Speaker Paul Ryan Says No To Presidency -- Months After Saying No To Being Speaker

Weeks before Wisconsin Republican Paul Ryan became Speaker of the U.S. House of Representatives, he made clear that of all the jobs in the world, there was one he especially did not want: Speaker of the U.S. House of Representatives.

So, you can't blame anybody skeptical about Paul Ryan's announcement — another one — that he would not accept the Republican nomination for president should none of the existing candidates manage to capture the delegates required to lock up the race before the GOP July convention.

"I do not want, nor will I accept, the Republican nomination," Ryan told reporters at Republican National Committee headquarters in Washington, where a sizable number in the GOP establishment yearn to see him rise from the ashes of an open party convention in Cleveland.

Ryan has emerged as a popular foil for the Wild-West showdown that has emerged on the GOP side of the presidential race, with Donald Trump still learning party rules halfway through the nomination process and Sen. Ted Cruz still bugging the bejeezus out of just about everybody not aligned behind Trump.

Ryan is seen as a moderate — someone who can unite the fractured party, hold true to conservative principles and provide a serious alternative to Hillary Clinton in the general election.

So if things get hairy at the GOP convention (and they almost certainly will), Ryan could, in theory, amass a majority of delegates throughout multiple rounds of voting without having spent a day on the campaign trail.

Ryan didn't exactly quell any of these rumors, either, with a fancy video he released Thursday talking about "politics these days" and "inspiring people on our common humanity." Not exactly C-SPAN quality, it was top-tier video production, a mash-up of quick camera shots, inspired young faces and sappy music.

It was the kind of ad you'd see from someone running for ... president?

But no, Ryan says, he doesn't want any part in this election cycle's madness.

“If no candidate has the majority on the first ballot, I believe you should only turn to a person who has participated in the primary," Ryan said. "Count me out.”

Right, about that.

Ryan had made saying no to the speakership practically part of a stump speech, especially after former Speaker John Boehner surprised Washington by announcing he didn't want the job any more.

Ryan had said during an interview with the National Journal that he would “never” be speaker, and he said so after Eric Cantor, who had been expected to take over from Boehner, lost his primary election. And when California Rep. Kevin McCarthy — whom Boehner had also tabbed — Ryan issued a statement within 20 minutes.

"While I am grateful for the encouragement I've received, I will not be a candidate," the Wisconsin Republican said.

He was elected Speaker 21 days later.