# Paul Ryan is "Bowhunter" **URL:** \ **Category:** Politics & Elections\ **Created:** [September 4, 2012, 5:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/paul-ryan-is-bowhunter/633657 "2012-09-04T17:34:35Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![CalMeacham](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/calmeacham/32/35_2.png) [@CalMeacham](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CalMeacham)\ **Post date:** [September 4, 2012, 5:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/paul-ryan-is-bowhunter/633657/1 "2012-09-04T17:34:35Z")
That’s his self-selected Secret Service code-name. > **[Paul Ryan’s Secret Service code name: ‘Bowhunter’](https://news.yahoo.com/blogs/ticket/paul-ryan-secret-code-name-bowhunter-134549864--election.html)** > > Paul Ryan, who received Secret Service protection last month after being picked as Mitt Romney's running mate, has his new Secret Service code name to brandish: "Bowhunter." A campaign official told GQ's Marc Ambinder that Ryan—a skilled archer and... From the same piece: Ryan’s wife is “Buttercup” Romney is “Javelin” The Obamas are fixated on the letter “R”, with Barack as Renegade, Michelle as Renaissance, and the daughters as Radiance and Rosebud. McCain was Phoenix, and Palin was Denali. ---
**Author:** ![bup](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/6bbea6/32.png) [@bup](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bup)\ **Post date:** [September 4, 2012, 5:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/paul-ryan-is-bowhunter/633657/2 "2012-09-04T17:39:58Z")
Mine’s _White Chocolate_. ---
**Author:** ![johnpost](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/f17d59/32.png) [@johnpost](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/johnpost)\ **Post date:** [September 4, 2012, 5:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/paul-ryan-is-bowhunter/633657/3 "2012-09-04T17:41:11Z")
he did sponsor a bill that passed (one of two for him) that lowered the tax on arrows. ---
**Author:** ![Happy\_Lendervedder](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/happy_lendervedder/32/8488_2.png) [@Happy\_Lendervedder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Happy_Lendervedder)\ **Post date:** [September 4, 2012, 5:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/paul-ryan-is-bowhunter/633657/4 "2012-09-04T17:41:43Z")
Mine’s “Jukeboxdon.” All one word. ---
**Author:** ![pseudotriton\_ruber\_ruber](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/a9a28c/32.png) [@pseudotriton\_ruber\_ruber](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pseudotriton_ruber_ruber)\ **Post date:** [September 4, 2012, 6:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/paul-ryan-is-bowhunter/633657/5 "2012-09-04T18:03:33Z")
Do you think the Obamas know all the theories about Kane’s “Rosebud” and chose that anyway for their daughter? ---
**Author:** ![Ravenman](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ravenman/32/2929_2.png) [@Ravenman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ravenman)\ **Post date:** [September 4, 2012, 6:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/paul-ryan-is-bowhunter/633657/6 "2012-09-04T18:06:19Z")
Mine is “Ralph Furley.” True story. ---
**Author:** ![Enkel](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/df705f/32.png) [@Enkel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Enkel)\ **Post date:** [September 4, 2012, 6:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/paul-ryan-is-bowhunter/633657/7 "2012-09-04T18:21:43Z")
> [@CalMeacham](#): > > Ryan’s wife is “Buttercup” The only Buttercups that I’ve ever heard of were all cows. Hmmm… ---
**Author:** ![Enkel](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/df705f/32.png) [@Enkel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Enkel)\ **Post date:** [September 4, 2012, 6:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/paul-ryan-is-bowhunter/633657/8 "2012-09-04T18:26:42Z")
The article linked to the OP’s link is worth reading “Paul Ryan With Dead Animals” > **[Paul Ryan With Dead Animals](https://nymag.com/intelligencer/2012/08/paul-ryan-with-dead-animals.html)** > > He shoots to kill. > [@](#): > > As a part of his “I’m Just Like You” tour of 2007, which was much less successful than his “Really, I’m Human!” tour of 2011, Mitt Romney admitted that his hunting experience was rather minimal. Instead, he said, “I’ve always been a rodent and rabbit hunter. Small varmints, if you will.” > > […]Romney filled out his ticket with the manliest animal murderer he could find. That man is Paul Ryan and he’s a serious hunter. […] He hunts with guns and he hunts with bows. And after he kills animals he poses for pictures with them. Here are those pictures: ---
**Author:** ![kenobi\_65](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kenobi_65/32/13178_2.png) [@kenobi\_65](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kenobi_65)\ **Post date:** [September 4, 2012, 7:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/paul-ryan-is-bowhunter/633657/9 "2012-09-04T19:21:32Z")
> [@Enkel](#): > > The only Buttercups that I’ve ever heard of were all cows. Hmmm… There’s at least [one](http://www.mayjesuschristbepraised.com/pictures/Film/princessbride.jpg) who is quite arguably not a cow. ---
**Author:** ![Revtim](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/revtim/32/1042_2.png) [@Revtim](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Revtim)\ **Post date:** [September 4, 2012, 7:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/paul-ryan-is-bowhunter/633657/10 "2012-09-04T19:22:05Z")
You can pick your own? If I was him, I would have picked “MisterVicePresident”. Even if I lose, people still call me that. Oh, but then it will sound sarcastic. ---
**Author:** ![Finagle](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/b19c9b/32.png) [@Finagle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Finagle)\ **Post date:** [September 4, 2012, 7:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/paul-ryan-is-bowhunter/633657/11 "2012-09-04T19:43:08Z")
I’m confused. What’s the point of a code name if everyone knows it? Or, if in the case of Denali and Phoenix, anyone who’s ever done a crossword puzzle could figure it out immediately? ---
**Author:** ![Miller](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/miller/32/481_2.png) [@Miller](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Miller)\ **Post date:** [September 4, 2012, 9:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/paul-ryan-is-bowhunter/633657/12 "2012-09-04T21:07:27Z")
He sounds like a Rob Liefeld superhero. How many pouches is he going to be sporting on the campaign trail? ---
**Author:** ![Zsofia](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/7bcc69/32.png) [@Zsofia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zsofia)\ **Post date:** [September 4, 2012, 9:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/paul-ryan-is-bowhunter/633657/13 "2012-09-04T21:25:23Z")
> [@Finagle](#): > > I’m confused. What’s the point of a code name if everyone knows it? Or, if in the case of Denali and Phoenix, anyone who’s ever done a crossword puzzle could figure it out immediately? Probably because it’s easier for them to hear over a radio - they’re distinctive in sound and standardized. ---
**Author:** ![Little\_Nemo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/little_nemo/32/3120_2.png) [@Little\_Nemo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Little_Nemo)\ **Post date:** [September 4, 2012, 9:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/paul-ryan-is-bowhunter/633657/14 "2012-09-04T21:40:33Z")
Mine’s The-President’s-Been-Shot. I like to keep things lively on the Secret Service radio network. ---
**Author:** ![Ibn\_Warraq](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/e19b73/32.png) [@Ibn\_Warraq](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ibn_Warraq)\ **Post date:** [September 4, 2012, 9:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/paul-ryan-is-bowhunter/633657/15 "2012-09-04T21:55:04Z")
> [@Finagle](#): > > I’m confused. What’s the point of a code name if everyone knows it? Or, if in the case of Denali and Phoenix, anyone who’s ever done a crossword puzzle could figure it out immediately? It’s for conversations over the radio. “Razorback(Clinton’s IIRC) has decided to go for a jog.” ---
**Author:** ![BrainGlutton](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/82dd89/32.png) [@BrainGlutton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrainGlutton)\ **Post date:** [September 4, 2012, 10:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/paul-ryan-is-bowhunter/633657/16 "2012-09-04T22:32:53Z")
Why does the Secret Service even **have** codenames for people it protects? I mean, if they’re going to publish them, what’s the point? Why can’t they just call Michelle “Michelle,” and so on? ---
**Author:** ![jasg](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/f0a364/32.png) [@jasg](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jasg)\ **Post date:** [September 4, 2012, 10:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/paul-ryan-is-bowhunter/633657/17 "2012-09-04T22:40:53Z")
> [@kenobi\_65](#): > > There’s at least [one](http://www.mayjesuschristbepraised.com/pictures/Film/princessbride.jpg) who is quite arguably not a cow. As you wish. ---
**Author:** ![Drain\_Bead](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e47774/32.png) [@Drain\_Bead](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Drain_Bead)\ **Post date:** [September 4, 2012, 10:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/paul-ryan-is-bowhunter/633657/18 "2012-09-04T22:48:39Z")
> [@Little\_Nemo](#): > > Mine’s The-President’s-Been-Shot. I like to keep things lively on the Secret Service radio network. Maybe it’s that I’m so sick I’m nearly delirious, but I was giggling for five minutes over that. This needs to be an SNL sketch or something. ---
**Author:** ![Zakalwe](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/zakalwe/32/270_2.png) [@Zakalwe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zakalwe)\ **Post date:** [September 4, 2012, 11:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/paul-ryan-is-bowhunter/633657/19 "2012-09-04T23:18:17Z")
> [@BrainGlutton](#): > > Why does the Secret Service even **have** codenames for people it protects? I mean, if they’re going to publish them, what’s the point? Why can’t they just call Michelle “Michelle,” and so on? What if they are protecting two Michelles? Code names have the advantage of being guaranteed unique keys (since they are Secret Service assigned). ---
**Author:** ![Chefguy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chefguy/32/138_2.png) [@Chefguy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chefguy)\ **Post date:** [September 4, 2012, 11:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/paul-ryan-is-bowhunter/633657/20 "2012-09-04T23:57:57Z")
I had two in the Foreign Service: “Hammer” in Mali and “Jackal” in Uganda. Both self-chosen. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/paul-ryan-is-bowhunter/633657.md?page=2)