( CNN ) -- Politicians are in plentiful supply this Memorial Day as the ramp-up to the 2012 presidential election begins in earnest . Former Alaska Gov . Sarah Palin , who began a nationwide bus tour Sunday , generated plenty of buzz , visiting Fort McHenry in Baltimore and Mount Vernon in Virginia on Monday . She told CNN on Monday that she plans to take her `` One Nation '' bus tour to Iowa , the state that votes first in the race for the Republican presidential nomination . `` I 'm sure at some point I will be going to Iowa , '' Palin said . The 2008 Republican vice presidential nominee told reporters earlier on Monday she is `` still kind of contemplating '' a White House run . `` I think any Republican candidate is very , very electable , '' she said . `` I think Americans are ready for true change . '' Palin 's Memorial Day schedule was also expected to take her to the battlefield at Gettysburg , Pennsylvania . As of 5 p.m . ET she had n't arrived yet , but more than 100 people were waiting , some for hours . Over the next few days , Palin 's `` One Nation '' bus tour is also scheduled to make stops at historic sites in Massachusetts and New Hampshire , the latter home to the nation 's first primary . `` This is n't a campaign bus , '' she said . `` This is a bus to be able to express to America how much we appreciate our foundation , and to invite more people to be interested in all that is good about America . '' `` We do n't need to fundamentally transform America , '' she added . `` We need to restore what 's good about America . '' Rep. Michele Bachmann of Minnesota , who would compete with Palin for Tea Party support should she run , was attending Memorial Day events in New Hampshire . She has already hired staff in Iowa , New Hampshire and South Carolina -- all key states that hold early caucuses or primaries . Bachmann has promised to make a presidential announcement during June in Waterloo , Iowa , the town where she was born . Former Minnesota Gov . and Republican presidential candidate Tim Pawlenty , who announced his candidacy last week , was spending the day in Iowa , including a stop at a pancake breakfast in Waukee . Former Massachusetts Gov . Mitt Romney , who is expected to announce his presidential bid on Thursday in New Hampshire , did not share his Memorial Day plans . He did release a statement , however , praising both veterans and current military service members . `` As we observe Memorial Day , we owe thanks to the many Americans who have fought and died to defend our country , '' Romney said . `` Those patriots who are on the battlefields today or have gone to battlefields in the past , some never to return , have left us a stronger country , a great nation that , whatever its divisions , shines as a beacon of liberty before the peoples of the world . ''
Sarah Palin plans to go to Iowa . Mitt Romney releases a statement praising military veterans . Rick Santorum says he will not run for president, but is still considering it. Palin takes her `` One Nation '' tour to Fort McHenry , Mount Vernon and Gettysburg .