Van Hollen to play Paul Ryan in debate practice

Rep. Chris Van Hollen, prepare yourself for the role of a lifetime. Well, maybe not quite a lifetime, but it's still an important role.

The Maryland Democrat has been tapped to play the role of Rep. Paul Ryan in vice presidential debate rehearsals, The New York Times reports. 

Van Hollen, the ranking Democrat on the House Budget Committee, knows his way around Ryan's budget and has had more than a few budgetary battles with Ryan. Van Hollen will attempt to channel his inner Ryan in mock debates in the lead-up to the real deal on Oct. 11. 

Ryan is a leader in the House on budget issues, and the debate could be quite interesting given, as the Times gingerly puts it, "Mr. Biden's affinity for saying what he is thinking and Mr. Ryan's own confidence in his positions and his eagerness to articulate them."