The top fiscal conservative groups have come out with high praise for Mitt Romney’s choice of Paul Ryan as his vice-presidential running mate.

“Congressman Ryan wants the same thing we do: to pass pro-growth policies and shrink the size and scope of government.” said Chris Chocola, president of the Club for Growth. “No one understands the dire consequences we face by continuing to ignore our spending problem better than Congressman Ryan, and no one can do a better job of articulating a vision of how to fix it. Most importantly, this pick sends the message that Governor Romney is interested in bold reforms to save America from fiscal collapse. For the future of America, we hope that they are successful.” Read More

At last, Obama for America has weighed in on the Paul Ryan pick:

“In naming Congressman Paul Ryan, Mitt Romney has chosen a leader of the House Republicans who shares his commitment to the flawed theory that new budget-busting tax cuts for the wealthy, while placing greater burdens on the middle class and seniors, will somehow deliver a stronger economy. The architect of the radical Republican House budget, Ryan, like Romney, proposed an additional $250,000 tax cut for millionaires, and deep cuts in education from Head Start to college aid. His plan also would end Medicare as we know it by turning it into a voucher system, shifting thousands of dollars in health care costs to seniors. As a member of Congress, Ryan rubber-stamped the reckless Bush economic policies that exploded our deficit and crashed our economy. Now the Romney-Ryan ticket would take us back by repeating the same, catastrophic mistakes.” Read More

We are moments away from Paul Ryan and Mitt Romney appearing together for the first time as ticketmates in Norfolk, VA.  Excerpts of Mr. Ryan’s speech are below:

Mitt Romney is a leader with the skills, the background and the character that our country needs at a crucial time in its history. Following four years of failed leadership, the hopes of our country, which have inspired the world, are growing dim; and they need someone to revive them. Governor Romney is the man for this moment; and he and I share one commitment: we will restore the dreams and greatness of this country. Read More

Former Minnesota governor Tim Pawlenty, who was floated by The New York Times and The Drudge Report as  Mitt Romney’s running mate, spent most of an interview with Andrea Mitchell on MSNBC today deflecting questions about the matter.

A few highlights, heavily edited in order to show the relentlessness of Ms. Mitchell’s questioning and the skill of Mr. Pawlenty’s deflecting: Read More