(CNN) – Ann Romney, the wife of the GOP presidential nominee, took to "The View" Thursday to talk up her husband as an advocate for women, though she wouldn't get into many details about her own political positions.
Asked whether she, like her husband, had changed her stance on abortion, Ann Romney demurred.
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"The good news is, I'm not running for office and I don't have to say what I feel. But I am pro life. I'm happy to say that," the candidate's wife said.
Mitt Romney has been criticized for changing positions on the issue of abortion, dating back to his run for governor of Massachusetts. During that campaign, in 2002, he expressed full support for abortion rights for women. Ann Romney said Thursday he was pro-life all along, but governed from a pro-choice stance.
This cycle, the Republican candidate has expressed his opposition to abortion, with the exception of cases of rape, incest and when the life of the mother is at risk.
On "The View" Thursday, Ann Romney explained her husband changed his mind on abortion when legislation crossed his desk as governor regarding stem cell research.
"He could not have, on his conscience, creating human life for experimentation," Romney said. "That's when he came out saying he was pro life. I think we all have to understand this is an issue that is so tender and there are people on both sides of the issue, with very good conscience, coming with a different opinion."
The top issue for women, Mrs. Romney said, was the economy. Asked by Joy Behar whether access to abortion amounted to an economic issue, she again ceded to her husband.
"You know, again, I would love it if you'd get my husband on the couch, Joy, and you could go down with that all you want," she said.
Romney was originally scheduled to be a guest on the program with his wife, but canceled his appearance earlier this week. His campaign said the booking "was no longer going to work in the campaign schedule."
According to a campaign spokesman, the GOP nominee is spending Thursday doing debate prep and working on his speech for Thursday's Alfred E. Smith Memorial Foundation dinner, a black tie event that's a ritual for presidential nominees. He has no public campaign events.
At a surreptitiously recorded campaign fund-raiser in May, Romney called the ABC morning talk show "high risk," pointing to the political affiliations of the co-hosts. Whoopi Goldberg, Joy Behar and Sherri Shepherd have all expressed decidedly liberal standpoints, though Elisabeth Hasselbeck is an outspoken conservative.
"'The View' is high risk because of the five women on it. The other four are sharp tongued and not conservative, Whoopi Goldberg in particular," Romney told donors in Boca Raton, Florida earlier in the summer.
Asked about those comments Thursday, Mrs. Romney joked the hosts had misheard her husband.
"No, he said sharp and young," the candidate's wife said to laughs.
From CNN Politics
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@ Debra S... I would not have done the show... at all. I could not sit next to Joy or Whoopi. I neve watch the show I do not like the way they think... they do not ask Michelle these questions. We do not know where Michelle stands on anything. But no one asks questions to her. The whole format is sickening. How they are still on the air is beyond me.
Why do we care what she thinks? She is not an elected official. The GOP elected officials are the ones to worry about.
She don't know what to say becasue her husband change is stance so much she didn't know what it was for that day/.Also his son need to be careful what comes out of his mouth. They both were at each other if he listened well his father also called President Obama a liar (he did not come out and say it just as the President didn't but if you listened to the response Liar was indicated), just like Romney's hear what they want to hear. Still waiting for both of them to give me a reason to select who I am voting for. Where are all the screamers now if a democrat had said soemthing like this it would have been one of the worse things said. I am glad there is no specific party that I am for they both re confused.
Its a very slippery slope for Mitt going to the 'The View' but maybe he doesn't have the cajones to be around strong and intelligent women. He has the habit of fumbling on women issues and he knows that one mistake, he's history.
Abortion it's our last hope at getting rid of crack babies, the lazy and the poor. Obama 2012
She also said that Mitt will not run agin if he loses. I say when he loses they both self deport to some tax haven where their money resides.
well a little class on the View
Wonder what she would say if stem cell research was able to cure her MS? If I remember correctly President Reagan was against stem cell research but once he was diagnosed with Alzheimer's Mrs. Reagan was all for it. All very convenient. All i Ideology out the window when you're personally affected.
Ann Romney to American women (and men) if you are pro choice, for planned parenthood, against personhood, against vaginal probes, for legal abortions DO NOT VOTE FOR ROMNEY VOTE FOR OBAMA.
"You know, again, I would love it if you'd get my husband on the couch, Joy, and you could go down with that all you want," she said.
Also, it's better to be sharp-tongued that forked-tongued.
@Raggedy Ann Romney
What a doll, that Raggedy Ann is. You, too, can bring her home to love.
Just like the real thing: Stuffings where her brain is supposed to be, and if you pull her string she has 5 different phrases:
1. It's our time.
2. Stop it.
3. This Is hard.
4. I love you women!
5. I know what it's like to struggle.
Act now and your Raggedy Ann will come with the bonus phrase: We've given all you people need to know.
________________________________________________________________________________________
LMAO!!!! Does this doll come with a dancing horse? I want to order one today.
In other words, Ann Romney supports her husband's position on abortion even when he was for it before he was against it, but when he was for it he really was against it, even though he said otherwise. She supports women doing whatever they want as long as the church and government control their bodies and they are home by 5 PM to cook dinner. She agrees with her husband that women should work as long as there are no men or elves who can do the job.
This family is crazy and stupid..Ann son said he wanted to swing at president Obama that what you call stupid,.
Ann seem fake and phoney...I dont trust the Romney family.
If you watch carefully the flies buzzing around the BS Mittens spews, you can predict the future.
They asked Michelle Obama whether the president is 'romantic' — but when Ann Romney took her turn this morning on 'The View' couch, Whoopi Goldberg fired off questions about the Romneys' Mormon faith, military service and abortion.
Ann is not running for office so she doesn't have to answer questions on women's issues. She equated Mitt and the boy's Mormon missions to serving in the military and returning them home as men. She had her son in the audience try to brush off Tagg's statement of wanting to strike the President. No apologies, as they are entitled. Ann is a phoney, Mitt is a train wreck and their sons are products of their parents. The thought of "these people" occupying the White House is nauseating. The Romneys have an abundance of money, but are lacking in integrity and class.
Did anybody notice both Romney and Ryan in their expensive North Face clothing. The 47% of us cannot afford North Face.......
After watching two debates, it is clear, Romney will say anything to get elected. Whatever position serves him best at the time, then that's the one he takes. Don't be fooled, people!!!!!! He is NOT for the middle class. He doesn't even know what that is! Just like most of us don't know what it's like to be a millionare, heand his wife are out of touch with middle class reality.
Ann Romney is victim of mormon teachings. I feel bad for her and other older mormon women because they never had real chance to choose anything they wanted in their lives. Thats where mitt stands with women. PROCREATE, THATS THE DUTY OF WOMEN IN HIS EYES.Sounds ridiculous but very true.
It by some dumb mistake Mitt is elected POTUS, this woman will go down in history as the most hated First Lady. She is a phoney barbie doll, you can see it in her expressions. Her and Mitt belong together.
It was a smart move for Mitt to avoid the ladies of The View. The problem is, if he can't handle a few liberal ladies, how can he run a country?
Lady Ann always looks like she stepped in a pile of Mitt.
I am amazed that with everything this country is going through that abortion appears to remains the one thing on interviewers minds .Seriously is this how you want to define your country,on gay marriage and abortion rights? Get real people! Soft ball questions for Michelle,hard ball for Ann.What this tells me is that the View knows that M hasn't got the brains to attempt this conversation.Is he funny ,is he romantic,boxers or briefs,has the poor baby stopped smoking,what's his fav tv show? You know stuff one would ask a teenager.........hmmm ps Obama could not have served in the military as an officer with any responsibility ,,,drugs ya know!!!
For Grahame-You want to think that the son said that as a fact? Have you seen the threats that are on social media and twitter against Romney? The people that are claiming they will assassinate him if he's elected and take the food stamps away. Give me a break. You're clueless. And for you Fact Check – lets see home much tax payer money is spent on Michelle Obama's travels to Spain on vacation, her hair dresser, her $500 tennis shoes she wears to a soup kitchen, etc. before you start bringing up a horse.
I am amazed that with everything this country is going through that abortion appears to remains the one thing on interviewers minds .Seriously is this how you want to define your country,on gay marriage and abortion rights? Get real people! Soft ball questions for Michelle,hard ball for Ann.What this tells me is that the View knows that M hasn't got the brains to attempt this conversation.Is he funny ,is he romantic,boxers or briefs,has the poor baby stopped smoking,what's his fav tv show? You know stuff one would ask a teenager.........hmmm ps the President could not have served in the military as an officer with any responsibility ,,,drugs ya know!!!