(Getty/ABC)

After being conspicuously absent on Twitter, Facebook and Fox News for more than 24 hours, Sarah Palin, former Alaskan governor and 2008 Republican vice presidential nominee, finally weighed in late Saturday on Mitt Romney's selection of Paul Ryan as his 2012 running mate.

Here's Palin's Facebook note, which mentions President Obama 26 times, Romney and Ryan three apiece:

Congratulations to Mitt Romney on his choice of Congressman Paul Ryan as his running mate. President Obama has declared that this election is about "two fundamentally different visions" for America. Goodness, he's got that right. Our country cannot afford four more years of Barack Obama's fundamentally flawed vision. We must now look to this new team, the Romney/Ryan ticket, to provide an alternate vision of an America that is fiscally responsible, strong, and prosperous--an America that understands and is proud of her exceptional place in the world and will respect those who fight to secure that exceptionalism, which includes keeping our promises to our veterans.

When I think about the direction our country is rapidly drifting in, I can't help but look at California as a cautionary tale. The Golden State once boasted the entrepreneurial innovation of Silicon Valley, the American creative engine of the arts, economically powerful and beautiful cities from San Francisco to San Diego, and fertile farmlands that helped feed the nation. Now it is descending into financial ruin accompanied by an exodus of middle class Californians leaving for other states. As one writer put it, California's "fastest-growing entity is government and its biggest product is red tape."

Obama's vision for America will make the rest of the country look like California, minus the beautiful scenery and warm weather.

Ryan and Romney on the campaign plane en route Charlotte (Justin Sullivan/Getty Images)

CHARLOTTE—Paul Ryan called Mitt Romney's decision to pick him as his vice presidential running mate "the biggest honor I have ever been given in my life" but admitted the process has been "surreal."

"It's gone from the surreal to the real, I guess," the Wisconsin congressman told reporters during his first appearance in the back of Romney's campaign plane as it flew to North Carolina late Saturday. "By the time we met in person, I kind of knew it was going to happen, and I was very humbled."

Standing with Romney at his side, Ryan told reporters he feels he and Romney have the opportunity to "fix things once and for all" and that he was "excited" to "help" Romney do that.

"We are going to win this campaign," Ryan said. "We have the wind behind us."

(Justin Sullivan/Getty Images)ON A ROMNEY PRESS BUS SOMEWHERE IN VIRGINIA--Mitt Romney will take a detour from his four-day bus tour of key battleground states to appear at a Sunday night rally with his vice-presidential running mate Paul Ryan in the congressman's home state of Wisconsin.

A Romney aide who declined to be named confirmed Romney and Ryan will headline a rally in Waukesha, Wisconsin, just outside Milwaukee.

Romney and Ryan will headline one final rally in Manassas, Virginia, on Saturday before flying to North Carolina, where the two will attend two rallies on Sunday.

Ryan is then expected to split off from Romney on Monday and head to Iowa, where he's expected to attend the state fair with Gov. Terry Branstad. Romney is expected to travel to Florida Monday to continue his bus tour.