campaign 2012

The First Leg of the Mitt Romney-Paul Ryan Road Show Was Painfully Short

HIGH POINT, NC - AUGUST 12: Republican presidential candidate, former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney (R), is introduced by running mate Republican vice presidential candidate, U.S. Rep. Paul Ryan (R-WI) during a campaign stop at the Absolute Style furniture factory on August 12, 2012 in High Point, North Carolina. Romney and Ryan continue on the second day of a 4-day bus trip that will take Romney to 4 key swing states, Virginia, North Carolina, Florida and Ohio, and also to Ryan's home state of Wisconsin. (Photo by Sara D. Davis/Getty Images)
Ryan and Romney in North Carolina. (Sara D. Davis/Getty Images) Photo: Sara D. Davis/2012 Getty Images

Mitt Romney and Paul Ryan did a mini-tour of North Carolina today, with the candidates making stops in the towns of High Point and Mooresville. Despite what was described as “oppressive” heat, the pair was greeted by large, enthusiastic hoards still jazzed up about yesterday’s vice-presidential nominee reveal. Romney himself seemed uncharacteristically animated, as demonstrated by his introduction of his new sidekick to the crowd gathered in the parking lot of the NASCAR Technical Institute:

I am so happy, I am so happy to have my teammate now, the two of us,” Romney told the overflow crowd of an estimated 3,000. “It’s now two-on-two you know. And this is a guy with extraordinary character.”

The crowd then broke out into chants of “Paul, Paul, Paul.”

“Yeah Paul, Paul , Paul, Paul, Paul, Paul,” Romney joined in. “Let’s cheer for Paul!”

The moment was bittersweet: Today is expected to be the last time the pair will appear together in public for a few weeks, as campaign plans to “extend their bandwidth” by crafting separate itineraries for Romney and Ryan until the end of the month, when they will be reunited in Tampa for the RNC.

Romney and Ryan Campaign in North Carolina