It is time for Mitt Romney to pick a running mate.

He needs to change the negative political energy around his campaign after weeks of headlines about his botched foreign trip, failure to release his tax returns and failure to defend his time as a venture capitalist at Bain Capital.

The latest NBC News/Wall Street Journal poll of registered voters shows President Obama leading with 49 percent support, Romney with 43 percent support and just 8 percent undecided. And in polls of the swing states Romney is consistently trailing in all but a few.

Romney has one major opportunity before the convention to change the political narrative and that is with his vice presidential pick.

The former Massachusetts governor's public schedule for the next week includes appearances in swing states with VP contenders like Virginia Governor Bob McDonnell, Ohio Senator Rob Portman and Florida Senator Marco Rubio. To complete the roster of likely vice presidential picks add in Wisconsin Rep. Paul Ryan, former Minnesota Gov. Tim Pawlenty and former Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice.