Mitt Romney Announces Presidential Campaign
BALDWIN: For "CNN Equals Politics" update, let's go to CNN chief political analyst, Gloria Borger live from Washington. Gloria, the big day. Mitt Romney, former Massachusetts governor, former presidential candidate. We saw him kicking off his campaign today in New Hampshire, throwing his hat in the ring for president for 2012. And you know, he seemed to stay clear of bashing other Republicans, so to speak, and went straight for President Obama.</s>GLORIA BORGER, CNN CHIEF POLITICAL ANALYST: He did.</s>BALDWIN: And I presume just looking forward?</s>BORGER: Yes, he did. First of all, he decided to take on President Obama because, of course, Mitt Romney is now the frontrunner in the race. And when you're the frontrunner, you decide to take on the man you know who is going to be your opponent, Barack Obama. And for a Republican to win, Republicans believe, in this next presidential campaign, you have to actually make the race about Barack Obama, which is what Mitt Romney was trying to do in his speech today. And so the speech was about Barack Obama. He said that the country gave him a chance, and he clearly tried to make the case that Barack Obama did not have the experience he needed to get the country out of the economic ditch that it is in. He said, OK, we gave Barack Obama a chance. He failed. America's broken. I'm the man with the experience enough to be able to fix it. So, that's what you're going to hear from Mitt Romney on the trail.</s>BALDWIN: Okay. So, we had Mitt Romney in New Hampshire at this chili cook-off.</s>BORGER: Yep.</s>BALDWIN: Sarah Palin, I think if I'm correct, at a clam bake.</s>BORGER: Right! There you are.</s>BALDWIN: Thank you! And she had some criticism for Mitt Romney. Let's listen.</s>BORGER: OK.</s>SARAH PALIN, FORMER GOVERNOR OF ALASKA: Health care plan, in my opinion, any mandate coming from government is not a good thing. So, obviously -- and I'm not the only one to say so -- but there will be more of the explanation coming from former Governor Romney on his support for government mandates.</s>BALDWIN: So, Gloria, if Sarah Palin gets in, how does that change the race?</s>BORGER: Well, it's interesting. First of all, isn't it interesting that she calls it a coincidence, right, that she happens to be up in New Hampshire on her family vacation, which is of course not a family vacation. And as she ends up talking about mandates, which is clearly Mitt Romney's vulnerability. That was in his Massachusetts health care plan. Now, if Sarah Palin gets in the race, however -- and by the way, Mitt Romney said welcome to New Hampshire, right? Glad to have you there. You know why? Because he would be happy to have her in this race. The reason Mitt Romney would be happy to have her in this race, according to aides, it kind of freezes the field. It would take all of the oxygen away from all of the other candidates who might threaten him, like, say, Tim Pawlenty or Jon Huntsman, and then they believe that Republicans would start looking for somebody who's electable. And they believe that when Republicans look at Mitt Romney versus Sarah Palin and look at her unfavorable ratings, that they will, of course, choose Mitt Romney. So in an odd way, he's sort of saying, jump on in, Sarah Palin. We'll see.</s>BALDWIN: Interesting. Gloria Borger, thanks.</s>BORGER: Sure.</s>BALDWIN: Inside the minds of one of the history's biggest villains. Coming up next, a former American diplomat will tell me about his private meeting with Ratko Mladic, including what the accused murderer did to a pig and what his clothes revealed.