Michelle Obama says 'every mother works hard'

[April 13, 2012]  WASHINGTON  -- First lady Michelle Obama is defending mothers.

"Every mother works hard, and every woman deserves to be respected," she tweeted Thursday.

The first lady's comment follows Democratic consultant Hilary Rosen saying on CNN that Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney's wife Ann should not be his surrogate on women and economic issues because she had "never worked a day in her life."

Ann Romney said raising five sons was hard work and that her husband considered her job more important than his as family breadwinner.

Both parties are vying for the votes of women, who are a majority of the electorate in this presidential and congressional election year. Women lean heavily Democratic and Romney is trying to peel off those who have been hit hard by the recession during Obama's presidency.

[Associated Press]

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