Kuster on Paul Ryan VP Pick: 'Can I Say It Was a Gift?' [VIDEO]

Ann McLane Kuster says she smiled when learning Mitt Romney had chosen Rep. Paul Ryan (R-WI) as his running mate.

"Can I say it was a gift?" the Democrat responded when asked about Ryan joining the GOP presidential ticket. "It crystallizes the issues."

Her criticism of Ryan stems from his work leading GOP efforts to reform Medicare. It's not just Medicare, but other senior issues as well as education and tax relief for the middle class, Kuster said in an interview with Concord-NH Patch after welcoming the endorsement of the Alliance for Retired Americans on Wednesday.

Kuster is not running against Paul Ryan, per se, though she mentioned his name 10 times during the endorsement news conference, mentioning her opponent, U.S. Rep. Charlie Bass (R-NH), just three times by name. Watch attached video of the news conference.

The Romney-Ryan ticket continues to charge ahead on Medicare, accusing the Obama administration of trying to raid the entitlement when it's most needed. Here is one Romney ad attacking Obama on the issue. Obama also has ads, like this one, attacking Romney-Ryan on Medicare.