Rep. Barney Frank, D-Mass., mustered a kind of compliment for vice presidential candidate Paul Ryan, whom he described as “dangerous” because he is such a “clever politician.”

“Paul Ryan is a rigid far-right ideologue and a clever politician,” Frank wrote in a fundraising email for the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee. “That’s a dangerous combination — especially in an election where ultraconservative billionaires like the Koch Brothers are spending millions to ensure that their extreme right-wing agenda becomes a reality.”

Frank then told a lie about Ryan’s Medicare plan. “He’ll do everything he can to avoid the specifics of his plans to end Medicare,” the retiring lawmaker wrote. Of course, Ryan doesn’t propose to end Medicare, although he certainly proposes changes to the program that would only affect people under 55 who opted into the Ryan alternative.

“My mom is a Medicare senior in Florida,” Ryan told CBS. “Our point is we need to preserve their benefits, because government made promises to them that they’ve organized their retirements around. In order to make sure we can do that, you must reform it for those of us who are younger. And we think these reforms are good reforms.”

Here is the full Barney Frank email:

Friend – Paul Ryan is a rigid far-right ideologue and a clever politician. That’s a dangerous combination — especially in an election where ultraconservative billionaires like the Koch Brothers are spending millions to ensure that their extreme right-wing agenda becomes a reality. We have to do everything we can to expose Romney and Ryan’s plans to slash the social safety net for seniors, children, and pretty much everyone else to pay for more tax breaks for millionaires. Donate $3 or more to support President Obama up with a strong Democratic majority >> Unlike some of these Tea Party Republicans, Ryan understands that much of what he wants to do is very unpopular with the American people. He’ll do everything he can to avoid the specifics of his plans to end Medicare, privatize Social Security, and give Mitt Romney a 1% tax rate. That’s why we need you to help us set the record straight. Please donate what you can: http://dccc.org/24-Hours-Left Thank you, Barney Rep. Barney Frank