A gracious former Minnesota Gov. Tim Pawlenty, one of the select few who had been on Mitt Romney's vice presidential short list, said Saturday that Paul Ryan's selection as the candidate's running mate makes for a "great team."

"I think Governor Romney's selection of Paul Ryan is a terrific selection," Pawlenty told reporters. "Paul Ryan is a bold leader with great ideas for trying to get this country back on track, and I think he and Governor Romney together will make a great team."

The former Minnesota governor said Ryan --of neighboring Wisconsin-- gave a "great speech."

Pawlenty and his wife Mary watched from their hotel in New Hampshire.

Pawlenty also told reporters that Romney informed him he wasn't the pick in a phone conversation this past Monday.

"We had a great discussion about it, so I've known for about a week."

He declined to divulge more than that about the contents of the call, including whether Romney told him then that it would be Ryan.

Pawlenty has been a fierce surrogate of Romney's since his own presidential campaign dissolved after a poor showing at the Ames, Iowa straw poll in August 2011.

He continued stumping for Romney Saturday morning at a breakfast for young Republicans in Manchester.

Asked whether he'll keep up the same level of campaigning for Romney going forward Pawlenty said he would "as he can."