In defense of Ann Romney

[WonderGrunion]

I want to publicly recognize and applaud Ann Romney for making the tough personal decision so many average, ordinary American women do everyday to not take a job and stay at home to raise her children with her Nannies, House Cleaners, Butlers, Chauffeurs and Personal Assistants.

Bravo Romney family.

[geckosfeet]

1. Yes. Managing all those servants must be dreadful.

[WonderGrunion]

7. The amazing sacrifices this woman has made for her family...

It's truly inspirational to see her rise through it all.

Do I really need this smilie? ->

[JohnnyRingo]

2. well said.

She's no Mary Poppins.

Ann Romney knows as much about about the daily trials of the average American mother as Paris Hilton does about washing dishes.

[liberal N proud]

3. And paying $20K per year for servants (divided by 4)

Oh she has it soooooo rough!

[TahitiNut]

4. Indeed. I can't imagine the stress of raising two Buicks to become two Cadillacs ...

... No wonder she needs the elevators.

[WonderGrunion]

9. In fairness, she is just now getting the elevators.

Back in the lean days, she used to have to hand pump the cars to the second floor of the garage.

[rgbecker]

5. And trying to keep a "couple of Cadillacs" on the road.

Think about it. Not that easy.

[Ken Burch]

6. It takes a village...of servants...

[zentrum]

15. Please say more about this picture!

Do you know anything about who these people worked for?

[AlbertCat]

19. Please say more about this picture!

Well I can tell from the clothes and hair it's from the 19-teens.

And if they are servants, they are more than likely off duty as mst servants in that day wore some kind of livery or uniform.

[TahitiNut]

20. Isn't that nice? A photo of Mitt's grandparents ... all of them.

If the role of a grandmother is to spoil her grandchildren, then the Mitt-Wit must be rotten to the core.

[kentuck]

8. It's all about choice...

She chose to stay home.

She probably chose to let her chauffeur wash and clean her Cadillacs?

Most women do not have the same choice as Ann Romney, no matter which way they want to argue it. Many, if not most, women work out of necessity even though they would choose to stay home with their children if they could?

The Republicans have twisted and distorted this issue until it is unrecognizable.

But they feel they have kept their women voters in line and stopped all the talk about the "war on women", at least for the moment...

[WonderGrunion]

10. That makes Ann Romney pro-choice then!

Don't let our 'friends' at Free Republic know that.

[TahitiNut]

21. I'd even suggest ...

"many, if not most, men work out of necessity even though they would choose to stay home with their children if they could." I sure know the *I* would. The pressures of social/cultural expectations, economic necessity, and even spousal mores create even less of a choice for men than women. The fact that many men "buy into" the expectation that their very identity is tied to "what they do" does not, in my view, contraindicate this fact. We still live in a culture where young boys are asked "what will you BE when you grow up?" and young girls are Disneyfied by "some day your Prince will come." Some might argue it's the "ontogeny of phylogeny" ... the sum of evolutionary 'natural selection' where the male's (perceived?) ability to bring home the kill, fight the invaders, and plant his semen was what attracted the most fertile females. That, of course, can be easily turned into "be careful what you ask for you may get it, ladies."

The eternal conundrum persists: Just WHAT attracts the opposite sex ... and how does that influence 'choices'??? I submit that the influence of the 'attraction' question STILL far outweighs the sophomoric 'discussions' about 'choice.'

Gonads RULE!

[Sienna86]

11. No nannies. Only a cleaning lady once a week.

According to son Josh on television last evening.

I am glad she had the financial ability to stay home with her children. That financial boon gave herbthe choice tonstay home or work outside the home. That is great for the entire family. Many women however, do not have that choice. That's what bothers me. I don't feel like she gets it. Many women don't have that choice.

[hlthe2b]

12. and don't forget the 100-250 MILLION $$$ tucked keenly away...

Yup, she's quite the role model.

[kentuck]

13. Yep...

She has the choice whether or not to make it public how much she has stashed in Swiss banks or the Cayman Islands. She is Everywoman.

[groundloop]

14. The Publicans are trying to take advantage of any slight Democratic misstep

The Obama campaign is so well organized, and President Obama is such a good campaigner, that the Publicans have very few openings for attacking Democrats. That CNN contributor, Hillary Rosen, just gave them one such opportunity and they're trying to take full advantage of it. If Ms. Rosen had framed this just a little bit differently ("Ann Romney doesn't know anything about the economy because she's wealthy enough to not only stay at home, but to have multiple servants help raise her kids and clean her house.....&quot the Publicans wouldn't have said a word, and in fact would be running away from this subject. I'm sure by the time Rush Limpballs comments on this Ms. Rosen will be elevated to a senior Obama adviser from her proper title of CNN employee.

[spanone]

18. and the media gladly obliges them....

[I hate liars]

16. This dust-up really has little to do with Ann Romney...

It's about how her husband and his political chums used his wife to score political points.

[firehorse]

17. someone else probably does all the cooking and shopping too.

She probably sleeps in everyday, has lunch with friends, then gets a massage. I'm sure her life is grueling and full of sacrifices.