 10-year-old daughter, Liza - for whom he bought a hunting outfit last week - would begin hunting this year.

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Paul Ryan Tells Hunters Thought of Second Obama Term Makes Him 'Shudder'