Romney begins vice presidential search and Rep. Ryan could be on the short list

Rep. Paul Ryan, R-Wis., the author of the House GOP budget plan which revamps Medicare, helped Romney in Wisconsin. In other campaign news, Romney renews attack on health law to woo conservative leaders.

The Associated Press: No Shocker In Store: Romney Veep Search Under Way
GOP budget guru Paul Ryan, R-Wis., also came from humble beginnings. Ryan campaigned at Romney's side for several days ahead of Wisconsin's recent Republican primary, a victory that helped push Rick Santorum out of the race. It's unclear whether Ryan's role as face of the Congressional Republican budget plan, which includes a fundamental transformation of Medicare, would present too much political risk (Hunt and Peoples, 4/16).

The Wall Street Journal: Romney Woos Conservative Leaders
Mitt Romney, while ramping up efforts to win swing voters who will play a large role in November's election, has remained personally involved in trying to persuade conservative leaders to back him and help drive Republican turnout this fall. … Mr. Romney has sought to woo tea-party supporters. On Monday evening, he spoke to a tea-party rally in Philadelphia, where he derided Mr. Obama's health-care law and proposal for million-dollar earners to pay a tax rate of at least 30% (O'Connor and Hook, 4/16).

Los Angeles Times: What Would Romney Cut? Overheard Conversation Holds Clues
But there was no question that the typically cautious candidate had gone well beyond his typical stump speech - in which he mentions his support for moving programs like Medicaid to the states, where he says they would be more efficient, and his backing of Rep. Paul D. Ryan's budget plan, which aims to rein in the cost of Medicare while cutting taxes. For the most part, Romney has offered just a few examples of cuts he would favor, such as federal subsidies to Amtrak or the Corporation for Public Broadcasting, which amount to a tiny slice of the budget (Reston and Mehta, 4/17).