Should Hilary Rosen Apologize to Ann Romney?

The only thing I know about this story is what you have typed. My initial thought is, while Rosen could have worded her statement better, she's absolutely correct. She should have said that Ann Romney did not have to have a paying job and her family has never suffered financially, so she did not know what it was like for families to try to make ends meet, which is what Mitt Romney was trying to imply.

The Romney's are absolutely clueless about the financial world of 90% of Americans. When asked what kind of car his wife drives, he said she had 2 Cadillacs (I believe, I'm not certain what car it was, just that she has 2 of them). When asked about NASCAR he said some of his closest friends are owners. The guy does not have a clue what it's like to buy mill, so he's probably trying to imply that his wife does.

This was not in any way a slite to SAHM's. This was all about the Romney's being out of touch with reality.

I wouldn't apologize. Screw 'em! She has a constitutional right to say whatever it is she wants to say. The Romneys are going to have to get a little thicker skin if they plan on seeing this whole election thing through.

Amen Jill T! Couldn't have said it better myself!!

It was really ignorant, disrespectful and bitter. So sick of the poor me mentality.

Tat2d~2~b amused: seriously? When you have money and it gets hard, you just call people in to fix things for you? It's statements like that which create more of a divide between people. Are there rich people who take the easy way out of parenting? Sure. And there are POOR people who don't parent too! I'm wealthy and to say that I don't work just as hard at parenting as you do makes me very angry and makes me feel way less generous about giving my money away to people like you who seem to have their hands out. Money certainly doesn't fix all problems kids may have too. Respect me and I'll respect you. You obviously dont respect mothers who aren't poor. How stupid is that? Base it on the individual vs a stereotype you came up with! Jackie Kennedy was very wealthy but I think from all reports, she was an excellent mother. I love her quote "it doesn't matter what else you do in life if you mess up raising your children." Speaks volumes. And I have to say so does running for President when you're wealthy. Does he need this job?? Is it incredibly hard work and demanding to run for President? YES!! If she was so lazy and wanted to take the easy way out, she'd tell him to not bother. Not like they need the paycheck! I think they're setting excellent examples for their children of geting involved despite the fact that they don't need to. They could sit back and coast but they're not. I bet Mrs. Romney doesn't have time to be on Mamapedia a lot!

Romney introduced his wife into the discussion. If he does that, as you put it, all bets are off. If candidates want their families left (mostly) alone, candidates have to leave their families out of the discussion in this way. Romney wasn't saying, as all the politicians do, "My wife is a big support" or "My wife knows me well and she'll tell you I'll be good at this job." Instead he introduced her name into the discussion regarding economics -- and unless she's a trained economist or is willing to unveil the family's personal budgeting, etc., he should not have brought her into the public eye in that context. His comment made it fair game for others to comment on her; she is a public figure now, and he made her so.

Shirley, a government mandate to protect women's right to affordable contraception is not starting a war on women. Telling women they have no right to employer-funded contraception -- that they're "sluts" if they even want contraception -- that's a war on women.

And, um, should Hilary Rosen apologize to Ann Romney? Oh, I guess so. Honestly, Hilary Rosen had a point, but she made it in an awkward, disrespectful way. Of course, Ann Romney works. But she has no concept of the economic reality that 99% of American women live with, SAHMs or not. So, Hilary Rosen should apologize to Ann Romney. And then Mitt Romney should apologize to 99% of the American people.

Yeah. Probably "nothing" is the answer to what most of us have in common with Mrs. Romney, who drives "a couple of Cadillacs."

Who could be surprised by a statement from a man who has "connected with the little people" so very well with comments like:

"I should tell my story. I'm also unemployed."

"Corporations are people, my friend... of course they are. Everything corporations earn ultimately goes to the people. Where do you think it goes? Whose pockets? Whose pockets? People's pockets. Human beings, my friend."

"I have some great friends who are NASCAR team owners..."

"But I’ve got a lot of good friends, the owner Miami Dolphins, and the New York Jets — both owners are friends of mine."

And Mitt's "job" for the last 6 years has been running for president!

I think Mitt can do as he likes, and keep mentioning Ann as a representative of the economic needs of American women - but that doesn't make it smart. Nothing new for him.

Rosen and other jealous moms who either don't want to stay at home, aren't cut out for it, or can't afford to stay at home needs to learn the golden rule to back off ANY stay at home mom. ...and as if Mrs. Romney must know nothing of economics... yeah, because when you are a stay at home mom you don't use money or care about money or don't have to think about money. (I'm not saying working moms are jealous, I'm saying that the ones that belittle SAHMs are)

The Romneys obviously know a LOT about money and how to make it and how to manage it. The Obamas were over-spending and majorly going into debt right before he became president. INTERESTING!!!! HAHAHA. Hmmmm, right?

Totally much rather have a president that has showed evidence of knowing how to make a lot of money and handle it well. I'm "poor", but that doesn't mean I want a poor or not wealthy president! Seriously, our country needs an entirely new budget. Lets get someone in there that handles money well, it will help everyone out.

Her apologizing? Phewy. It won't matter coming from a person that has said that in the first place, you know where her mind/heart is. It is already out there. Apologizing comes from a real conscience and change of mind... not based on what the public thinks.

And for goodness sakes, I'm a SAHM. I handle all the bills, I tell my husband what we need every month, I do the shopping, I say what we have left, and I budget all over the ____@____.com place!!!! I handle it all, and I make sacrifices based on it. I adjust what we buy based on what he brings in. I have sleepless nights having the knowledge of all it and stressing about it. Meanwhile, I'm also working hard at home raising our four kids. I know a ton about money!!!!!

Oh, and Obama's "cred": Over 92% of jobs lost since he has been in office have been women. OH, and also, The women working for the White House make 18% less than men with the same position.

I find humor in this whole thing. Why?

Because it was Obama who started the "war on women" when he demanded Churches provide birth control and abortions in their health care packages...when it backfired...they blamed it on Republicans and many Americans have such short memories, they believe it.

Romney should not have brought his wife into this discussion/debate. Rosen made some stupid remarks. What's new? Politicians do it all the time.

Romney needs to focus on and tell the American people what he plans to do if elected President and keep his family out of it. Rosen needs to apologize for making stupid comments.

I could mention Obama's stupid comments and how out of touch he is. I could point out like Mommy B did that the Obama's were spending more than they earned before he was President as well.

And also mention who he considers friends (Ayers - a known terrorist). But it doesn't matter does it? Too many Americans will vote party lines and not really look into the candidates and accept what the main stream media tells them.

...And that is precisely the point that Rosen was making. Her verbiage might have been off--I'm sure that she wasn't saying that raising children was not real and hard work--but he wasn't mentioning his wife in a reference to hard work. He was making an "economic reference" that does not apply directly to his wife. Rosen was addressing that alone. It implies nothing bad about her staying home with her children. Whatever struggles Romeny's wife has endured are irrelevant to this particular case and should not be applied. ("My wife drives a couple of Cadillacs." Really, Mitt?)

Oh, I didn't answer your question--sorry. Nope, Rosen should not apologize. She should ignore it and move forward. She responded to something that he said, invalidated his point. Romney's wife should stand down; this was not an attack.

Well, Mitt is trying to bolster his cred w/ female voters since the GOP has pretty much eviscerated that over the last few months. In fact, the GOP is down by almost 20 pts. w/ women these days so I'm not surprised that Mitt's rolling out his wife right now. But do I think that Mrs. Romney is a credible source on the economics of running a country? Absolutely not. I'm not saying she can't manage her household well; but then, so do I. But I certainly wouldn't expect the President or Romney to start touting MY economic credentials, either. Do I think that the interviewer should apologize? No. If you're going to start throwing your family out there as 'experts' then you better be prepared for the tough questions that follow.

Added: this has NOTHING to do w/ SAHM vs. WAHM.

BTW, MommyB: That is simply not true that 92% of the jobs that have been lost were jobs that females had. That was refuted on the news the other night, but then, you got that straight from Romney's campaign, so I'm not surprised to see a lie there.

Shirley L, This was a comment made by a single person not associated with any campaign. Some of your comments are just plain silly.

Mira - Spot on!

ETA- Bobbi, she's not associated with the Obama campaign. This is an individual speaking. And, David Axelrod actually called her out on her comments and condemned them fairly explicitly. Axelrod's response to Rosen's fairly tame comments were a far cry stronger than Mitt's feeble responses to Rush's vile hate-spew. (And Rush seems to have far more influence in the Republican party than Rosen has on the Dems.)

It was a dumb comment.. As are those who suggest that having money makes it easier for you as a parent. Personally, I don't think I am rich (monetarily) However, I will say this, I am a much better parent than many of those who have money. So don't use that as an excuse.. Money doesn't make you a good parent or not... You can be as poor as can be and still be a GREAT parent. so those who mock her and think it's all about money.. Get real, stop playing the victim role.. Seriously.... and to say, Mrs. Romney hasn't worked a day in her life... How does that lady know.. apart from raising five children... which to me is HUGE work and responsibility.. Maybe she also did volunteer work and other things...
It's just such a stupid comment.... truly, let's not give it too much more time..

Absolutely. She has no class and should learn to not open her mouth with nonsense, but that doesn't seem to be the normal way things are going with the current lot we're stuck with. They say the worst and most inappropriate things ever. How about the "they can take a back seat" comment - ugh!

I have to severly disagree with the statement of being rich makes being a parent easier. No way in the world is this true. Because you can pay someone to come in and change your kids diaper makes you love or worry aobut your children any less?

There is a divide in this country between the have and the have-nots because that is what Obama wanted. I loved when I had to answer if my kids had health insurance or not when submitting my taxes. That man is FAR too deep into my personal life than the Constituion allows. He would know that is he read it.

But back to Rosen, yes, she should apologize for having zero class and being completely foolish.

Yes. She needs to apologize.

I think she meant to say, Ms. Romney has never had to work outside of the home to support her family

Or Ms. Romney has never depended on her working to support her family.

I have a few friends that have never really depended on themselves to earn any money to support their families. They have actually never worked outside of the home. They many times, are pretty clueless about what it takes.

My mother was divorced and worked full time to support us. She has a completely different view on what it is like to not only care for a family, but also to HAVE to earn a living.. The stress, the pressures, the guilt, and the lack of support from anyone else.

Ms. Rosen needs to make this clear.

Damn straight she should. I'm FREAKING tired of being told that because I'm a SAHM that I don't understand women's issues, the hell I don't. Just because I chose a different job than you doesn't mean I don't understand your needs. In fact a lot of us SAHM babysit working mothers children and we see what it's like to try and do both.

We are ALL women and we should NOT be pitting ourselves against one another just because someone thinks she's better than someone else because she leaves home to go to work.

Do any of us really have anything financially in common with the wives of politicians? Even those that are working outside the home still don't exactly have my challenges as I'm sure I don't have yours. I don't need someone to be side by side with me to understand me. I don't have to have cancer to understand the needs and challenges of cancer patients. Do you see where I'm going?

I think she needs to apologize for saying that she's never worked a day in her life. She has. I have 5 children and it was the hardest work I've ever done. I use to be a working mother so I've been on both sides. She should've said that Mrs. Romney has never worked outside the home and therefore may not be the most understanding of the needs/challenges of us that do. NOT say that she's never worked.

We are all sisters and as such we need to respect the choices we make for ourselves and our children and families.

I have been a SAHM and let me tell you that was the hardest job. YES its a JOB.

A SAHM is a economic genius in my opinion and is exactly the person we should be talking to. They know the cost of groceries, energy, events, school. WHY wouldn't we listen to them? Here is a clue, they ARE relevant.

I listened to her comments and thought they were uneducated and uninformed. But that is not a surprise to me coming from someone of her ilk. But hey, I'm getting used to being called all sorts of names by the tolerant lot.

People here talk about Mitt being rich. Isn't that the American dream? Earn as much as you can and live well? You bet its my dream.

I'd rather hear the Dems talk about why gas is over $4/gallon where I live . . .

Very poor form for Ms. Rosen but I don't expect her to apologize either.

I'm a flaming Libertarian so I don't have a "dog" in this particular fight.

ABSOLUTLEY she should apologize. Somehow because someone's husband did well and as a family they chose for her to stay home and raise 5 boys, volunteer, serve on committees and the list goes not, that that's not "work". (receiving the Lifetime Ahievement Award from Operation Kids among others) She finished her degree, juggling family commitments, through a Harvard extension night school. As a stay-at-home mom, my concerns might be different from someone who works 9-5, sure. Does that therfore make my concerns any less valid because I don't bring home a paycheck any more? Although primarily I am the one budgeting our expenses at the grocery store, the gas pump, clothing, we do discuss it as a family. My husband does value my opinion and asks for it. I am the one juggling volunteer commitments which involves more than baking cookies, with my daughter's education as I homeschool her and others. I do worry about my daughter's future in a world that perhaps does not value what I chose to do or looks down upon it as the easy life. And somehow because Mitt actually values the opinion of a woman, his wife in this case, he is to be ridiclued and suddenly that makes her fair game to pile on the hate? And give me a break. So apparently since Ann Romney has a lot of money she has absolutely NO sympathy and cannot understand or sympathsize with what paycheck to paycheck people go through? Ergo, since Obama doesn't have any children in the military like the Romneys he can't understand the full impact of war and so he should step down? Everyone's life experiences brings a different insite. They should ALL be valued, not denegrated.

Here is what I think;

I think Ann Romney knows nothing about economics, and does not represent regular American women. I can't relate to her at all, and I also stay at home with my kids. But she's right, I work darn hard, and I have made a LOT of sacrifices to make sure that I am the one raising my kids.

Having said that, I think family should be off limits unless family thrusts themselves into the limelight. So yes, Rosen should apologize, although I don't think she has to. But what she said was tacky, because Mrs. Romney isn't running for president. I thought that attacks on Hillary Clinton and Michelle Obama were classless and mean-spirited, and Rosen's attack on Ann Romney is just the same. Leave the family out of it.

Shirley, do you have any more talking points you'd like to throw in there? Seriously.

Yes, she should apologize if she doesn't want to alienate a certain very important voter block (stay-at-home moms). Just because a woman never worked in a corporate or typical work setting, doesn't mean she never had a career. It's all how you look at it.

Mitt and party support aside, it's a turn off to potential voters.

ADDED: I hear she apologized... so I was wrong.
This is what I wrote earlier:
She should but she won't.

Why are women so judgmental toward each other regarding their choices?

Kristin, since you're calling people out I'll call you out. Rosen is a democrat strategist, DNC advisor, Obama supporter and has been a regular visitor to the White House. She isn't just a single person not associated with any campaign.

This comment bothered me more than I thought it would. It has nothing to do with whether people have money or not. It has to do with where you get your information.

We all have girlfriends of differing financial situations. We all talk to each other. Why is Mitt's wife NOT a good indicator of what concerns women in this day and age? She is. She talks to her girlfriends, she sees their struggles, they confide in her- just like we do with all of our girlfriends. That's what they are there for!

I think Rosen is way off base in the thought behind her comment- that because the Romney's have money, they have no clue what it is like for those who don't. That because they have money, they don't know people who don't. That because they have money NOW, they have never known struggles of those who don't.

And, I do think spouses should be off limits in political campaigns. That is a sacred relationship. Of course a candidate is going to mention their spouse and of course the spouse is going to be out on the stump for them.

What if instead of saying Mrs. Romney has never "worked a day in her life," Ms. Rosen had said the following?:

"It is a poor choice on Mitt Romney's part trying to refer to his wife as any kind of economic influence on his policy-making. A life of privilege, such as Mrs. Romney has enjoyed, is not likely to illicit feelings of camaraderie with a vast majority of voters in this economic climate."

MUCH wordier, but that is what I infer from this comment. I am a SAHM, and I don't feel insulted by the comment. Perhaps a simpler translation would be, "Never had to worry about money in her life." I mean, do YOU feel a kinship with Mrs. Money?

yes. It's not boldness it's arrogance and ignorance.

It was a stupid comment Rosen made that just serves to rile people up. Then again, riling people up is what some people do best, like coming out of the woodwork (vacation this time?) on this thread...

Dawn

NO.

I'm one to never get on the "they should apologize" bandwagon. No matter WHAT political side, etc... Since when should we tell someone to apologize? The media and much of the public believe that we should dictate when someone apologizes, but a sincere apology isn't forced, it is genuine.

By the way, Our own first lady didn't like when Rosen said that. Michelle Obama said in response that every woman should be equally respected. I do appreciate it when someone from the same party lines actually calls something out when they think it is not right.

A little personal comment: I'm a stay at home mom of 6, and I deal with all of our finances my husband brings in. The only difference between my husband and I? He gets paid for all of his work, and I do not. The money he receives however, becomes ours the second the check is given, and after that, I usually determine where that money will go. My husband can handle money just fine, but we each have our main responsibilities and one of mine is family money budgeting.

Absolutely not. It was her opinion. It was not defamation of character or libel. B/c 2 women are involved, I get the impression Rosen is supposed to play nice and say 'sorry'. But if it were 2 men, I'm not so sure an apology would be so strongly expected.

Plus, since her comment has nothing to do with working women v. SAHM, I am gobsmacked by the outrage. The comment was pointing out Mitt should not be using his wife as an expert. If family members of politicians are supposed to be hands off to the media, then Mitt shouldn't have thrown his wife out there with his comment.

It's politics and an election year. Both sides will say things just to get the other side worked up!

Well, I think that an apology is in order for sure. However, I cannot look at Mitt Romney's wife and see someone that is likely to relate to the daily struggles that the average woman faces.

I saw the apology this morning and it was insincere. I don't think she should apologize as this is what she feels and she said it already. Only if you change your mind or realize how harsh or feelings that were hurt should you willing want to apologize but these public "i am sorry" or " i understand your side" is cow patties. Has the wife never worked a day in her life? Did she have a job before her kids? I have worked since I was 16 with the exception of on and off times after my kids.