Ann Romney sat down with Good Housekeeping editor in chief Rosemary Ellis for an Election Special in the magazine’s November issue, hitting the stands on October 16. In her interview, after announcing that Mitt’s election will save the economy and Romney’s weakness is his temper, Mrs. Romney tells Ms. Ellis that we need to throw out the public education system because the teachers unions are preventing real change from happening to our educational system.
Without being able to remember his “simple” five point plan, Ann Romney promises that just electing Mitt Romney will improve the economy. She said, “Just his election itself is going to instantly turn up the gas and get people more optimistic, but he has five things that are simple for people to understand: One is to get rid of regulation; one is to start using our natural resources; one is to turn to human capital, which is education, and get that working again; and…oh, I’m not sure on the last two!”
Read an excerpt here:
GH: What are the steps your husband would take to improve the economy?
AR: Just his election itself is going to instantly turn up the gas and get people more optimistic, but he has five things that are simple for people to understand: One is to get rid of regulation; one is to start using our natural resources; one is to turn to human capital, which is education, and get that working again; and…oh, I’m not sure on the last two! (Laughs)
GH: Well, three is a very good start. A couple of years ago, we created the Green Good Housekeeping Seal as a way of helping consumers figure out what products are truly green versus what are just greenwashing claims. Are green issues something you think about?
AR: Everyone wants clean air and clean water. I mean, of course we all do. And then if you go to a country like China —GH: Where there is no regulation…
AR: Where there is no regulation, and you see what’s wrong there and how people are dying younger there. And the pollution and the air quality is just abysmal, and people are having to live in that. You understand how important it is, but you also have to recognize that we have to balance those things.
GH: Can you tell me, what campaign issue is closest to your heart?
AR: I’ve been a First Lady of the State. I have seen what happens to people’s lives if they don’t get a proper education. And we know the answers to that. The charter schools have provided the answers. The teachers’ unions are preventing those things from happening, from bringing real change to our educational system. We need to throw out the system.
GH: What do you think your husband’s best quality is?
AR: Good judgment.
GH: And what habit of his do you wish you could change?
AR: Let’s see. He’s so good to me…I’m really stumped on that one. Isn’t that amazing?
GH: That is amazing.
AR: I guess the thing I’d say is he had to learn to control his temper a bit when the children were young. In other situations, he’s quick to flare, and I’ve seen him learn to control that, too. Most people have a very hard time changing their behavior, and I’ve been impressed that he’s actually seen [his temper] as a weakness and worked on it.
GH: What is the biggest misconception in the press about your husband?
AR: He is so warm and approachable, very spontaneous and funny in his private life — which is not what you see in his public life.
Mrs. Romney seems to believe that simply electing Mitt Romney will be good for the country’s economy, because people will feel more optimistic, but polling tells another story. The American people don’t trust Mitt Romney, and they don’t see him as “tough” enough to be president, even after he played the role of attack dog at the first presidential debate. Mitt Romney’s personal favorability has also always lagged way behind President Obama’s, which means that if anyone imparts a sense of optimism to the people, it’s not Mitt Romney. Romney is less popular than Sarah Palin in terms of favorability, if that puts it in perspective.
As for Mitt’s five point plan, Ann Romney can’t remember the last two points, but that isn’t a big deal since Mitt still won’t tell the American people any of the specifics of his Top Secret Plan to harvest the economy with trickle down economics.
Ann Romney is supposed to be the Romney campaign’s “secret weapon” but she just undid all of the work Mitt Romney did at the debate in pretending to move to the middle. In this one excerpt from a long interview, she managed to disavow Mitt Romney’s claim at the debate that he did not want to get rid of teachers.
Mrs. Romney threw teachers’ unions under the bus again, and blamed them for the failure to change in our educational system. In other words, she revealed that the Real Mitt Romney wants to do exactly what reporters overheard him say at a closed door fundraiser; starve the Department of Education in sneaky ways in order to kill teachers’ unions.
Yet, at the debate, Romney said, “The key to great schools? Great teachers. So I reject the idea that I don’t believe in great teachers or more teachers.”
Of course, on the campaign trail he said something completely different, “He says we need more firemen, more policemen, more teachers. Did he not get the message of Wisconsin?” (Mitt Romney, 6/8/12)
When asked about green issues, Mrs. Romney talked about the lack of regulation in China, something her husband is all for (it is one of his five points on the Plan), saying that the pollution is causing people to die younger, and then says these things have to be balanced. Mitt Romney has been saying that the coal industry is being killed by Obama’s regulations. Not only are coal jobs at a 15 year high, but those regulations are meant to protect the people’s health from profit motive to ignore safety concerns. Having seen the result of no regulations in China, Ann Romney then says health and safety regulations have to be “balanced” when her husband is claiming he will deregulate the coal industry. So, balanced means no regulations, like China, where she has just laid out the dangers of no regulation.
Mrs. Romney says Mitt Romney is quick to flare with his temper and she praises him for working on this when the children were young, but then says his temper is a weakness of his. This only serves to reinforce Mitt Interruptus the public has seen at the debates, including the time he put his hand on Governor Rick Perry’s shoulder in a overtly domineering manner during a primary debate and the time he berated a reporter for asking him a question he didn’t find appropriate.
When asked about the perception that they are wealthy and therefor haven’t struggled, Mrs. Romney said, “And, for me, I’ve gone through very serious health issues. Once your health is taken away, you have nothing.” She continued, “And so I would love people to know that we do care and that we do understand what it means to struggle financially. And for Mitt, to have had success and to say, ‘I understand how jobs are created’ — I really believe that the country will be so much better off if he’s President.”
The problem with Ann using her health to suggest that she has struggled and therefor understands the financial struggles of regular Americans is that her husband is running on repealing Americans’ access to health insurance, specifically those with pre-existing conditions. In fact, MS advocates have split with Mitt Romney over his opposition to ObamaCare for precisely this reason.
Furthermore, Mitt Romney did not run Bain Capital to “create jobs”. That was never the goal of Bain. Bain exists to “harvest” companies for profit, and that is its singular purpose. Often that involved downsizing or shuttering the company after it was loaded up with debt in order to harvest profits for the Bain shareholders.
Ann Romney is no secret weapon, unless she’s a weapon against the Romney campaign. Perhaps Mitt should have listened when Ann Romney said that she didn’t want to him to run for office again, because someone is managing to destroy the Romney image from the inside and this time, it’s not Mitt Romney.
Image: Rob Howard for Good Housekeeping





Paws
Oct. 11th, 2012 at 1:45 pm
No it won’t, Anntionette. She’s just as clueless as her husband.
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Christy
Oct. 11th, 2012 at 1:45 pm
Oh goody….The Princess Romney has spoken yet again. I am ASHAMED of anyone and everyone who votes for Mitt Romney because it really relates to nothing more than hatred for President Obama and accepting Romney’s lies and nothing more. No intelligent person reasonably believes the crap and bull he is spewing and it’s a very BAD time in and for America as a whole should he win the election.
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ibwilliamsi
Oct. 11th, 2012 at 1:50 pm
Romney told the Boca Raton luncheon guests the exact same thing.
“But my own view is that if we– if– if– if we win on November 6th there will be– a great deal of optimism about the future of this country. And we’ll see capital come back and we’ll see– without– without actually doing anything, we’ll (CHUCKLES) actually get a boost in the economy.”
http://firstread.nbcnews.com/_news/2012/09/18/13943563-full-video-and-transcript-of-leaked-romney-fundraiser-remarks?lite
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Sally
Oct. 11th, 2012 at 3:15 pm
“without doing anything” he plans to add 12 million jobs? So what will he do when his secret plans start decimating jobs? Blame it on “nothing?” The man is a charlatan, and is more exposed every day. Much as I hated the President’s calmness at Debate 1, I am beginning to appreciate that more people are tuning into Romney, and not liking what they hear (on one day, the next they might like him fine.) What I don’t get is the media not holding him to account. Do we not deserve to know what he would DO as President? Are we just useful idiots, someone for him to ignore, because the ‘rill’ voters will vote against Obama anyway?
He and Ryan are snakes.or maybe slimy eels. They slither and slink and lie and connive. This pair would be so very dangerous for the world. And they care nothing about bulding America, just their own wealth and power.
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WTF1113
Oct. 11th, 2012 at 1:57 pm
First, she pretends that she can’t remember all 5 points of Mitt’s “simple plan”, hoping to come off like a ditzy blonde trophy wife.
“And then if you go to a country like China…”
Where your husband sent jobs and got a tax break, but doesn’t know that such a tax break even existed – what a joke.
OK, I think I’ll stop it, cuz this is probably really hard for her and Mitt. After all, it’s their turn.
Awwww, princess…
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gsb
Oct. 12th, 2012 at 12:00 am
DON’T BE SO HAD ON POOR LIL’ ANN don’t you understand she was just being “Sweet’? That’s what all Morman women are supposed to be. “Sweet”, no trouble. Just be there for the brains of the family support for the man,always available. After all, the poor men have to make all the hard decssions.
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Calma
Oct. 11th, 2012 at 1:58 pm
She forgot to mention her worries for his mental well-being if he’s elected.
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mjh
Oct. 11th, 2012 at 3:58 pm
I was just going to say — how is electing someone who’s apparently five cans short of a six-pack going to “instantly” improve the economy?
.
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lm945
Oct. 11th, 2012 at 7:52 pm
Someone who’s mentally unstable AND has a bad temper.
Not someone I want in control of a nuclear arsenal.
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FauxRomney
Oct. 12th, 2012 at 2:02 am
Someone commented on the Internet that Romney has the same symptoms of Asberger’s Syndrome. Could it be? Hmmmm.
Whatever he has it isn’t good…(ADD)
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gsb
Oct. 12th, 2012 at 12:02 am
Careing aout his well being is just part of being “Sweet”
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Marcel M. Pfister
Oct. 11th, 2012 at 2:01 pm
Yeah, right, Ann. Honey, one of the reasons shouldn’t be voting for Mitt is YOU. I shudder to think of you as a First Lady. Serious competition for the Queen of Spades.
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FauxRomney
Oct. 12th, 2012 at 2:04 am
I keep reading articles on the Internet that Ann Romney’s poll numbers are “skyrockting.” What! How can that be.
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RMuse
Oct. 11th, 2012 at 2:05 pm
Mrs. Willard epitomizes arrogance on par with Kolob-boy himself. These people are seriously deluded. It’s what professionals call god-complex. It’s rampant in Mormon literature and ideology, and apparently Mrs. Willard bought and drank all the koolaid her old man’s 10% temple admittance fee could buy. Only a pathetic, disgusting woman deifies a man she’s concerned is mentally unstable.
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ldelde
Oct. 11th, 2012 at 2:18 pm
That is not the first time Ann has mentioned that he had to learn to control his temper – sounds like restraining order into anger management talk to me. His own party doesn’t like him and none of them trust him. The rest of the country should not have to suffer because the GOP didn’t have a better candidate. He was vetted with Sarah Palin in 2008 and the senior members of the GOP determined that Sarah Palin was more qualified…ENOUGH SAID!
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GlennAZ
Oct. 11th, 2012 at 2:46 pm
The charter schools have provided the answers. The teachers’ unions are preventing those things from happening, from bringing real change to our educational system. We need to throw out the system.
Once again it’s selling off the commons for profit. Charter schools are not the answer. Teacher’s unions are not the problem. Funny, her answer is not consistent with Willard’s.
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Lori
Oct. 11th, 2012 at 3:19 pm
“AR: He is so warm and approachable, very spontaneous and funny in his private life”
Except for when he loses his temper with his children or in “other situations.” Impressive…
“GH: Where there is no regulation…
AR: Where there is no regulation, and you see what’s wrong there and how people are dying younger there. And the pollution and the air quality is just abysmal, and people are having to live in that. You understand how important it is, but you also have to recognize that we have to balance those things.”
Perhaps Queen Ann thinks that pollution can be “balanced” so that only “you people” have to live with it and are exposed & affected. Wonder what she would think about her pricey ms meds being unregulated or medications used on her many (expensive) horses–oh, just trust the pharmaceuticals, they won’t hurt you.
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robyn ryan
Oct. 11th, 2012 at 7:14 pm
Have you ever seen an animated called ‘The Oblongs’ on Adult Swim?
It’s Romneyland.
The 1% live on the hill, and everyone else is deformed by their chemical waste at the bottom.
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D. W. Skinner
Oct. 11th, 2012 at 3:38 pm
Everytime this vacuous airbag opens her mouth she steals precious oxygen away from intelligent humans.
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kimbutgar
Oct. 11th, 2012 at 3:42 pm
I hope President Obama needles Rmoney so much he loses his temper on stage effectively destroying his candidacy. Can you see the headlines, How will rmoney work with world leaders if he can’t contain his temper? I just hope that the President pokes that sharp stick at him to lose it. Please Please Karmic gods.
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GeneralLerong
Oct. 11th, 2012 at 4:02 pm
Ann Romney is The Confidence Fairy? Who coulda knowed?
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Colleen
Oct. 11th, 2012 at 4:16 pm
Sally, if he gets into office and jobs are lost, he will blame it on Obama because he never takes the blame for anything himself.
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kvinch
Oct. 11th, 2012 at 4:32 pm
I am a long time subscriber to Good Housekeeping but when this issue arrives in my mailbox it will be tossed directly into the trash. What an absolutely idiot – can’t even remember 5 things??? I hope she remembers the 5 names of her non-military serving sons. They both make me absolutely sick to my stomach — so I’m off to the emergency room – LOL!!
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Shelly
Oct. 11th, 2012 at 4:59 pm
I have three children that all went to public schools, all three went on to graduate from college, all three have GOOD paying jobs. I sorry but there is nothing wrong with our public schools! If it isn’t broke it dosen’t need to be fixed.
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kevin
Oct. 11th, 2012 at 5:28 pm
What she really means is that once the black guy is gone all the rich CEO’S will start hiring again, and the republicans will re-introduce the same Job’s bills that they rejected because the black guy submitted it.
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bottomhouse
Oct. 11th, 2012 at 5:29 pm
@kimbutgar….so on that with you…
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Gayle McClintic
Oct. 11th, 2012 at 5:44 pm
And she is soooo stupid she didn’t even get it when she was talking about China…that the very problems that they are experiencing due to deregulating corporations are the ones we will experience if her husband is elected…she didn’t get that she is contradicting his platform and saying the opposite of what he is saying about teachers and so forth…she’s the closest to him she KNOWS what he is planning to do…WAKE THE F**K UP AMERICA!!!!
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Rene
Oct. 11th, 2012 at 6:38 pm
Is she implying that Republicans employers are holding jobs hostage until their guy gets elected?
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Shiva (Moderator)
Oct. 11th, 2012 at 6:57 pm
If thats the case I think we need to make them pay for it
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Sammy
Oct. 11th, 2012 at 9:24 pm
Rene: I remember readin an article that John Boner met with the Bankesters after Pres Obama took office to work out a deal whereby the would not lend money to small businesses and others needing loans while Pres Obama was in office.
Havwn’t been physically able to do research for the source but it was a major news source.
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mjh
Oct. 12th, 2012 at 2:23 am
Aw, hell — I remember reading of a doctor who refused to treat people who were in favor of the ACA . . . and various small businessman who say they won’t hire until Obama is out of office.
@Shiva: I think to best way to make them pay for it is is to ensure their fellow repub elected officials are unemployed on Nov. 6th.
That way, with them refusing to hire for another four years, they’ll go out of business . . .
.
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zumpie
Oct. 11th, 2012 at 6:48 pm
She isn’t Mitt’s “secret weapon” her popularity numbers are lower than his! Also, the teeny, tiny window we get into their lives shows some seriously creepy 1950′s style stuff.
“He’s so good to me”. Eeewwww. He’s your husband, not your father. But clearly he’s at least nice to you. It sounds like he beats your children.
Once again, this does nothing to improve his standing in my eyes. They are both creepy, entitled, craven pigs
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Tanja
Oct. 11th, 2012 at 7:20 pm
What is the point of releasing this in the November issue?That’s a bit late. Isn’t it?….All I can think is, no one who plans to vote for this person ever reads or watches any type of informative news.
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Otto
Oct. 11th, 2012 at 7:54 pm
Perhaps the economy will improve on the Mormons’ planet Kolob if Mitt wins, but not down here on Earth!
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Debs
Oct. 11th, 2012 at 8:26 pm
AR: “One is to get rid of regulation…”
AR: “Everyone wants clean air and clean water. I mean, of course we all do. And then if you go to a country like China —”
GH: “Where there is no regulation…”
AR: “Where there is no regulation,and you see what’s wrong there and how people are dying younger there. And the pollution and the air quality is just abysmal, and people are having to live in that.”
I see what you did there…
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Anne
Oct. 12th, 2012 at 12:55 am
All she does is reinforce the reasons why these creeps should never enter the White House except as tourists. She is a Stepford wife who cements the case against his presidency every time she opens her mouth. I have never seen such an arrogant, ignorant, and presumptuous couple aspiring to become President and First Lady. No matter what kind of performance Willard put on at the first debate, he fully intends to enact harmful and outdated policies if he should ever be elected as president. I can only wonder what it takes for those enamored of him to see that he has nothing to offer them unless they are wealthy.
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Echelon
Oct. 12th, 2012 at 3:26 am
I can’t put my finger on it, but there’s something about Ann Romney that brings to mind Sarah Palin.
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Jose Martinez MSQR
Oct. 12th, 2012 at 5:13 am
Note to self: Be nice. Do not pile on. Restrain yourself. Do not stoop to their level.
SELF: But it would be sooo easy!
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Susan
Oct. 12th, 2012 at 7:31 am
“And, for me, I’ve gone through very serious health issues. Once your health is taken away, you have nothing.” She continued, “And so I would love people to know that we do care and that we do understand what it means to struggle financially.”
Non sequitur du jour.
I lost my health so of course I understand financial struggle.:
Here are a few more to try on, Ann:
I ride a dressage horse so of course I understand Mitt’s economic plan.
Mitt speaks French so of course he is a job creator.
We’re filthy rich so of course we’re Mormon.
I hate you people so of course I would make a great First Lady.
I’m a shallow, callow cow so of course everyone deserves clean air and water.
I could go on and on. But I’d rather vomit.
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RoughAcres
Oct. 12th, 2012 at 12:27 pm
Electing Mr. Romney will “instantly” improve the economy… why?
Is he bringing his money back to the US?
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