NORFOLK, Va. (AP) - Republican presidential contender Mitt Romney is appearing alongside his running mate, Wisconsin Rep. Paul Ryan.

Romney says Ryan is a man of what he calls "great steadiness" and "unquestioned integrity." The former Massachusetts governor says Ryan is a "shining exception" in a political world of pettiness.

The two appeared together for the first time as the Republican presidential ticket on Saturday morning in Virginia. They faced supporters while standing on the USS Wisconsin, a retired World War II battleship.

Just hours after his campaign confirmed Ryan as his selection, Romney says Ryan won't demonize his opponents. Romney says that Democrats may disagree with Ryan's policies, but he doesn't know anyone who doesn't respect his character and judgment.

With the political world watching, Romney misspoke while introducing his running mate. Romney mistakenly introduced Ryan on Saturday as the next president of the United States. Ryan, of course, has been tapped to serve as Romney's vice presidential nominee.

President Barack Obama's campaign says Romney's selection of Ryan as his running mate shows a commitment to "budget-busting tax cuts" for the wealthy and "greater burdens" on the middle class and seniors.

Obama campaign manager Jim Messina calls Ryan is the "architect of the radical Republican House budget" proposal and says the plan "would end Medicare as we know it."

The Obama campaign said Saturday the Republican ticket would return the nation to "reckless Bush economic policies that exploded our deficit and crashed our economy."