Speaker of the House John Boehner (R-OH) denied today that recently-defeated vice presidential candidate Rep. Paul Ryan (R-WI) was the leader of the Republican Party. “Oh, I wouldn't think so. Paul Ryan's a policy wonk," said Boehner. "He's involved in the cause of trying to bring us pro-growth economic agendas for America and making sure that we're doing this in a fiscally responsible way.”

Boehner did say that Ryan was still an intellectual leader of the Republican Party, however:

Probably nobody in the Congress knows more about pro-growth economic policies other than Paul Ryan. I don't think there's many people in the Congress who understand the entitlement crisis that we're facing more than Paul Ryan. I think he'll be an important voice in this discussion and in this debate.