Ever since Paul Ryan...

...began auditioning for the role of Mitt Romney's running mate, the Congressman from Wisconsin has distanced himself from Ayn Rand and embraced his Catholicism. (Intrade currently has Ryan's chances at less than five percent.) 

Last week, in a speech at Georgetown University, Ryan defended his budget by saying (all emphasis mine): 

“I suppose that there are some Catholics who for a long time thought they had a monopoly of sorts — not exactly on heaven, but on the social teaching of our church,” Ryan said in a 25-minute speech. “Of course, there can be differences among faithful Catholics on this.” 

“The work I do — as a Catholic holding office — conforms to the social doctrine as best I can make of it,” added Ryan, a prospective Republican vice presidential nominee. “What I have to say about the social doctrine of the church is from the viewpoint of a Catholic in politics applying my understanding to the problems of the day.” 

Representative Ryan calls on his Catholic faith for guidance? That's strange; I could have sworn he was a follower of Ayn Rand's. From the New Republic piece, "Paul Ryan and Ayn Rand": 

"The reason I got involved in public service, by and large, if I had to credit one thinker, one person, it would be Ayn Rand," Ryan said at a D.C. gathering four years ago honoring the author of "Atlas Shrugged" and "The Fountainhead." 

So Ryan is a follower of Ayn Rand's. Not so fast. From a National Review article, "Ryan Shrugged": 

"I reject her philosophy," Ryan says firmly. "It's an atheist philosophy. It reduces human interactions down to mere contracts and it is antithetical to my worldview. If somebody is going to try to paste a person's view on epistemology to me, then give me Thomas Aquinas," who believed that man needs divine help in the pursuit of knowledge. "Don't give me Ayn Rand," he says. 

So which is it? Is Ryan a devout Catholic, or a follower of Ayn Rand's? (Because you really can't be both.) I guess it all depends on whether or not you're running for vice president.   

But at least Paul Ryan and Mitt Romney have one thing in common: They're both World Class flip-floppers.