World News : Candidates change, but not their campaign stops

CONCORD, N.H. (World News) -- Tears, tomatoes and teasing - the staff at Mary Ann's Diner has seen it all from the presidential candidates who have turned the restaurant into a must-not-miss stop during the primary campaign.

Massachusetts Sen. John Kerry's eyes brimmed with tears as he listened to a woman describe losing her job in 2003. Four years later, former New York City Mayor Rudy Giuliani hustled through, shook a few hands then sat down to an egg white omelet, tomatoes on the side.

Teasing was on the menu when Mitt Romney stopped by in June. The former Massachusetts governor posed for a picture in front of the jukebox, told several waitresses to squeeze in closer and then pretended that one of them had grabbed his behind.

"Oh my goodness!" he exclaimed.

Joking aside, Romney and the others are plenty serious about seeing and being seen at popular campaign stops in the early voting states of Iowa, New Hampshire and South Carolina.

< p>Some venues provide wholesome, all-American backdrops for photo-ops; think 1950s-style diners. Others, such as a gun shop in New Hampshire, quickly telegraph a candidate's position on issues important to their party's base.

Parades, fairs and festivals allow the candidates to play to large crowds at a safe distance.

At least four of the Republican presidential hopefuls have stopped by Mary Ann's in Derry during the current primary campaign, said owner William Andreoli.

"There's always a couple of people who don't like the camera business, but all and all, people respond very well to it," he said of his regulars

Some New Hampshire venues and events are more popular with Republicans than Democrats.

Candidates who want to play up their support for gun owners' rights show up at Riley's Sport Shop in Hooksett. Those who want to be assured they're surrounded by GOP voters head for the Fourth of July parade in solidly Republican Amherst.

In South Carolina, the Beacon Drive-In in Spartanburg is a bell-ringer for every candidate.

Michele Bachmann played up the stop better than most in August, lingering on a stage set up in the parking lot and dancing with an older fellow to Elvis blaring from loudspeakers. Bachmann then headed inside the restaurant and took the unusual role of calling out a fake order.

In Iowa, popular spots include the Wells Blue Bunny Ice Cream Parlor in Le Mars, Pizza Ranch restaurants and the Iowa State Fair.