TAMPA, Fla. (AP) — Seizing the campaign spotlight, vice presidential candidate Paul Ryan embraced "the calling of my generation" to help lead the country in tough times Wednesday night and pledged to cheering Republican National Convention delegates and a prime time TV audience that Mitt Romney will make the bold and difficult decisions needed to repair the nation's economy.

"After four years of getting the runaround, America needs a turnaround, and the man for the job is Governor Mitt Romney," the 42-year-old Wisconsin lawmaker declared in what amounted to a national debut. He spoke at a convention dogged by Tropical Storm Isaac, downgraded from a hurricane but still inflicting misery on millions along the nearby northern Gulf Coast.

"We will not duck the tough issues; we will lead," Ryan said.

His speech was part attack on Obama, part spirited testimonial to Romney, all leavened by a loving tribute to Ryan's own mother, seated across the hall in a VIP box. "To this day, my mom is a role model," he said while she beamed and exchanged smiles with one of his children and delegates cheered.

As for Obama and the Democrats, he said they 'have run out of ideas. Their moment came and went. Fear and division is all they've got left."