Paul Ryan, (R-Wis.) addresses an audience at an oil company in Milwaukee as Mitt Romney looks on: Romney may be interested in Ryan as one of his top three choices for a VP nominee, but Ryan's connections to Washington might be a detriment to Romney's campaign.

AP Photo/Steven Senne

eth Myers, who led presumptive GOP presidential nominee Mitt Romney's search for a running mate, detailed the vetting process to reporters Saturday, saying that "this was Mitt's decision" — speaking of Romney's choice of Rep. Paul Ryan (R-Wis.) as his vice presidential nominee. Myers says that Romney gave her one "guiding principle": That the candidate had to be qualified to take office on Day 1. Myers recounted that Romney met with political operatives like former Vice President Dick Cheney and former Secretary of State James Baker "to create a methodology for vetting the potential running mates." Romney had his short list on May 1, and on Aug. 5, he called Ryan to meet with him at Myers' home in Brookline, Mass. A week later Ryan and Romney were planning elaborate workarounds to get Ryan to Virginia undetected by the media.