Barbara Bush Robo-Calls For Mitt Romney In Ohio And Vermont

ABC News' Michael Falcone reports:

UPDATED CINCINNATI, Ohio - Former First Lady Barbara Bush has recorded robo-calls for Mitt Romney in two Super Tuesday states: Ohio and Vermont.

"We have known the Romneys for years and believe Mitt is the best man to lead the country for the next four years and Ann will make a great first lady,"  Bush says on the call, which is hitting households in both states ahead of Tuesday's primaries.

On the call, Bush, wife of President George H.W. Bush, refers to Romney as "our friend."

Donald Trump has also recorded an automated call for Romney, as he did in Michigan. Both of the calls were paid for by the Romney campaign.

Notably, Ann Romney has been talking up the former first lady's support on the campaign trail. At an appearance in Georgia last week Mrs. Romney disclosed that Bush "maxed out" to the Romney campaign, writing a $2,500 check.

And in Columbus, Ohio on Friday, Mrs. Romney said Bush recently told her, "this is the most important election in my lifetime, and for a woman who was the wife of a president and the mother of a president, that's quite astonishing."

Ohio, where the race is tight between Romney and Rick Santorum, represents the second-largest delegate prize on Super Tuesday. Romney is expected to do well in Vermont, a state that borders two Romney strongholds - Massachusetts and New Hampshire.

Notably, Bush tweaked the original script of the robocalls in Ohio and Vermont, cutting out a mild attack line against President Obama - "I'm supporting Mitt for one simple reason:  America cannot survive four more years of Barack Obama, and Mitt is the man to lead America, and we need him now" - and replacing it with a personal reference to the Romneys.

Jim McGrath, a spokesman for the Bushes, said that "Mrs. Bush changed the script."

Here's the Ohio script:

"Hi, this is Barbara Bush calling from Romney for President on behalf of our friend, Mitt Romney. We have known the Romneys for years and believe Mitt is the best man to lead the country for the next four years and Ann will make a great first lady. So, please vote for Mitt in the Ohio primary on Tuesday. If you have any questions, just call the Ohio campaign headquarters at 614-664-3485, or email them at TeamOH@MittRomney.com. And again don't forget to vote for Mitt Tuesday. Thank you for your time. This call was paid for by Romney for President, Inc."

The script Bush's Vermont call is nearly identical though she adds, "Your vote really counts."

Here's the audio of the Ohio call: