Media

Corporate Wife? Give Me A Break

Aug. 29, 2012 5:42pm

- CEO, Concerned Women for America

Penny Nance is the President and CEO of Concerned Women for America (CWA).

Maybe it’s the fact that we just have too many professional commentators who simply must comment on every little detail at a moment’s notice, but the comments by Fox News’ Juan Williams following Ann Romney’s speech yesterday were just not appropriate and, as a woman, I feel must not go unaddressed. I like Juan Williams as a commentator, he’s a really nice guy, but I think he got this one wrong.

Commenting on her performance, Williams said she looked, “like a corporate wife.”  A corporate wife?  What in the world was he talking about? What could Ann Romney have done not to look like a “corporate wife?” Would a little less make up do it? Maybe if she would have worn her hair in a pony tail? I’ve got it. Maybe she could have worn jeans and a Planned Parenthood t-shirt. Would that have done it?

No. You know why? Because there was nothing wrong with Mrs. Romney’s performance. There is something wrong with liberal prejudice against confident, successful, well-off, conservative women. Their contempt for homemakers is especially offensive.

He continued: “The stories she told about struggles — eh!  It’s hard for me to believe. I mean, she’s a very rich woman, and I know that, and America knows that.” And there it is. That’s the answer. She’s got money.

The truth is that it doesn’t matter what Ann Romney has gone through, how sincere, caring, charitable, loving, hard-working, humble she may be, it will never be enough for some liberals out there. It doesn’t matter what she said or how she said it. She’s not a “real” woman. She has money.

Fox News’ Megyn Kelly also seemed to be taken back by William’s bizarre characterization, and so she asked him what he meant. Williams said she looked, “like a woman whose husband takes care of her, and she’s been very lucky and blessed in this life.  She’s not speaking, I think, for the tremendous number of single women in this country or married women. She did not convince me that, ‘You know what, I understand the struggles of American women in general.’”

Now I get it. If I want to speak about the struggles of America and what we can do about them I need to be a single mother who comes from poverty. Got it.

It’s not that any criticism of Mrs. Romney is out of line. You could see she was a bit nervous at the beginning, and so you could see she was reading; but you know what that is also real. Real people get nervous on big stages with lots of people watching. That doesn’t mean she’s somehow a fake and doesn’t know “true” struggle.

That’s why his comments were so out of line. And truthfully, as is so often the case, it showed more about him than about Mrs. Romney.

Frankly, I’m a bit tired of the media labels as a whole. Women are not one monolithic group, blindly following the liberal path like the media expects. We are a diverse group, and we should all be respected and taken seriously.

I am sure, in retrospect, Mr. Williams will think through what he is about to say a little more before putting it in those terms and, perhaps, that’s the lesson we should all take from this. Instead of immediately reacting to someone else based on our own prejudices and dismissing their views because of their background, perhaps we should take the time to actually listen to the substance of their ideas and go from there.

Comments (22)

  • Idris
    Sep. 14, 2012 at 1:09am

    Where is the middle in this diatribe? Ann Romney, while a better speaker then her husband, does come off looking like a 1950′s styled corporate wife. What’s wrong with that? Mr. Williams does have a point where the Romeny’s do not come across as a couple who have known anything less then room service and personal staff. Does that public image match with millions of Americans who only see the Lottery as a chance to come close to that? What does not liking the statement by Mr. Williams have to do with the political platform of Gov. Romney? Or is this another red herring that is fed to the public as a way to duck around a bigger issue?

    Report this comment

    Idris  
  • whotaughtyouthat
    Aug. 31, 2012 at 3:20pm

    In truth don’t we all want to look like someone who is loved and cared for by our families, be that husbands, wives, children, parents, our partners. They are a team not just Ann and Mitt but their kids too. That’s what a family should be. She grows by helping him grow and you could just as easily turn that around.

    Report this comment

    whotaughtyouthat  
  • jrcess
    Aug. 31, 2012 at 10:53am

    Fox needs to Fire Juan Williams. His comment’s are very demeaning. Hannity, and “The Five” definitely do not need this crap hole lurking about.

    Report this comment

    jrcess  
  • Dudemau
    Aug. 31, 2012 at 4:31am

    No, it shows how envious you are because you do not have the talent nor the wherewithal to achieve a fraction of what she/they have. What a miserable life you must lead to covet what others have and you obviously never will.

    Report this comment

    Dudemau  
  • Seeds
    Aug. 31, 2012 at 1:33am

    America comes Home
    Sounds like a degree by Masters of passions of two speakers
    Ann Romney and Mitt Romney
    Words got from their speeches
    Word to live by actions to live by Character of Men and Women…
    together… Humility, Love committment faith positive believeable
    solving issues confirmation..giving undying daily fortitude
    focusing of turning the ship right side up..
    lift us up to honor of our families in America again
    Some stuff you just don’t learn by a degree or a book
    but by undying love at home..God Bless America s Home Again and
    Mothers and fathers everywhere love started it and fights to
    continue The Great Take Back of eternity
    Thank you America for loving us

    Report this comment

    Seeds  
    • americanmama
      Sep. 11, 2012 at 4:33pm

      I sometimes wish that Mitt Romney would be bolder, more brash. So does Glenn Beck. But lately I’ve realized that what America needs now more than ever is a leader who knows how to bridle his passions and maintain his self-control. We need a leader who is steady, loyal to his wife and children and country, hardworking and spending his time in the service of others. We have enough smart-alecks and ego-maniacs in positions of authority. Perhaps, we would be blessed, as Ann truly has been, to have Mitt Romney, a man of high and noble character looking out for us. Maybe we could come through our most difficult struggles as triumphantly and beautifully as she has.
      ( I was immediately offended by Juan Williams comment – he looked small and ignorant- like someone who has no idea what a mother of 5 boys has to do in order to raise them well and keep her own sanity. Not to mention her illnesses -fearing for her life and wondering if she would be able to continue to care for her family or if she would become a continual burden on them. I was ticked at Juan. He really looked like a calloused jerk.)

      Report this comment

      americanmama  
  • fifty4
    Aug. 30, 2012 at 5:17pm

    Juan’s comments and frankly some of those on this page are & were out of line. To suggest that a woman’s value, intelligence, or possession of “relevant political credentials” depends upon a college education or that “she did nothing but marry and have kids” is sexist and demeaning. All Mrs. Romney was doing was supporting her husband and sharing with America what she knows about her husband from her own experiences. No one commenting on this page, no one listening to her speech, no one analyzing her comments know truly about her struggles or her feelings. The majority of liberals have no respect for stay at home moms. Raising 5 boys to become upstanding citizens, good husbands, and fathers and managing a home is quite the accomplishment and did not happen without some struggles not counting breast cancer and MS. Our society expects a woman to be a “super” woman – one who works outside the home and perform with exellence as a mother and wife. Men are never expected to do that. I have a college education, taught school, was a wife and mother of 4 children, went back to school at 45 to get my masters degree, became a principal with good health. One of my daughters has 75 college hours choosing not to finish, is a stay at home mom raising 3 little boys and is very intelligent. You cannot tell me that she does nothing all day, that she is less intelligent, knows nothing of politics, and is somehow less of a person because of it.

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    fifty4  
  • NineteenEighty4
    Aug. 30, 2012 at 11:09am

    The kernel of truth that came from Williams is that she has been pampered for her entire life. She didn’t have to worry about a career and making money. Just because she is a mother and a cancer survivor doesn’t mean we have to respect anything she has to say regarding politics. You know who else is a mother? Millions of other people. You know who else has cancer? Millions of other people.

    She doesn’t really have any achievements that she can call her own. She’s not highly educated. She’s never had a career. She’s just there to smile and look pretty. Just because she had a few babies with the Presidential candidate doesn’t mean she has the capacity to speak knowledgeably about the issues the rest of Americans, who didn’t marry into uber wealth, have to live with on a daily basis.

    I’m sure she wasn’t invited to the board meetings at Bain to discuss the “women’s view” of the quarterly earnings, just because she was a mother and a cancer survivor. Why should we acknowledge anything she has to say regarding politics, for those same reasons? I don’t think she’s a bad person and I wish her well in terms of her personal health, but that’s it. I don’t think she’s an exceptional woman and shouldn’t be portrayed as such.

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    NineteenEighty4  
    • SirEm
      Aug. 30, 2012 at 12:25pm

      How sad to read comments like yours. As this lady said here, it shows more about how prejudiced you are. Some of the wisest people I know do not have an awesome education or careers. You don’t know this lady.

      Why do you dismiss her being a cancer survivor? It is a tough thing to go through. Besides your own argument on her wealth, exposes you. Millions of people are poor too. Do you dismiss one because they are others? No, it is a tough thing to go through also.

      Report this comment

      SirEm  
    • NineteenEighty4
      Aug. 30, 2012 at 3:19pm

      I hardly think I’m being prejudiced. Tell me, what are her credentials? On what authority does she speak? She can’t go onto a stage, speak to millions of people, tell them everything is going to be alright, when she has no legitimate private or public sector experience to back it up.

      Michelle Obama has a J.D. Laura Bush has a masters. Hilary has a J.D. The last few First Lady’s were exceptionally bright, involved people. Ann has done nothing but marry and have kids with a successful businessman who now happens to be running for President. I don’t think she’s a bad person. I am simply stating she has no personal accomplishments that give her an authority to talk politics in front of millions of people. Being a mother and a cancer survivor is wonderful and great, but those aren’t relevant political credentials.

      Report this comment

      NineteenEighty4  
    • SirEm
      Aug. 30, 2012 at 6:17pm

      Well, read your post. You are prejudiced against anybody without a degree. I already said a degree does not make someone wise. Talk about the ideas. Just because a person does not have a degree doesn’t mean you are free to insult them as dumb. Your assertion shows your ignorance. Have you ever heard of Henry Ford? Bill Gates? Know who our 6th president was? Look that up and see what he accomplished without a degree…

      Report this comment

      SirEm  
    • retiredaf1981
      Aug. 31, 2012 at 12:14pm

      It really amazes me that people like you worship the almighty degrees that individuals have. I have met many people who have their degrees and have tunnel vision when comes to anything outside their expertise. Unlike Mrs Rommney who has to have knowledge about varied aspects of life to take care of the family the elites, like Juan, can only show disdain for her competence.

      Report this comment

      retiredaf1981  
    • americanmama
      Sep. 11, 2012 at 4:34pm

      Do you know anyone with five young boys. Take and care for them for 1 week, I guarantee that your view of Ann being pampered will change.

      Report this comment

      americanmama  
  • grimmster
    Aug. 30, 2012 at 7:42am

    For those saying williams is a angry man, you are only half right,he is a angry “black” man.Jealous much juan?

    Report this comment

    grimmster  
    • americanmama
      Sep. 11, 2012 at 4:50pm

      I don’t think color has much to do with it, and frankly, your comment sounds racist. If you are a die-hard Democrat, you cannot look at a Republican in a positive light. They’re the enemy. And if they do a good job at something you must immediately demean them. That’s the game of politics.
      Even if your candidate happens to be a Communist who wants to destroy our nation, you refuse to see it, you refuse to open your mind to the possibility, and you do everything in your power to support him. When your livelihood is tied to it, all the more incentive to see only what you want and hear only what you want. He’s got the narrative of the Dems down — “the Romney’s are rich, pampered, privileged people. They can’t understand you. They don’t care about you. They don’t work. They just live on the money you don’t have.” It’s sick and twisted, but it just might work. Finally I understand why God commanded us, “Thou shalt not covet….anything that is thy neighbor’s.” Covetousness may very well bring down the best nation ever to exist – where freedom and prosperity were enjoyed more than in any other nation in the history of the planet.

      Report this comment

      americanmama  
  • coizinho
    Aug. 30, 2012 at 1:01am

    This man is pure fake. Do you know his son going to vote for Rommey. And Barbara Boxer said: Beware with fist wife’s. I would like to asked Eva Longoria to explain to us what she meant..

    Report this comment

    coizinho  
  • beatobama
    Aug. 29, 2012 at 11:38pm

    Mr Williams has posted an “explanation” of his diatribe. It is pathetic, and no where does he apologize. He is simply an angry man with a chip on his shoulder. NPR had it right to fire him. Fox has made a poor investment in saving this man’s career. Move on, please.

    Report this comment

    beatobama  
  • RonnieG
    Aug. 29, 2012 at 8:54pm

    Mr. Williams is out of touch with life. My wife supports me in everything I do. He is just very angry man that needs a life. He must have had a bad childhood where he is angry with his mother. I watched Mrs. Romneys speech and I thought she done a wonderful job. He’s just a sour man he dislikes Gov. Romney because he made his own money.

    Report this comment

    RonnieG  
  • pamwrite
    Aug. 29, 2012 at 8:20pm

    Juan Williams is obviously a very angry man. He speaks from the deep cynicism that characterizes the liberal philosophy, so what else could we expect?

    Report this comment

    pamwrite  
  • RT4
    Aug. 29, 2012 at 6:43pm

    Juan W is the typical so called “victim” of inequality therefore everything he anylises is measured thought the lens of a minority. I believe liberal minorities like Juan have self esteem issues that no matter how much money they make it is going to make them to overcome their mental disorder.

    Report this comment

    RT4  
  • AmericanPatriot
    Aug. 29, 2012 at 6:05pm

    Well put. Mr. Williams was out of line and showed his extreme prejudice in his comments. As people come in all sizes and shapes, so do struggles. Maybe Mrs. Romney hasn’t had to worry much about financial issues (especially after her husband’s business took off), but she has had to struggle and deal with multiple health issues, while raising her family. NOTHING is more terrifying or more of a struggle for anyone (and maybe mostly for women) than to deal with your own health issues while trying to raise, protect and keep your family safe. That’s a form of suffering and a struggle that no kind or caring individual wishes on anyone else.

    Report this comment

    AmericanPatriot  

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