Romney says campaign enjoying 'growing crescendo of enthusiasm'

Mitt Romney said at a rally Friday afternoon in Ohio that "there is a growing crescendo of enthusiasm" for his campaign as the Republican ticket is looking to capitalize on new enthusiasm for their presidential ticket following a strong polling uptake over the past week.

Romney, speaking to a large crowd in Lancaster, Ohio with vice presidential nominee Paul Ryan, praised his running mate for his performance battling with Vice President Joe Biden in their debate Thursday night.

"Gosh, we got to watch this guy debate. There was one person on the stage with thoughtfulness, who is respectful, who was steady and poised," Romney said. "There was one person on the stage you would want to be with if there was a crisis and it is this man right here."

Romney went on to say that when Biden was asked about how to get the economy going, he "just attacked."

"This guy stood up … and he went through all the things you do to get this economy going. It is our plan to get this economy going with more jobs for the middle class and more take-home pay. We will put in place that plan," Romney said.

Ryan said of his own performance that he believed the debate played out much like Romney's consensus win just over a week before.

"I think we saw a sign of it last night just like we saw at a week ago," Ryan said. "You see, they are offering no new ideas. The president is simply saying more of the same. Hope and change has become the attack and blame."

Ryan also took on the traditional attack dog role, hitting the Obama Administration for their response to the attack on Benghazi that took four American lives.

"Talk about blaming, first, they blame a YouTube video and a nonexistent riot, then when the country is getting upset about it, they blame Romney and Ryan," Ryan said, alluding to a comment by deputy campaign manager Stephanie Cutter on CNN Thursday. "They keep changing their story. This is not what leadership looks like. We need clarity, not confusion. We need accountability and no more excuses."

Romney, meanwhile, looked to win over the boisterous Ohio crowd by revealing his personal connection to Lancaster.

"As a matter of fact, my very first assignment at my first job was to come to Lancaster. I'm serious. Trying to do a little bit of work at a company called Anchor Hocking," Romney said to loud cheers.

Romney added that during his time there he "saw an extraordinary community that came together to build a great enterprise" and said that it was "good to be back" — a statement he then parlayed into a reference to Paul Ryan and Sen. Rob Portman, who introduced the pair, as "our comeback team."

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