Ryan won't talk shop tonight
Updated: 6:00 p.m.
(CBS News) TAMPA, Fla. -- Rep. Paul Ryan might be a data wonk, but his speech tonight will be descriptives, not details.
Romney advisers tell CBS News that Ryan's speech will not lay out specific policies, but will instead focus on drawing contrasts between the president and Gov. Romney. "I don't expect this to be a policy speech. It's a convention speech," said one top aide.
Asked specifically if Medicare, however, will be mentioned, the aide coyly advised, "I believe the word comes up."
The campaign says that the focus of Ryan's speech will be on how Romney plans to strengthen the middle class, and highlight ways in which President Obama has weakened it. Unlike last night, where the main keynote speakers did not mention Mr. Obama by name, there's no indication that Ryan will shy away from it tonight. When asked if he will speak about ways he thinks the president has failed, the campaign said, "There's a nice little section on that."
"My Dad used to say to me: 'Son. You have a choice: You can be part of the problem, or you can be part of the solution.' The present administration has made its choices," Ryan will say, according to excerpts of his remarks. "Mitt Romney and I have made ours: Before the math and the momentum overwhelm us all, we are going to solve this nation's economic problems. And I'm going to level with you: We don't have that much time. But if we are serious, and smart, and we lead, we can do this"
Ryan is expected to touch on trade, deficit, entitlements and the budget as they relate to the middle class.
"We have a plan for a stronger middle class, with the goal of generating 12 million new jobs over the next four years," he will say, according to the excerpted remarks.
Republican Convention 2012: complete coverage
According to the Romney campaign, Ryan has been doing speech prep for much of the day today, aided by adviser Dan Senor. Senor is one of Romney's top foreign policy aides, and has been traveling with Ryan since he became the Republican vice presidential pick. Ryan also took a spin on the convention floor around 3 p.m. ET.
Obama campaign spokeswoman Lis Smith prebutted Ryan's speech imploring the candidate to speak in more detail.
"When Mitt Romney chose Congressman Ryan as his running mate, he said that they wanted to have a substantive debate about the big issues facing our nation," wrote Smith in a statement. "But apparently, they believe they can have a substantive without any actual substance. It's no surprise why they've refused to get specific- the more Americans learn about their plans to turn Medicare into a voucher system and make the middle class pay for massive new tax breaks for the richest Americans, the less likely they are to support them."