Put into the near-impossible position of sitting beside her husband and assessing his defeat under the lights of our relentless media cycle, Ann Romney’s offenses appear to be that she had the gall to: 1. Be a genuine human being 2. Be a protective spouse and 3. Attempt to answer the questions asked of her. (For those who are experienced in the DC spin game, the latter may be her gravest mistake yet.)
Watching the interview in its entirety and not in small bites as many critics have done, I see a gracious, self-deprecating and haltingly cautious political spouse doing her best to balance the delicate subject of her husband’s loss. Within the context of the full interview, she names many reasons for Obama’s victory, including the President’s superior ground game and outreach to minority groups. Her brief comment regarding the media was exactly that: A brief comment.
Upon reviewing the full context, you’ll see that Mrs. Romney was gracious, (“They had a better ground game than we did, that’s for sure,”) self-aware (“I come on like a she-lion, when it comes to defending Mitt”) and even referenced the popular 1980s cult classic film The Princess Bride, joking that she was “mostly over it,” with a genuine smile and a nimble laugh.
Why Ann Romney is right — a Republican rebuttal
