will ryan be the 2016 gop nominee

[Old Europe]

I'll just post that picture from 538.com...

[Mr. Morden]

I'll just post that picture from 538.com...

It makes no sense to compare Ryan to VP nominees from the 1960s or earlier, since the presidential nomination process was vastly different back then, the rationale for why veeps were picked was different, and the job of vice president was different.

Also, even if you do try to use past performance of losing VP candidates to assess Ryan's chances of being his party's nominee in 2016, you have to account for the fact that unlike some of those past VP candidates, Ryan is young, popular within the party, and would face no other obvious "next in line" candidate in 2016.  While it's too early to say whether Ryan would be the single frontrunner for the 2016 GOP nom., he'd almost certainly be one of the top leading contenders, unless he does terribly on the campaign trail in the coming months.

[NHI]

Only if Romney is defeated, otherwise it's 2020 for Ryan.

[RIP Robert H Bork]

No.

If Romney loses this year, I don't think Ryan runs next time. If Romney wins, he will be running for re-election, and again Ryan won't run for president.

[HagridOfTheDeep]

Ryan should run for senate or something in 2016 if Romney loses this election. He'd be a formidable candidate for president in the future, but he needs the force of mega experience on his side.

[Oldiesfreak1854]

Paul Ryan's dad and grandfather never lives past 56 years old. 

Paul is 42 now, so he should live long enough to run for president in 2020 at the age of 50.

That'd very kind of you.

Depends on whether Mitt Romney wins this time.