Ann Romney Addresses RNC, Speaks Of Love For Husband
TAMPA (CBSMiami/AP) – It was a big night for Ann Romney.
Tuesday night she addressed the Republican National Convention while her husband Mitt watched from the wings.
The hall erupted in cheers when Romney strolled on stage and shared a hug and kiss with his wife of more than 40 years.
"This man will not fail. This man will not let us down," Mrs. Romney said in a prime-time speech that sounded at times like a heart-to-heart talk among women and at times like a testimonial to her husband's little-known softer side.
"It's the moms who always have to work harder, to make everything right," she said. And she vouched firmly for her husband, who lags behind Obama in surveys among women voters: "You can trust Mitt. He loves America."
She says her husband initially wasn't scheduled to attend her prime-time speech, but that changes to the convention schedule made it possible. She said that "it's going to be fun for him to be there."
Romney will deliver his convention speech Thursday night.
The pair spent much of the weekend rehearsing their addresses together near their New Hampshire summer home.
Romney planned to outline a "clear vision of a Romney presidency" in an address that will also refer to the storm bearing down on the Gulf Coast.
Romney strategist Stuart Stevens told reporters Tuesday that Romney has largely completed work on his convention speech after months of preparation. Stevens said he and Romney haven't discussed whether to shorten, change or potentially move the speech from its planned delivery on Thursday.
Stevens says it will be about "why he wants to be president and what his presidency would look like."
(TM and © Copyright 2012 CBS Radio Inc. and its relevant subsidiaries. CBS RADIO and EYE Logo TM and Copyright 2012 CBS Broadcasting Inc. Used under license. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. The Associated Press contributed to this report.)
