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| Ann Romney goes where Mitt fears to tread and takes The View by storm | Ann Romney goes where Mitt fears to tread and takes The View by storm |
| (6 months later) | |
| Back in the day – 1997 to be precise – when Barbara Walters created the View, you used to hear her voice over the opening credits, explaining what the show was meant to be. | Back in the day – 1997 to be precise – when Barbara Walters created the View, you used to hear her voice over the opening credits, explaining what the show was meant to be. |
| "I've always wanted to do a show with women of different generations, backgrounds and views: a working mother; a professional in her 30s; a young woman just starting out; and then somebody who's done almost everything and will say almost anything. And in a perfect world, I'd get to join the group whenever I wanted." | "I've always wanted to do a show with women of different generations, backgrounds and views: a working mother; a professional in her 30s; a young woman just starting out; and then somebody who's done almost everything and will say almost anything. And in a perfect world, I'd get to join the group whenever I wanted." |
| Fifteen years later, the show has spawned dozens of imitations around the world – Loose Women is its British incarnation. For presidential candidates (and their wives) who want to appeal to undecided women in swing states, it has become as essential a stop on the campaign trail as small-town diners in Iowa or Ohio. Last month's joint visit by Barack and Michelle Obama garnered a whopping 4.3 million viewers. | Fifteen years later, the show has spawned dozens of imitations around the world – Loose Women is its British incarnation. For presidential candidates (and their wives) who want to appeal to undecided women in swing states, it has become as essential a stop on the campaign trail as small-town diners in Iowa or Ohio. Last month's joint visit by Barack and Michelle Obama garnered a whopping 4.3 million viewers. |
| This election year, the political segment is called Red, White and View. On Thursday it was Ann Romney's turn to take her place on the blue couch. She was supposed to be accompanied by her husband, Republican presidential candidate Mitt, but he cancelled his appearance earlier this week. (A decision that presumably looked pretty smart after his "binders full of women" remark during Tuesday's second presidential debate spawned such derision). | This election year, the political segment is called Red, White and View. On Thursday it was Ann Romney's turn to take her place on the blue couch. She was supposed to be accompanied by her husband, Republican presidential candidate Mitt, but he cancelled his appearance earlier this week. (A decision that presumably looked pretty smart after his "binders full of women" remark during Tuesday's second presidential debate spawned such derision). |
| Romney came out wearing her signature scarlet dress, to standing applause, and sat on the center of the couch, to be confronted immediately by Walters. [Mitt] said he didn't want to come on with us "because we are high risk and we are sharp tongued," she said. | Romney came out wearing her signature scarlet dress, to standing applause, and sat on the center of the couch, to be confronted immediately by Walters. [Mitt] said he didn't want to come on with us "because we are high risk and we are sharp tongued," she said. |
| "He said sharp and young," countered Mrs Romney, smiling brightly. Score one to her. | "He said sharp and young," countered Mrs Romney, smiling brightly. Score one to her. |
| Without missing a beat, Walters moved on to Romney's shifting position on abortion. "I wonder what your views are," she asked. | Without missing a beat, Walters moved on to Romney's shifting position on abortion. "I wonder what your views are," she asked. |
| "The good news is I'm not running for office and I don't have to say what I feel," said Mrs Romney, sunnily. Score two. | "The good news is I'm not running for office and I don't have to say what I feel," said Mrs Romney, sunnily. Score two. |
| "Mitt has always been a pro-life person," she added, explaining that her husband was against embryo research. "This is an issue that is so tender. The most important thing we can do is have respect for each other." | "Mitt has always been a pro-life person," she added, explaining that her husband was against embryo research. "This is an issue that is so tender. The most important thing we can do is have respect for each other." |
| Then she went in for the kill. The difference between what women were talking about when Romney campaigned four years ago and now was "heart-breaking, Barbara. This year what I hear... 90, I would say 95% of what I hear is, 'Help, please help'." | Then she went in for the kill. The difference between what women were talking about when Romney campaigned four years ago and now was "heart-breaking, Barbara. This year what I hear... 90, I would say 95% of what I hear is, 'Help, please help'." |
| "Economic help, you mean," offered Walters. | "Economic help, you mean," offered Walters. |
| "Absolutely," said Mrs Romney, with all the conviction provided by her uncheckable number. Score three. | "Absolutely," said Mrs Romney, with all the conviction provided by her uncheckable number. Score three. |
| Whoopi Goldberg tried to have a go at the fact that Mitt Romney did not serve in Vietnam because he was on a Mormon mission, but she got her facts mixed up and the fumble gave Mrs Romney the opportunity to point out that although neither her sons nor her husband had served in the military, they had all served on church missions; she added that one of her sons is a doctor who treats military veterans. Cue loving applause from the audience. | Whoopi Goldberg tried to have a go at the fact that Mitt Romney did not serve in Vietnam because he was on a Mormon mission, but she got her facts mixed up and the fumble gave Mrs Romney the opportunity to point out that although neither her sons nor her husband had served in the military, they had all served on church missions; she added that one of her sons is a doctor who treats military veterans. Cue loving applause from the audience. |
| Score four. | Score four. |
| After another commercial, Elisabeth Hasselbeck, whose professional credentials consist of being a 2001 contestant on Survivor and marrying the American footballer Tim Hasselbeck, turned to Mrs Romney and asked if there had been a moment when she and Mitt had almost broken up. | After another commercial, Elisabeth Hasselbeck, whose professional credentials consist of being a 2001 contestant on Survivor and marrying the American footballer Tim Hasselbeck, turned to Mrs Romney and asked if there had been a moment when she and Mitt had almost broken up. |
| "Well, not according to him," was the smiling reply. | "Well, not according to him," was the smiling reply. |
| However, she said, early on in the relationship, when he was on his mission and they were apart for three and a half years, she dated a lot and came close to breaking his heart. | However, she said, early on in the relationship, when he was on his mission and they were apart for three and a half years, she dated a lot and came close to breaking his heart. |
| The questions were getting softer and softer. | The questions were getting softer and softer. |
| In the early days of The View, the show was the perfect forum for political debate. But the host lineup has changed dramatically – gone are the empathetic Meredith Vieira and the colorful Star Jones. In are Goldberg and the token conservative, Hasselbeck. Walters, older and less with it, drifts in and out. The intelligence has been diluted and the shoutiness amplified. More often than not, the hour of The View resembles a Real Housewives reunion without the moderator. | In the early days of The View, the show was the perfect forum for political debate. But the host lineup has changed dramatically – gone are the empathetic Meredith Vieira and the colorful Star Jones. In are Goldberg and the token conservative, Hasselbeck. Walters, older and less with it, drifts in and out. The intelligence has been diluted and the shoutiness amplified. More often than not, the hour of The View resembles a Real Housewives reunion without the moderator. |
| Mrs Romney's appearance finished against a vast photo of Ann and Mitt, all the kids and the 18 grandkids. The picture was of an all-American family who make dinner, clean up and share the household chores when together. Yes, all of that takes place at the family's "Lake House", but no-one bothered to comment on that. There was no mention of binders of women, either. | Mrs Romney's appearance finished against a vast photo of Ann and Mitt, all the kids and the 18 grandkids. The picture was of an all-American family who make dinner, clean up and share the household chores when together. Yes, all of that takes place at the family's "Lake House", but no-one bothered to comment on that. There was no mention of binders of women, either. |
| The Romney segment closed with the ladies of The View slumped against the couch while their guest remained perky and upright. | The Romney segment closed with the ladies of The View slumped against the couch while their guest remained perky and upright. |
| 'You are a wonderful advocate for your husband," Walters had said. | 'You are a wonderful advocate for your husband," Walters had said. |
| She got that right. | She got that right. |
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