Mitt Romney Campaigns in News Hampshire
PHILLIPS: Well, just a quick note for those of you heading out the door, you can continue to watch from your mobile phone or from your desktop. All you have to do is go to CNN.com/TV. While the president is in D.C., the presumptive GOP nominee is campaigning in New Hampshire. That's one of Mitt Romney's adopted home states, by the way, and he's attending a parade there. That's where Dana Bash is. She's in Wolfeboro. Dana, I understand he's actually going to work the parade route with a potential vice presidential running mate.</s>DANA BASH, CNN SENIOR CONGRESSIONAL CORRESPONDENT: That's right, Kelly Ayotte, who is the senator from the state of New Hampshire. I want to show you what they're actually seeing and what we're seeing. Right down here is where they're coming. We're going to see them coming up probably in about 20 minutes or so. But just check this out, Kyra. I mean, how Americana is this? The corner store, then you have the country store, the lemonade stand and there have been float after float after float of the locals here just having a great time. We have some of our friends here who are locals, too young to vote, but they've been keeping us company here along the parade route and this is going to be -- this is obviously, you know, kind of a classic scene not just for Americans but also for politicians to do. And it just so happens that, as you said, this is one of Mitt Romney's adopted states. He's been here all week. This is the only time we're going to see him in public and it's lucky for him because this is an important state, politically, a very important state, politically. We are going to hear from him later after he comes to the end of this parade route. And I just wanted you to see a picture. We e-mailed this in. This is where he's going have his remarks, in front of a truck, a pickup truck. So the stagecraft is Americana for America's birthday and the Romney campaign says this is actually his own pickup truck, so he's just a regular American guy on America's birthday.</s>PHILLIPS: All right, the question is, is he going to stop in on that lemonade stand and make that either young gal or young boy's entire career, right?</s>BASH: Of course. Of course, you have to do it.</s>PHILLIPS: Here's my question. Is he going to talk to reporters? He's sort of steered away from you guys recently. What's your sense?</s>BASH: He is going to talk to reporters. He's going to make remarks in front of that pickup truck that his campaign says is his own. Whether or not he's going to take questions, that's a different story. He has been, you know, really out of the scene, if you will, all week long. He's been spending it with his family, his five kids, his18 grandchildren. There are 30 Romneys in all who have been here spending the week on vacation, so this is going to be sort of his one shot of getting in the news cycle. So he definitely has his message. We have our questions. We're going to try to get them in. Unclear if he's going to answer them.</s>PHILLIPS: Well, it looks like when it comes to this state, things are definitely going to come down to the wire. You mentioned the senator right there before we started talking. What do you think? Could that -- what kind of impact could that make as he's going to be side by side with Romney as the parade begins?</s>BASH: You know, certainly when people have talked about whether or not there is or should be a woman to be considered for Mitt Romney's running mate, Kelly Ayotte has been out there, in terms of a name. But she's new on the national scene. She's a freshman senator and I think by all accounts of what Mitt Romney is looking for given everything that happened four years ago is somebody with a little bit more experience. Having said that, there's no question that she's popular. She's an up-and-comer among the Republican field and the electorate and people are going to be watching her very closely, but there are also other potential Republican vice-presidential running mates who are going to be in the state, oddly enough. One is Rob Portman, who has a lot of experience. He's the senator from Ohio. He's going to be here in New Hampshire on Saturday and they're not saying whether or not he's going to have a private meeting at that compound with Mitt Romney, but you never know.</s>PHILLIPS: Interesting. All right, I think we would like to hear probably from the senator, as well. I know you're going to go after Mitt Romney with some questions. It would be interesting to see what the senator has to say about a possible v.p.-position there. Dana Bash, we'll keep checking in with you. I see the parade is getting started. Be careful. Those trucking are getting pretty close to you. Dana Bash there on the trail in New Hampshire. Dana, thanks.</s>BASH: OK.