CBS Journalist to Paul Ryan: 'You Proud of the Brown-Noser Title?'

August 16th, 2014 11:08 AM

In an exclusive preview of his interview with Paul Ryan, CBS This Morning journalist Richard Schlesinger on Friday chose to highlight a shot at the "brown-noser" Congressman. The reporter recounted Ryan's high school career. 

He noted that the Representative was named prom king and added, "Along the way, he picked up another title -- brown-noser. And that he doesn't talk about too much."  Schlesinger prompted, "You proud of the brown-noser title?" [See video below. MP3 audio here.]

The full interview airs on Sunday. 

In a separate interview with Parade magazine, Ryan was asked if he watched House of Cards, the highly negative look at D.C. politics. Ryan replied: 

PAUL RYAN: I watched the first couple of episodes until he cheated on his wife with that reporter. It turned my stomach so much that I just couldn't watch it anymore. His behavior was so reprehensible, and it hit too close to home because he was a House member, that it just bothered me too much. And what I thought is, it makes us all look like we're doing that. 

A transcript of the August 15 segment is below: 


8:05am ET 

NORAH O'DONNELL: And there are signs this morning that Mitt Romney's 2012 running mate could run for president himself. Wisconsin Congressman Paul Ryan has a new book out with a plan to help America move forward. And Richard Schlesinger spoke to him in his hometown for CBS's Sunday Morning. Here's a preview. 

RICHARD SCHLESINGER: Ryan is 44 now and has been in Congress for almost eight terms. His upbringing in Janesville has become part of his political story. In his book, he talks about having to grow up quickly after discovering his father dead in the house from a heart attack. Ryan was just 16. 

PAUL RYAN: And so, at that moment, I basically decided that I'm going to sink or swim. I'm going to step it up, be there more my mom, be there for my grandma and not wallow in self pity because of, you know, the unexpected death of my dad. 

SCHLESINGER: Shortly after that, Ryan won one of his first elections, as junior class president at this high school. And if that's not all–American enough, he also became prom king. Along the way, he picked up another title -- brown-noser. And that he doesn't talk about too much. You proud of the brown-noser title? 

RYAN: Doesn't really matter. 

SCHLESINGER: Okay. You're a good sport though. 

RYAN: Yeah, I am. 

O'DONNELL: I love that. And you can watch all of Richard Schlesinger's interview with Congressman Ryan on CBS Sunday Morning.