Presidential candidate Mitt Romney delivers his acceptance speech on the final day of the Republican National Convention at the Tampa Bay Times Forum on Thursday, August 30. See the best photos from the Democratic National Convention.
Tampa, Florida (CNN) -- In the biggest speech of his still young political career, GOP vice presidential nominee Paul Ryan told the Republican National Convention on Wednesday that time is running out to solve the nation's fiscal problems, but Mitt Romney and he can do it if elected in November.
"We will not duck the tough issues -- we will lead," Ryan said in his prime time address televised nationwide. "... The work ahead will be hard. These times demand the best of us -- all of us, but we can do this. Together, we can do this."
Ryan's speech was part of a campaign effort to portray Romney, a multimillionaire businessman and former Massachusetts governor, as a champion of working-class Americans who struggle under the policies of President Barack Obama.
Romney chose Ryan, the conservative House Budget Committee chairman from Wisconsin, as his running mate in hopes that the fiscal expert known for big and hard-line ideas would galvanize support on the political right and appeal to moderates and independents seeking solutions for the nation's chronic deficit and debt problems.
Ryan's speech delivered a fiery attack on Obama's record and highlighted the GOP allegiance to founding principles as he decried a dearth of leadership and pledged results in keeping with the convention theme for the day: "We Can Change It."
"I accept the calling of my generation to give our children the America that was given to us, with opportunity for the young and security for the old -- and I know that we are ready," Ryan said. "Our nominee is sure ready. His whole life has prepared him for this moment -- to meet serious challenges in a serious way, without excuses and idle words. After four years of getting the runaround, America needs a turnaround, and the man for the job is Gov. Mitt Romney."
Ryan focused mostly on the fiscal issues that are the congressman's strength, such as the national debt, stimulus spending under Obama and his proposed Medicare reforms, which have come under attack by Obama and Democrats.
He sought to turn the tables on the issue, repeating the factually challenged assertion that Obama cut Medicare by more than $700 billion to cover the costs of the 2010 health care reform law passed by Democrats.
The figure comes from a July 24 Congressional Budget Office report that said repealing the health care law, as called for by Romney and Ryan, would increase spending on Medicare by $716 billion through 2022. At the same time, the CBO letter said keeping Obamacare in place would not mean a $716 billion decrease in Medicare spending, as claimed by Ryan.
"The president has declared that the debate over government-controlled health care is over," Ryan said. "That will come as news to the millions of Americans who will elect Mitt Romney so we can repeal Obamacare."
If elected, he and Romney will confront the tough issues "before the math and the momentum overwhelm us all," Ryan added.
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His speech included some humorous jabs at Obama that drew laughs and ovations from a charged convention crowd.
"With all their attack ads, the president is just throwing away money -- and he's pretty experienced at that," Ryan said early in the speech. Later, he received a standing ovation when he asked: "Without a change in leadership, why would the next four years be any different from the last four years?"
Ryan also peppered his remarks with references to central government planning and control, code words for socialism among the most conservative elements of the Republican Party.
"None of us should have to settle for the best this administration offers -- a dull, adventureless journey from one entitlement to the next, a government-planned life, a country where everything is free but us," he said.
In the most emotional moment, Ryan paid tribute to his mother, who started her own business after his father died.
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Confetti remains on the floor of the Republican National Convention after presidential nominee Mitt Romney delivered his acceptance speech on Thusday, August 30. Photographer Zoran Milich wandered around Tampa this week during the convention. Look back at his view of the action.
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"It was a new life, and it transformed my mom from a widow in grief to a small businesswoman whose happiness wasn't just in the past," Ryan said. "Her work gave her hope. It made our family proud. And to this day, my mom is my role model."
In the VIP box of the Tampa Bay Times Forum, Ryan's mother, Betty, stood and waved, and he touched his heart with his hand while gazing at her.
In other speeches Wednesday night, Sens. Rand Paul of Kentucky and John McCain of Arizona offered biting criticism of Obama's presidency, saying the president was failing to adhere to American values.
Paul took aim at domestic policies that he blamed for the country's debt now equaling its economic production, calling Obama "uniquely unqualified to lead this great nation."
"The republic of Washington and Jefferson is now in danger of becoming the nation of debt and despair," said Paul, the son of vanquished Republican candidate Rep. Ron Paul of Texas.
McCain, the Republican presidential candidate defeated by Obama four years ago, took aim at what he called diminishing American power and influence around the world. He accused Obama of abandoning freedom movements in Iran and Syria by not supporting protesters trying to overthrow oppressive regimes, saying "our president is not being true to our values."
"We can choose to follow a declining path, toward a future that is dimmer and more dangerous than our past, or we can choose to reform our failing government, revitalize our ailing economy, and renew the foundations of our power and leadership in the world," said McCain, a consistent advocate for a stronger military. "That is what's at stake in this election."
Former Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice added her voice to the call for American strength through power, delivering a politically charged speech that accused Obama of yielding the nation's leadership role in the world.
"It just has to be that the freest and most compassionate country on the face of the Earth will continue to be the most powerful," Rice said to cheers.
Romney and Republicans contend that Obama's policies, such as stimulus spending, have worsened an already bad economic situation the president inherited from the previous GOP administration. They propose traditional conservative policies to shrink government, cut taxes and drastically reform entitlements, which they say will bring economic growth and job creation.
Obama and Democrats say such prescriptions are failed policies of the past, and call for increased revenue sources such as higher taxes for wealthy Americans to be part of a deficit reduction plan that includes some spending cuts and entitlement reforms.
"On almost every issue he wants to go backwards, sometimes all the way to the last century," Obama said Wednesday at a campaign event in Virginia.
For Ryan, 42, the vice presidential nomination and convention speech mean an elevated national profile after never having a statewide race.
The convention is proceeding as Hurricane Isaac drenches the Gulf Coast after making landfall in Louisiana on Tuesday night, the eve of the seven-year anniversary of devastating Hurricane Katrina. Isaac prompted Republican organizers to postpone the first day of the convention, which is crucial for defining Romney to the American people.
Romney mentioned Isaac at a campaign event on Wednesday in Indiana, joking that he appreciated the chance to be there "on dry land."
"Our thoughts are, of course, with the people of the Gulf Coast states," he said, noting the Katrina anniversary. "We're grateful that it appears that Isaac will spare them from the kind of damage we saw during Katrina, but for many in the Gulf Coast who just finished repairing their homes and getting their lives back to normal, this must be a heavy burden. And so today our thoughts are with them, our prayers go out to them and our country must do all we can to help them recover."
GOP officials pushed ahead with a convention agenda designed to frame the election as a referendum on Obama's presidency while attempting to turn Romney's biggest political vulnerabilities into campaign advantages.
Romney clinched the Republican nomination in the roll call of state delegates Tuesday after a rugged Republican primary campaign that saw momentum swings nearly every week and bitter attacks by GOP colleagues
The 2,200-plus convention delegates also approved a conservative platform that calls for less government, opposes same-sex marriage and endorses a "human life amendment" to ban abortion, with no specific exceptions for cases of rape, incest or when the mother's life is threatened.
Romney and Ryan, who also was endorsed by delegates Tuesday, will be formally nominated on Thursday, and Romney's acceptance speech that night will conclude the convention with the highest-profile political moment in the former Massachusetts governor's career.
The convention seeks to portray Obama as a failed leader whose policies undermine the American dream, directly attacking the president on the issue of equal opportunity that traditionally favors Democrats.
Speaker after speaker has emphasized his or her own humble beginnings as descendants of immigrants who worked hard to achieve success for their families and never expected government help or handouts. Virtually every speaker took umbrage with Obama's comment on the campaign trail that "you didn't build that" in reference to successful businesses that received government help along the way.
On Tuesday night, Romney's wife Ann faced a similar entry as Ryan into the full-bore glare of presidential media coverage with her own prime time speech that delivered a political broadside with a personal touch.
She mixed homespun anecdotes, such as repeated references to their first date, with references to issues considered weaknesses for her husband -- support from women and his personal wealth -- in encouraging Americans to get to know the warm and loving man she met at a high school dance.
"This was a political speech wrapped in velvet," CNN chief political analyst Gloria Borger commented.
Ann Romney took on another tricky political issue for her husband Wednesday when she addressed a Latino coalition and challenged the traditional support by Hispanic-Americans for Democrats, including Obama.
"I feel like my importance in speaking out is making sure that those coalitions that would naturally be voting for another party wake up and say you better really look at the issues this time," she said. "You better really look at your future and say who is going to be the guy who is going to make it better for you and your children. And there is only one answer."
Meanwhile, Sen. Marco Rubio of Florida called Wednesday for a more comprehensive and moderate immigration policy by Republicans in order to make inroads with the Latino community.
"The Republican Party has to become the pro-legal immigration party, not simply the anti-illegal immigration party, and that begins by recognizing that a million people a year immigrate to the United States legally, permanently. No other country even comes close," said Rubio, a Hispanic-American conservative who is a rising Republican star.
Noting that millions of illegal immigrants present what he called a humanitarian problem, he added: "We are not going to give amnesty to 12 million people, we are not going to round up and deport 12 million people. Somewhere between those two ideas there is a solution."
The GOP platform contains traditional conservative planks on immigration and other issues, including support for the "human life amendment" with no exceptions to an abortion ban. That runs counter to overall public opinion in America, especially among women.
Obama took aim at conservative GOP social policies Wednesday, saying voters can decide the direction of the country.
"In November you can say in this century women can be trusted to make their own health care choices," the president said to cheers. "You can say that in this century we don't think young immigrants who were brought here when they were children and understand themselves as Americans and have pledged allegiance to the flag should suddenly be deported to countries where they have never been."
The Obama campaign also has made an issue of Romney's personal wealth, challenging him to release more than the two years of tax returns he has made public -- as his father did in releasing 12 years of returns when running for president in 1968 -- and questioning whether his career as a venture capitalist benefited workers or prepared him to deal with a sluggish economy.
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In her speech Tuesday night, Ann Romney addressed the Democratic attacks head-on, noting her husband's success throughout his career and expressing amazement that such a record was being criticized.
"If the last four years had been more successful, do we really think there would be this attack on Mitt's success?" she said.
For Romney, 65, the nomination puts him within one step of the goal he first sought in 2007 by running for president after serving as a Republican governor for four years in traditionally Democratic Massachusetts.
Though rivals challenged his conservative credentials in the 2012 primaries, Romney emerged victorious. But he continues to walk a political tightrope in trying to energize right-wing support while also appealing to moderates and independent voters.
The latest CNN/ORC International Poll indicates a dead heat between Romney and Obama, with new numbers released Sunday showing that 53% of likely voters believe Obama is more in touch with their needs, compared with 39% for Romney.
Obama leads by an equal margin when it comes to being in touch with the middle class, and six in 10 say Obama is in touch with the problems facing women today, with just over three in 10 feeling the same way about Romney.
Romney leads 48% to 44% over Obama on managing the government effectively and has a 6-point advantage on having a clear plan for fixing the nation's problems. Both figures are within the survey's margin of error.
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CNN's Kevin Bohn, Paul Steinhauser, Dana Davidsen, Ashley Killough, Dana Bash, Deirdre Walsh, Halimah Abdullah, Martina Stewart, Shawna Shepherd, Rachel Streitfeld and Mark Preston contributed to this report.
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Attendees celebrate as confetti and balloons drop after Romney's speech.
Romney and vice presidential candidate Paul Ryan take the stage with their families at the end of the night.
People bow their heads for the benediction to wrap up the GOP convention.
Romney and Ryan wave to the audience after Romney's speech, which described a future of opportunity and promise for the nation.
Romney greets supporters as he enters the arena Thursday.
Florida Sen. Marco Rubio introduces Romney after his speech.
Delegates wave signs on the final day of the RNC.
Actor Clint Eastwood speaks as a surprise guest.
Mitt Romney's wife, Ann, and son Josh sit in the VIP box.
Former Florida Gov. Jeb Bush speaks on stage.
A man holds an American flag in the audience.
Pam Finlayson speaks during the convention.
Jane Edmonds, the former Massachusetts secretary of workforce, delivers remarks.
Olympians and gold medalists Michael Eruzione, Derek Parra and Kim Rhode stand on stage at the convention.
A woman clasps her hands during the program.
Former Speaker of the House Newt Gingrich and his wife, Callista, speak during a tribute to former president Ronald Reagan on Thursday.
Callista and Newt Gingrich take the stage during the final day of the Republican National Convention.
Delegates listen to the national anthem at the Tampa Bay Times Forum.
Texas Gov. Rick Perry applauds during the final day of the convention.
U.S. Rep. Connie Mack, R-Florida, speaks on stage during the final day.
Law enforcement officials work to free protesters with Earth First, who had connected themselves to each other in front of the Big Bend TECO Power Station in Apollo Beach, Florida. Substantially fewer protesters took to the downtown Tampa streets Thursday.
GOP vice presidential nominee Paul Ryan addresses the Republican National Convention on Wednesday night.
Paul Ryan's wife, Janna, is flanked by her sons Charlie, left, and Sam during Ryan's keynote address Wednesday night.
A woman grasps her hands during speeches on the third day of the GOP convention.
Paul Ryan and his wife and children exit the stage after the biggest speech of his political career.
Former Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice speaks at the Tampa Bay Times Forum on Wednesday. She accused President Barack Obama of yielding the nation's leadership role in the world.
George Engelbach, dressed as President Abraham Lincoln, attends the GOP convention.
Mike Huckabee, a Republican candidate in the 2008 presidential primaries, backs his one-time rival Mitt Romney.
A woman snaps an image with her iPhone during Wednesday night's events.
Former Minnesota Gov. Tim Pawlenty takes the convention stage.
Delegate Carlos Mendez of Puerto Rico watches Wednesday night's program.
New Mexico Gov. Susana Martinez delivers remarks. Her speech emphasized her belief in the American Dream.
Delegate Crystal Berg of Hartford, Wisconsin, cries while watching the George H.W. Bush tribute Wednesday night.
Arizona Sen. John McCain, who was the 2008 Republican presidential nominee, speaks to the audience.
As Sen. John McCain speaks, some audience members display happy birthday posters.
Sen. John McCain, who was a POW during the Vietnam War, addresses the crowd.
Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell of Kentucky speaks during the third day of the Republican National Convention.
Col.Oscar Poole of Georgia puts his arm around Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker.
Sen. Rand Paul of Kentucky speaks during the third day of the Republican National Convention. His father, U.S. Rep. Ron Paul of Texas, was one of the hopefuls for the 2012 nomination.
Former President George W. Bush is shown on the giant screens at the Tampa Bay Times Forum.
A woman gestures during the third day of the Republican National Convention.
Rosemary Edwards of Austin, Texas, kisses the face of Texas Gov. Rick Perry.
Sen. John Thune of South Dakota speaks during the third day of the Republican National Convention.
A woman holds a campaign sign.
Sen. Rob Portman of Ohio speaks at the podium.
Delegates from Maine and supporters of Republican presidential candidate Ron Paul chant "As Maine goes, so goes the nation" after they staged a walkout at the Tampa Bay Times Forum.
Paul Ryan speaks during a soundcheck Wednesday.
Ryan waves with daughter, Liza Ryan, and sons, Charlie Ryan, right, and Sam Ryan from the stage during a soundcheck.
Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney exits a vehicle before boarding his campaign plane. As the Republican National Convention continues, Romney will travel to Indianapolis to address the American Legion.
Laura Bowman accepts Bradley Thompson's proposal on the stage. Thompson is a production manager and Bowman is a production coordinator for the convention.
Arizona Sen. John McCain walks the floor.
Bradley Thompson kneels down to propose to Laura Bowman, who accepted, on the stage.
Journalists and media work the third day of the Republican National Convention.
Ryan gives the thumbs-up during a sound check at the Tampa Bay Times Forum.
Ann Romney, Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney's wife, greets a crowd of supporters on Tuesday.
Mitt Romney joins his wife on stage shortly after she addressed the Republican National Convention at the Tampa Bay Times Forum on Tuesday, August 28.
New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie delivers the keynote address to wrap up the first full night of the convention.
Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney sits between his wife, Ann, and former U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice during Gov. Chris Christie's speech.
Concluding the first night of speech, Chris Christie declared Republicans were willing to face the tough issues and find solutions that work.
Delegates watch Gov. Chris Christie deliver the keynote address.
A delegate snaps a photograph of Chris Christie just before his speech.
As the crowd cheers, Mitt Romney embraces his wife, Ann, on stage during the convention.
An excerpt from Ann Romney's speech is displayed on a teleprompter Tuesday. She repeatedly referred to her first date with Mitt Romney in urging Americans to trust him to fix the nation's problems.
A veteran claps during Ann Romney's speech.
Ann Romney addresses the crowd in the biggest political speech of her life. She concluded by declaring "you can trust Mitt."
Former Republican presidential candidate Rick Santorum addresses the crowd Tuesday.
Leslie Jones of Virginia Beach, Virginia, wears a hat with tea bags attached.
Ohio Gov. John Kasich waves as he takes the stage.
Former Speaker of the House Newt Gingrich walks the floor.
American pop opera singer Neal E. Boyd performs at the Tampa Bay Times Forum.
American country and gospel vocal quartet Oak Ridge Boys perform.
Texas Solicitor General Ted Cruz, who is running for the U.S. Senate, speaks.
South Carolina Gov. Nikki Haley waves on stage.
Former U.S. Rep. Artur Davis speaks. He changed his party affiliation from Democrat to Republican earlier this year.
Delegates crowd the floor after the tallying of votes during the roll call for nomination of president of the United States at the Tampa Bay Times Forum.
Delegates display signs in support of Mitt Romney after the tallying of votes during the roll call for nomination of president of the United States.
Scott Romney, brother of Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney, cheers during the roll call.
People cheer as the screen displays "Over The Top" during the roll call of delegates.
Supporters flash posters supporting Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney at the Tampa Bay Times Forum.
People hold signs that say "Mitt!" as U.S. Speaker of the House Rep. John Boehner, R-Ohio, speaks.
Delegates from host state Florida face photographers and cameras as they pose for the official convention photograph.
A delegate takes a picture of the floor at the Tampa Bay Times Forum.
Ann Romney, Republican presidential candidate former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney's wife, stands onstage with stage manager Howard Kolins during a soundcheck.
People from the Texas delegation say the Pledge of Allegiance.
A delegate from Wisconsin sports a cheese hat at the Tampa Bay Times Forum.
Ann Romney leans on a seat aboard the campaign plane en route to Tampa.
Karl Rove, former deputychief of staff and senior policy adviser to President George W. Bush, talks on a phone at the convention hall.
Republican candidate Ron Paul waves to supporters at the Tampa Bay Times Forum.
A woman cheers during the second day of the Republican National Convention.
A delegate checks out the convention floor before other delegates arrive at the Tampa Bay Times Forum.
A convention attendee carries a bag with a Time magazine featuring Mitt Romney on the cover.
A participant walks the convention floor before the start of proceedings Tuesday. Organizers pushed events back a day because of concerns about Isaac.
The Republican National Convention officially began Monday, August 27, but the bulk of the action was delayed until Tuesday.
A woman captures the goings-on with her phone before the start of the shortened first day of the Republican National Convention.
The chairman of the Republican National Committee, Reince Priebus, convenes the convention with a bang of a gavel.
Priebus raises the gavel as he convenes the Republican National Convention.
Lynne David walks behind a group of law enforcement officers as they patrol the streets before the convention.
New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie walks through the convention center before the start of the abbreviated first day.
Last-minute adjustments are made to the main stage at the Tampa Bay Times Forum on the abbreviated first day of the GOP convention.
An elephant logo is featured on the side of a tent outside of the Republican National Convention at the Tampa Bay Times Forum.
Two convention-goers wear plastic bags as shelter from the rain caused by Tropical Storm Isaac.
A man reads a newspaper in the empty seats of the Tampa Bay Times Forum.
Former New Hampshire Gov. John Sununu, left, stands at the podium with stage manager Howard Kolins before events begin Monday.
Men wearing cowboy hats stand on the arena floor before the start of the abbreviated first day.
Convention staff hang a Romney-Ryan sign at the Tampa Bay Times Forum on Sunday, August 26, in preparation for the Republican National Convention.
A tribute to NASA astronaut Neil Armstrong, who died Saturday, August 25, is displayed at the GOP convention as preparations continue.
Donald Trump, who accepted the Statesman of the Year Award from the Sarasota County Republican Party, answers questions in Sarasota, Florida.
A microphone is in place at the front of the convention hall in Tampa.
Former Republican presidential candidate Ron Paul speaks in the Sun Dome at the University of South Florida in Tampa on Sunday.
Activists hold signs mocking President Barack Obama at the Tea Party Unity Rally at The River at Tampa Bay Church.
Police officers question protesters carrying an effigy of Republican Party presidential candidate Mitt Romney during a demonstration in downtown Tampa.
Rachel Bolch Thach tries to shelter herself from the rain in Tampa. Tropical Storm Isaac is expected to bring rain and wind to the area and has caused convention officials to delay the start of the convention until Tuesday.
A reflection of the National Debt Clock is seen as Mitt Romney speaks on the last night of the convention.
Balloons and confetti drop after Romney's speech.
A Mitt Romney cutout rides in the front seat of a van advertising a "nude lounge" during the Republican National Convention on Thursday.
Texas delegate Read King kisses his son Benjamin on Thursday.
Californian Kaden Tollestrup, great-nephew of Mitt Romney, strikes a pose for his family on the floor of the convention.
DeLeon Sheffield photographs balloons set to fall from the roof during Thursday night's closing performance with her ensemble with BeBe Winans.
A worker cleans the convention hall on Thursday, the morning after Paul Ryan's speech.
The debt clock is on display in the convention hall.
A sign marking the Ohio delegation sits on empty seats on the floor of the convention hall.
Former Minnesota Gov. Tim Pawlenty's speech at the convention is televised at a pizza bar in Tampa's Ybor City district on Wednesday, August 29.
People try on hats at Riverside Park in Tampa on Wednesday, August 29.
A protester sits in his car in Ybor City. During a summer road trip, Republican presidential nominee Mitt Romney once put his family dog in a cage and perched it atop the family car.
Alfred Moreno rolls a cigar in Ybor City, a historic neighborhood in Tampa known for its nightlife.
A Romney cutout is wrapped with the American flag on the floor of the convention.
Romney cookies are sold outside the convention center where protesters are gathered.
A new sign is brought in to be set up in the convention center.
A phone labeled "Moscow" sits in the press center at the Republican National Convention.
Texas delegates sit on the floor of the Republican National Convention on Tuesday, August 28.
A Mitt Romney supporter rests her feet after a long day at the Republican National Convention.
California delegate Don Genhart shows off his American flag cowboy boots.
Lighters are confiscated during security checks at the Republican National Convention. They can be reclaimed upon exiting.
Washington state delegates Trin Wilbur and Jeff McMorris dance on the convention floor.
Jaclyn Tupek wears a Lady Liberty hat at a Ron Paul gathering a few blocks from the Tampa Bay Times Forum.
Ron Paul supporters hold hands at a rally for the only challenger to Mitt Romney who has not conceded.
Mitt Romney's motorcade arrives in Tampa as the Republican National Convention gets under way.
A painting of former President Ronald Reagan sits in a hallway at the Embassy Suites in Tampa, where many Republicans are staying during the convention.
New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie casts a shadow on a Romney/Ryan campaign sign while speaking to delegates from Michigan. Christie will deliver the convention's keynote address Tuesday night.
Tampa security forces line up to block a small group of demonstrators on Monday, August 27.
Texas delegates Jason Kute and Stephanie Traska hang on to their hats in the windy Florida city.
Riot police walk through the rainy streets of Tampa on Monday.
A shirtless protester stands in the rain in front of a police line.
One of many message-covered vehicles drives through the streets of Tampa.
Images of Romney appear on the podium Monday at the gavel opening of the RNC.
Actor and active Republican Jon Voight arrives at the Tampa Bay Times Forum on Monday.
An electrician at the Tampa Bay Times Forum fixes a light as a limo driver awaits Republican delegates.
Republicans attend the gavel opening Monday. The full proceedings of the first day were canceled because of Tropical Storm Isaac.
Republican Allen Johnson of Texas watches the gavel opening. The seven-minute session went into recess until Tuesday.
A billboard opposing Mitt Romney stands among palm trees Monday.
Former Republican presidential candidate Herman Cain, left, with support from his assistant, signs a photograph of himself for political fan Kieth Klickna.
Hand puppets of Mitt Romney, Newt Gingrich and Ron Paul are for sale in Tampa.
Christine Gill from Alaska poses for a picture at a party Sunday, August 26, at Tampa's Tropicana Field.
Convention-goers gather at Tropicana Field for a convention opening party Sunday night.
Larry Mazza of the local carpenters union cleans up wood chips at the Tampa Bay Times Forum.
Mark Anthoney sells buttons for Mitt Romney supporters on Sunday, August 26.
A T-shirt bashing President Barack Obama and the Democratic Party mimics the logo of "The Sopranos," a television series revolving around a fictional Mafia family.
The teleprompter is tested Sunday at the Tampa Bay Times Forum.
Storm clouds brew Saturday over the Lightning statue in Tampa. As Tropical Storm Isaac (now a hurricane) drew closer, officials decided to push back Monday's scheduled start of the RNC by one day. The storm took a westward path, however.
Mounted police horses from across Florida gear up for the convention.
A pro-Ron Paul Corvette cruises the streets of Tampa.
A Great Dane, Dora, is held back as she jumps for the table during a Dogs Against Romney protest on Sunday.
Young men visiting the convention center run in the rain.
A chalk message is left by protesters a few blocks from the Tampa Bay Times Forum.
House band leader G.E. Smith arrives at the convention center Saturday with a pair of guitars.
Conversion tech Kevin Losier carries a recycling bin shaped like a bottle of Coke.
As Tropical Storm Isaac loomed on Saturday, laborers awaited a decision on whether to tear down tents or continue building them.
Motorcyclists roll into Tampa on Saturday.
Brett Burge removes the vision block on a fence Saturday because of the threat of Tropical Storm Isaac.
Pro-Democratic Party advertisements move through Tampa ahead of the Republican National Convention.
The Original Hooters restaurant welcomes the RNC.
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