Americans across the country now know about a soup kitchen serving thousands of hungry people in Youngstown, Ohio.

Unfortunately, most learned about it because of a publicity stunt by Republican vice presidential candidate Paul Ryan. The backlash from the Ryan Budget Traveling Roadshow could threaten future funding for the program.

Last weekend, Ryan and his family were on their way to the airport when he decided to barge into a dining hall run by the Society of St. Vincent de Paul. The patrons already had eaten and departed. The volunteers had cleared the hall and cleaned most of the dishes.