Republican presidential nominee Mitt Romney Tuesday called reports from unnamed advisers that he is not considering Florida Senator Marco Rubio as a potential running mate “entirely false.”

“I can’t imagine who such people are, but I can tell you this: They know nothing about the vice presidential selection or evaluation process,” Romney told reporters Tuesday evening. “The story was entirely false. Marco Rubio is being thoroughly vetted as part of our process.”

Romney told Fox News that only he and long-time adviser Beth Myers know who is being seriously considered for the VP role. He said that not even his wife Ann Romney has been involved in the latest discussions concerning his potential No.2 pick. Read 

With Mitt Romney wrapping up his six-state bus tour in Michigan yesterday, some pundits have been pondering the nature of the bus tour. A recent addition to campaign strategy — and the distant cousin of whistle stop train tours in the late 19th and early 20th centuries — bus tours are frequently used to drum up enthusiasm and media coverage for candidates.

Bus tours are a relatively new phenomenon, as the New York Times points out. One of the first tours to get major press attention was Bill Clinton and Al Gore’s 1,240 mile, six-day jaunt across eight states in 1992. What they — and future candidates — discovered is that a bus tour is an event that both captures the media’s eye, and is heavily scripted, so as to avoid embarrassing moments or political gaffes.

As important, if not more important, than the events and places a bus tour visits is the name given to that tour. Here are five of the more memorable names, official or otherwise, that have been given to bus tours. Read 

It may not be a festival on the level of Woodstock, but attendees of the Republican National Convention in Tampa this August will be getting some top-notch country and rock alongside speeches from top party figures.

According to a post on Politico, the GOP has already booked legendary southern rock band Lynyrd Skynyrd, country artist Trace Adkins, and Detroit rocker/occasional rapper Kid Rock to play on August 26, 28, and 29, respectively. Other artists who may appear at the convention include:

Ronnie Dunn, of Brooks & Dunn fame Kenny Wayne Shepherd Robert Randolph, from Robert Randolph and the Family Band Night Ranger

Still to be announced will be a “major act” that will be playing the “Wheels Up” closing night event. Read 

West Virginia may be a red state, but there is some blue mixed in here and there. Just don’t expect to see it all represented in the Democrats’ convention in September.

According to a press release from yesterday, Sen. Joe Manchin, Gov. Earl Ray Tomblin, and Rep. Nick Rahall will skip the event. This follows news that the state party requires all Democratic candidates to support the full party ticket. Manchin and Tomblin have publicly stated they might not endorse Obama in the election.

Manchin, however, says this is not to blame for his missing the event in Charlotte on September 4-6. He said the reason he will not be there is because he will be working to represent West Virginia, and not working on behalf of national politics. Read 

Sheldon Adelson appears to be further hedging his bets on the Republican party.

Having already given $36 million to super PACs supporting Newt Gingrich and Mitt Romney (with some help from his family), Adelson has reportedly forked over more cash in support of the GOP: at least $35 million, according to fundraisers familiar with his plans.

The groups benefitting from these donations include Karl Rove-affiliated Crossroads GPS, a nonprofit linked to the Koch brothers, and an organization linked to House Majority Leader Eric Cantor, R-Va. Read 

The economy’s struggle to regain its past strength was no stranger to many on Capitol Hill. According to financial disclosure forms released by many (but not all) members of Congress yesterday, a large number of Congressional leaders lost net worth from 2010 to 2011.

House Speaker John Boehner, R-Ohio, saw his net worth drop from $2.1 million to $1.7 million. Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, D-Nev., lost $800,000 from his total net worth, mostly from a decrease in one of his property’s values.

Nancy Pelosi, D-Ca., the richest leader in Congress, also lost the most money last year. Worth $26.4 million in 2011, her net worth was down $8 million. Much of that loss came from a failed investment in the United Football League and one of the league’s teams by Pelosi’s husband. He lost as much as $10 million in those deals. Read