Bachmann Blows Off NH

Bachmann has spent so little time in New Hampshire, she's one of the few candidates yet to appear at campaign trail staples like Politics & Eggs or WMUR's "Conversations with the Candidates" series. She has held no town hall meetings. Hers is one of the last campaigns without an office.

Not that voters wouldn't like to meet Bachmann. Interest was strong enough for the Windham event that local Republicans moved the venue and rented a bigger hall. But a week out, Bachmann cancelled on them. The stated reason was the condition of Bachmann's mother's health.

A Windham organizer wanted to give the Bachmann campaign the benefit of the doubt. "Maybe they just committed prematurely," the person said, not buying the pretext about Bachmann's mom. "If it's a scheduling issue, just say so," the Windham voter said.

"It's just one of those things," Bachmann state campaign Chairman Jeff Chidester of Rochester explained, struggling to come up with an excuse for why Bachmann hasn't been here. The campaign is just gearing up. The schedule is in constant flux. Voters are on vacation during the summer. (So Rick Perry was wasting his time here?) It's a busy time for members of the state Legislature (which hasn't been in session for a couple of months). The debt-ceiling debate kept her pinned down in Washington, (but didn't prevent Bachmann from campaigning in Iowa during the debt debate).