NORFOLK, Va. -
Appearing for the first time as Mitt Romney's running mate, Wisconsin Rep. Paul Ryan is attacking President Barack Obama for what he calls a "record of failure."
The seven-term congressman says Obama has led the "worst economic recovery in 70 years." He notes that unemployment has been above 8 percent for more than three years - the longest stretch since the Great Depression.
He spoke in remarks prepared for delivery at the first public appearance of the new GOP ticket.
Ryan, the architect of a controversial budget plan, is promising not to "duck the tough issues." And he says he has the courage to tell the truth.
NBC reports that Romney made his decision on August 1 and called Ryan to ask him to run on the Republican ticket.
The two appeared together at a rally in Norfolk, Virginia Saturday morning.
Romney says Ryan is a man of what he calls "great steadiness" and "unquestioned integrity." The former Massachusetts governor says Ryan is a "shining exception" in a political world of pettiness.
The two appeared together for the first time as the Republican presidential ticket on Saturday morning in Virginia. They faced supporters while standing on the USS Wisconsin, a retired World War II battleship.
Just hours after his campaign confirmed Ryan as his selection, Romney says Ryan won't demonize his opponents. Romney says that Democrats may disagree with Ryan's policies, but he doesn't know anyone who doesn't respect his character and judgment.
Romney called several of the Republicans on his vice presidential shortlist on Friday evening to tell them he has selected a running mate. He also thanked them for assisting with his campaign.
Romney is currently on a bus tour in the state.
Reaction
President Barack Obama's campaign says Romney's selection of Ryan as his running mate shows a commitment to "budget-busting tax cuts" for the wealthy and "greater burdens" on the middle class and seniors.
Obama campaign manager Jim Messina calls Ryan is the "architect of the radical Republican House budget" proposal and says the plan "would end Medicare as we know it."
The Obama campaign said Saturday the Republican ticket would return the nation to "reckless Bush economic policies that exploded our deficit and crashed our economy."
Democrats are expected to seize upon Ryan's authorship of a House-backed budget plan that would curb overall entitlement spending and changes Medicare into a voucher-like system.
The president is traveling to Chicago on Saturday but had no public events planned.
Pence statement
Rep. Mike Pence (R-IN), who is running for Indiana governor, released this statement:
"Paul Ryan is an excellent choice to serve as Vice President of the United States, and I commend Mitt Romney for choosing this good and decent man as his running mate. I have known and worked with Paul Ryan for the past twelve years and count him as a personal friend. Paul has the character, intellect and optimistic vision our next president will need at his side to turn this economy around and put Hoosiers back to work. Paul Ryan also possesses an understanding of the federal budget that our next administration will need to restore fiscal solvency and save future generations of Americans from massive deficits and debt. Karen and I congratulate Paul, Janna and their family on this honor, and I thank them for their willingness to step forward to be a part of America's Comeback Team."
Vice president, not president
Romney mistakenly introduced Ryan as the next president of the United States. Ryan, of course, has been tapped to serve as Romney's vice presidential nominee.
A sheepish Romney puts arms around Ryan and clarified his mistake before Ryan took the microphone.
Romney says that he makes a mistake every once in a while. But he says he didn't make a mistake with his selection of Ryan.
Mitt Romney
Rep. Paul Ryan (R-WI)
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