NORFOLK, Va. (AP) — Republican Mitt Romney has anointed Wisconsin Rep. Paul Ryan as his vice presidential running mate.
After the announcement in Norfolk, Va., the two men embarked on a tour of campaign battleground states vowing to defeat President Barack Obama and repair the long-ailing U.S. economy.
Moments after being introduced by Romney, Ryan, an ardent conservative and devoted budget cutter, told a flag-waving crowd that America is "a nation facing debt, doubt and despair," and a transformative change in leadership is vital.
Ryan said "Regrettably, President Obama has become part of the problem... and Mitt Romney is the solution."
Norfolk was the opening stop of a long-planned bus tour through four states in as many days. A trip to Ryan's home state has been added to previously scheduled appearances in Virginia, North Carolina, Florida and Ohio.
A short time after the Ryan announcement, the Republican team held a rally in Ashland, Va., where Ryan said he had good news and bad news. He said the bad news is that "President Obama is the president of the United States, and the good news is that on November the 6th he won't be any longer."
