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Ann Romney: 'My career choice was to be a mother'
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Mother of 5 reacts to DNC adviser's stay-at-home mom jab
- Duration 10:02
- Date Apr 12, 2012
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Mother of 5 reacts to DNC adviser's stay-at-home mom jab
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Tied with the story morning folks and now the RNC is calling for an apology.
In the political firestorm surrounding some controversial comments that were made by a DNC advisor.
About and -- Hilary Rosen is a woman on the last name and she is catching plenty of heat today.
For taking a swipe at -- -- for being a quote stay at home mother.
Here are the original remarks that were made last night on CNN.
What.
You have is is Mitt Romney running around the country saying well you know my wife tells me that what women really care about -- economic issues and when I listen to my wife.
That's what I'm hearing just like his wife -- actually never worked -- day in her life.
She's she's never really.
Dealt with the kinds of economic issues that a majority of the women in this country are facing -- how we feed our kids had -- send them just.
Cool little boy did that set off a firestorm.
In the Twitter universe and all over television Hilary Rosen tried to clarify the context of those remarks earlier this morning we're gonna show you -- she said.
In that case and we're very pleased to be joined by Romney at this morning good morning this is Donny good to have you with us.
Didn't thanks -- you know I'm just curious on a personal level 'cause I know you know.
How how -- can feel when these kinds of things are sad what your personal gut reaction when you heard her say those words.
She shouldn't she should have come to my house than those five boys were causing so much trouble.
It wasn't so easy.
Yeah no I indeed I'm -- wasn't -- -- had a ton of people out tweeting us show this morning when they -- that you're not.
Basically telling similar stories and anybody I guess is it is a mom knows what it's like to actually.
Acted to do all that hard work at home but yeah I'm -- if -- -- your son Josh also treated about this.
And he said you know my mom could have done any thing she wanted in her life and she chose to stay home and raise -- And I thought that was you know in very interesting and very kind of course a coming from him this morning you might even have a lot of choices and and why did you make the decision that you did it at that point in your life you.
You know this is what's so interesting about this my career choice was to be a mother and I think all of us need to know that we need to respect choices that women make.
Other women make other choices to have a career and raise spamming which I think Hilary Rosen is actually done herself.
I respect that that's wonderful.
But you know there -- other people that have a choice.
We have to respect women and all those choices that they -- -- by the way let me give a shout out to all the dads that are home raising kids.
There this is.
Obviously an awesome responsibility to raise children.
It's to need the most important thing we can do.
I will tell you that Mitt said to me more times than you would imagine.
And your job is more important in mind.
He was making money and doing the things raising.
Funds and investing in helping other -- companies.
And he would come home and say and your job is more important in mind.
Would be he would say my job was temporary I know that these things come and go but you're job is safe -- job -- it's gonna bring forever happiness so.
You know he had perspective on this and by the way -- respects women that make those different choices he had a lot of women.
In his in his life that have been his advisors.
That he listens to a lot of different women.
And it if I get a chance I want to tell you what women are telling me and Hillary needs to know this because I've been on the campaign trail for one year.
And guess what women are talking about -- I don't care if their stay at home moms or their working mothers or their grandmothers.
Guess what they're all talking about.
They're talking about jobs and they're talking about the legacy of debt that we're leaving our children.
That's what I'm hearing and that's what we're talking about here.
Let us take a look at what she said this morning because she went back on television -- respond to this -- she's getting a lot of heat as you might imagine here here's what she said this morning let's watch.
This is not about -- Romney this is about.
The waitress in a diner in you know someplace in Nevada who has two kids -- day care.
Funding is being cut off because of the Romney Ryan budget.
And she doesn't know what to do this isn't about whether and Romney or -- -- Other women of you know some means can afford to make a choice to stay home and raise kids most women in America let's face it don't have that choice.
It then this goes back to the sort of fat rich argument that has been leveled so much against you and your husband.
Basically she's saying well and -- could have chosen to do anything she wanted and and and Ronnie can't relate.
Two women who have no choice -- have to work and also raise their families.
Like I know what it's like to struggle and if if maybe I haven't struggled as much financially as some people have I can tell you and promise you.
That I've had struggles in my life.
And I eight.
Would love to have people understand.
That midnight have compassion for people that are struggling.
And that's why we're running.
We care about those people that are struggling and we also recognize that this economic recovery has been very weak.
We also recognize that the debt burdens that we're facing in this country are huge and it going to be a huge problem for our children that's what I'm hearing when I go out there.
Is that women are talking about economic issues and they're talking about the security of their own jobs the security of their husbands jobs.
They're worried that maybe some of them come -- -- and my son is living back with me he's graduate from college and he's back in the house.
These are the things I'm hearing about and we are.
Recognizing that there's been a very tepid -- at recovery.
And people are worried about their jobs -- job security and beyond that I hear so much about how worried they are about the legacy of debt we're gonna leave art -- I want to play one more sound bite from my Hilary Rosen that I think is somewhat -- let let let's listen to us from last night.
He seems so old fashioned when it comes to women and I think that comes across and I think that that's going to hurt him a little long term.
It just doesn't really see us as people.
Does your husband not see women as equals.
That now that does bother me up up up up.
That is not corrected you should see how many women he listens to and that's what I love about -- he has so many women in his circle.
That his chief of staff when he was governor.
You know in his in business.
So many women of a surround him that he respects and admires.
-- his lieutenant governor when he was governor Kerry Healey.
He respects enormously respects her intellect and is it's a complete misperception.
And I and I do think that is something that she needs to recognize that that is not Mitt Romney -- -- is a person.
That admires women.
-- listens to them and I am grateful.
That he is listens to me and listens to what I am telling him as well what women are facing right now and he's listening and he cares.
You know that -- is that that strikes me about when I look at it EU and the choices that you have made is that you also have chosen to to support your husband in his work.
-- you know as as first lady of Massachusetts and you've also been involved in a lot of volunteer organizations helping children which she now a lot of women who.
Are able to do that do across this country I think that they can -- surely relate to that.
EU you watch right now to become the first lady of the United States and I'm guessing that you have plans and thoughts about how you would use.
That position it if you are fortunate enough to to achieve that as well.
What we tell us a little bit about that.
Well I will tell you that because of the -- -- I've had in my own life with breast cancer and with multiple sclerosis that those will be first and foremost in my thoughts.
Is to be compassionate for those that are suffering.
And also to help try to find a cure for -- S and for breast cancer.
But beyond that you're right I have worked with at risk youth and I I -- I want to be able to make sure that kids make choices in their life that will be -- bring them their most fulfillment.
And their -- happiness and so for me I'm I'm sure.
You could not keep me from working with them with kids again and with at risk youth.
You know it it it's interesting when you can you look at the polls and I spoke with -- has been about this yesterday.
He is not doing well with women voters at least at this moment in the campaign.
Why do you think that is I mean what what do you think is that the White House the administration and President Obama are doing to convince women in this country that they care about the more than -- It's.
It's it's just too early -- and people haven't had a chance to listen to us or hear us and I'm I'm grateful for this opportunity.
To be able to let women know that this is a very important election.
This is a watershed election for their futures and for the future of their children.
And it's it's so important that we get someone in there that understands the economy that understands job creation that understands.
This legacy of debt that we're leaving that it's going to strangle our kids.
If we don't take care of it and so Mitt is a guy he's -- can do guy that has been able to turn things around in his life.
This country needs a turnaround we need to.
Someone -- -- yet to come in and and clean this up and get America going in the right direction I have a bright future for Robert.
Children from what he has said that that's just that -- -- talk that gotten into this race he said you're one of the driving forces.
Behind doing just that so and -- we thank you very much for being with us we -- -- -- -- again.
Thank you mr.
-- thanks --