Issac approaches, sending GOP scrambling

"I wish everyone could see him how I see him, because as a mother, I've seen him, how compassionate he's been with me, as a wife and my raising these small children and how he always valued my work as being more important than his," Ann Romney said in the "Fox News Sunday" interview taped at the family's summer home in New Hampshire.

The candidate described his wife as his "best friend, obviously, and my counselor throughout my life," according to an advance transcript.

While the Romneys reveled in their convention, Mr. Obama was due to travel next week to college towns in Iowa, Colorado, and Virginia to court young voters and college students. The president's nomination for a desired second term is set to come a week later in Charlotte, N.C., during a Democratic convention beginning Sept. 4, right on the heels of the Republican convention.

In an interview with The Associated Press published Saturday, Obama sought to portray Romney as someone beholden to "extreme positions" on economic and social issues. Obama took pains to paint Romney and his running mate, Rep. Paul Ryan of Wisconsin, as ideologues at a time when voters seem frustrated by government gridlock.

After a near-constant travel schedule since he was announced as the GOP vice presidential candidate, Mr. Ryan was also taking a break. Following a Saturday evening fundraiser in Manchester, N.H., he returned home to Janesville, Wis. Aides said Ryan planned a quiet Sunday. Then, before flying to Florida, he was to appear at a Monday rally in his hometown that was likely to offer him a hero's sendoff.

A few of Romney's former presidential rivals were holding events of their own in Tampa. Herman Cain and Minnesota Rep. Michele Bachmann – both have endorsed Romney – were appearing at a joint event. Rep. Ron Paul of Texas, who hasn't conferred his blessing on the presumptive nominee, was anticipating thousands at a University of South Florida rally.

Associated Press writers Philip Elliott and Steve Peoples in New Hampshire and Ken Thomas in Washington contributed to this report.

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