While it may ruin Neil's fun by having to explain it, I will make my comment anyway because I think some people are taking some comments way too seriously.

I have chuckled at the term Ryanistas... I think it has more of a political slant than what I would coin, since I see the people it refers to in more of a religious light than a militant movement... and for some reason in my mind something like Ryanists, without the "a" may capture it more precisely... but that is just my opinion.

There are some in this thread who seem to get very defensive at any comment that can be taken in any way to portray Ryan as anything less than worthy of immediate recognition as a saint. Let me be clear, I currently admire Ryan, but in no way believe he is in line for beatification.

While I am completely surprised that he has the fortitude to get as far as he has based on his initial messages, and have grown to deeply admire him, I think some hero worship expressed here is just too extreme.

There are a couple of people here that seem to hold a grudge against him, but frankly, I think some of the Ryanistas need to take a deep breath and go back and read the messages that the Historian has left in a less confrontational way and see that he isn't attacking Ryan... While not participating in the worship, he has done quite a bit of supporting Ryan, both directly and indirectly. Read again and see that he is holding up a mirror... do any of you see yourselves in the term Ryanista?

Do you find yourself reading words or phrases that in other threads would mean nothing to you, but in this thread make your blood boil because you think your hero is being unjustly attacked?

Unfortunately, those who are famous, especially those who overtly seek it, open themselves to criticism. Ryan placed himself in that position, as did the person he is riding to DC to honor (although I think it is still open to debate whether he is riding to honor Obama or himself). History will judge Mr. Obama, and perhaps (if he has more than a few weeks of fame) Ryan as well.

The Historian isn't making fun of Ryan by coining the term Ryanistas... Nor is he referring to all people cheering on Ryan. I am cheering on Ryan, but I am confident that Neil would not call me a Ryanista. Neil is cheering on Ryan, but he obviously does not consider himself a Ryanista...