Paul Ryan fires up Republican convention

US: Paul Ryan energized Mitt Romney's White House bid Wednesday with a scathing take-down of Barack Obama's economic record as he accepted the vice presidential nomination at the Republican convention.

Adding youthful vim and policy vigor to the Romney ticket, the 42-year-old rising star from small-town Wisconsin received a standing ovation for his impassioned pitch to American voters 10 weeks from election day.

"I accept the duty to help lead our nation out of a jobs crisis and back to prosperity. And I know we can do this," Ryan said, exhibiting little sign of nerves during his 35-minute speech, by far the biggest of his political life.

Ryan accused Obama of saddling the US economy with four years of failed big government policies and held up Romney, a 65-year-old former Massachusetts governor, as the man to turn things around with his business acumen.

AFP