Romney's VP vetting process has begun

— -- Mitt Romney's campaign has begun the vetting process to find a suitable running mate, a source close to the campaign told The Hill's Alexander Bolton:

The team for Beth Myers, the Romney adviser leading the search for the GOP's vice presidential nominee, has already contacted potential running mates, according to a source close to the Romney campaign.

Of the four lawmakers contacted by the Hill, only one- South Dakota Sen. John Thune--said he had not been in contact with the Romney campaign. The other three, Florida Sen. Marco Rubio, Wisconsin Rep. Paul Ryan and Ohio Sen. Rob Portman, declined to comment on the process.

Those who are selected to be vetted should expect to undergo one of the most intrusive processes of their lives.

A.V. Culvahouse, the aide to John McCain's 2008 presidential campaign who led the running mate search team that ultimately chose Sarah Palin, recently described the intense process as a series of "questions I would not dream of posing in any other context." Connecticut Sen. Joe Lieberman, who ran with Al Gore in 2008, said a friend once described it "like having a colonoscopy without painkillers."

On that note, let the vetting begin!

More popular Yahoo! News stories:

• Gallup poll: Romney's 'favorable' rating jumps

• The man behind the 2012 Jeremiah Wright ads: Fred 'Demon Sheep' Davis' greatest hits

• Romney rejects using the Rev. Jeremiah Wright against Obama

Want more of our best political stories? Visit The Ticket or connect with us on Facebook, follow us on Twitter, or add us on Tumblr. Handy with a camera? Join our Election 2012 Flickr group to submit your photos of the campaign in action.