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tem, shifting thousands of dollars in health care costs to seniors," he said.
• Ryan's selection -- as well as Romney's own nomination -- will be ratified by delegates to the Republican National Convention that begins on Aug. 27 in Tampa, Fla.
• Obama and Vice President Joseph Biden will be nominated for a second term at the Democratic convention the following week.
• One campaign official said Romney settled on Ryan on Aug. 1, more than a week ago, and informed Beth Myers, the longtime aide who had shepherded the secretive process that led to the selection. The official spoke on condition of anonymity to provide details.
• It was not known when Romney informed Ryan he wanted him on the ticket.
• In making his pick, Romney bypassed other potential running mates, including Ohio Sen. Rob Portman, Florida Sen. Marco Rubio, former Minnesota Gov. Tim Pawlenty and Virginia Gov. Bob McDonnell.
• Officials said he had called all four to notify them of his decision.
• There was one unscripted moment, when Romney mistakenly introduced Ryan as the next president. He returned to the podium to say, "Every now and then I'm known to make a mistake. I didn't make a mistake with this guy. But I can tell you this, he is going to be the next vice president of the United States."
• At 42, Ryan is a more than two decades younger than the 65-year-old Romney.
• His conservative credentials are highly regarded by fellow Republican House members, while numerous polls during the primaries of winter and spring found that

Romney's credentials were suspect among the party's core supporters.
• A seven-term congressman, Ryan is chairman of the House Budget Committee, and primary author of conservative tax and spending blueprints that the tea party-infused Republican majority approved over vociferous Democratic opposition in 2011 and again in 2012.
• They envision transforming Medicare into a program in which future seniors would receive government checks that they could use to purchase health insurance. Under the current program, the government directly pays doctors, hospitals and other health care providers.
• Ryan and other supporters say the change is needed to prevent the program from financial calamity. Critics argue it would impose ever-increasing costs on seniors.
• Other elements of the budget plan would cut projected spending for Medicaid, which provides health care for the poor, as well as food stamps, student loans and other social programs that Obama and Democrats have pledged to defend.

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