Republican vice presidential contender Paul Ryan says America is "a country in decline" because of national debt piling up under President Barack Obama.

Mitt Romney's presidential campaign is launching an aggressive Republican response at the site of the Democratic National Convention aimed at stealing attention and driving new questions about President Barack Obama's leadership on the eve of his nomination for a second term.

Republican vice presidential contender Paul Ryan says he never would have included a $700 billion Medicare cut in his budget if President Barack Obama hadn't done it first.

Republican Mitt Romney's presidential campaign is staying on the offensive in the increasingly heated debate over the future of Medicare, the health care program relied upon by millions of seniors.

The newly shaped Republican presidential ticket is fighting growing pains amid charges from President Barack Obama's re-election team that challenger Mitt Romney favors his new running mate's controversial plans to overhaul Medicare and cut trillions of dollars from social programs.

Mitt Romney promised Thursday that his economic program will create 12 million new jobs in the next four years, and likened President Barack Obama to a "dog trying to chase its tail" when it comes to strengthening the sluggish recovery.

A day after the Supreme Court upheld President Barack Obama's health care law, Republican presidential challenger Mitt Romney said the landmark ruling has created new urgency in the presidential contest.

The Supreme Court's decision to uphold President Barack Obama's sweeping health care law is a crucial election-year victory for the Democratic incumbent.