Here's a story headlined "Paul Ryan Set to Appear With Mom at World’s Largest Retirement Community, Defend Medicare Plan."

Paul Ryan is headed to a Florida retirement community with his mother on Saturday to make his argument about the need to change Medicare for future generations. Ryan’s mother is in her late 70s.
He’ll appear at The Villages, the world’s largest retirement community and a conservative stronghold that is a must stop for Republican candidates. In 2008, a massive crowd of between 30,000 and 60,000 seniors came out to a rally Sarah Palin held there...Ryan’s mother, who will accompany him, can help her son connect with the senior citizen audience. She lives part of the year in Lauderdale-By-The Sea and part of the year outside of Janesville, Wisconsin.

There's a real risk to this event. I'll be interested to see the turnout, and I'll also be interested to see if Ryan campaigning with his mom makes him look even younger. Meanwhile, Paul Ryan is like Paul Ryan's Mom for Mitt Romney; the Romney campaign has announced that Ryan and Romney will be appearing together at campaign stops starting next week:

Romney and Ryan had planned to go their separate ways before meeting up at the end of the month at the Republican National Convention in Tampa. But then campaign strategists saw how much of a psychic boost Romney got from Ryan — and how much more animated Romney appeared on television with his younger running mate at his side...Advisers say Ryan helps ease the former governor’s feeling of isolation.

So many thoughts: That last bolded bit makes me worry a little about Romney's emotional health. Also, I think it's hilarious that Romney only acts like a human being when Ryan is around. Also-also, I'm wondering if these are the real reasons Romney and Ryan are campaigning together. You don't change course on a campaign unless something drastic needs to happen. So here's a theory: The last Republican who campaigned excessively with his vice presidential pick did so because his vice presidential pick was drawing much bigger, and way more enthusiastic, crowds than him. We could be seeing a reprise of that situation here. Now that Romney's picked a vice presidential candidate who appeals to the base, the base could be less interested than ever to see Mitt Romney on his own.