Romney turns to oil to get his campaign back in gear

Mitt Romney and President Barack Obama squared off over energy on Thursday, arguing over whose plan would better cut oil imports, create jobs and boost national security.

But the real goal of Romney's energy independence rollout seemed to be about moving public and news media attention back to his economic platform before the Republican National Convention next week.

Romney hoped to get a bounce in the polls by announcing Rep. Paul Ryan, R-Wis., as his running mate. The two sought mightily to reverse the hammering by Obama over Ryan's House budget proposal to turn Medicare into a voucher system.

But their own charges that Obama is gutting Medicare to fund his health care overhaul have not given Romney and Ryan the upper hand on the issue, according to polling by the Pew Research Center.