Ann Romney: 'I Laughed' At Robert De Niro's 'White First Lady' Joke

WASHINGTON -- Newt Gingrich may have called it an "inexcusable" thing to say, but Robert De Niro's joke about America not being "ready for a white First Lady" is drawing laughs from at least one of the women hoping to fill that White House role: Ann Romney.

"I laughed," Romney said in a Thursday interview on CNN with Piers Morgan. "You know what, I took it for what it was: a joke. And you know, again, we take everything so seriously. We have to be so correct and everyone's got to apologize, and I can say, you know what, I can laugh at it."

De Niro made his comment during a fundraiser he hosted Monday night for President Barack Obama's reelection campaign. Michelle Obama was in attendance, and before she came out, De Niro joked to supporters that the country may not be ready for her to be replaced by the wife of one of the GOP candidates.

"Callista Gingrich. Karen Santorum. Ann Romney. Now do you really think our country is ready for a white First Lady?" De Niro asked. The crowd "roared" in response to De Niro's question, according to the White House pool report from that night, and De Niro responded, "Too soon, right?"

By Tuesday, Newt Gingrich was demanding that the president apologize on behalf of De Niro and said a comment like that "divides the country." But Ann Romney said people who are angry about De Niro's joke need to lighten up.

"We're all overreacting to so many things and making things so difficult, which means we have to watch every single word that comes out of our mouth. We can't be spontaneous, we can't be funny," she said.

Romney added, though, that De Niro should know better than to mix politics and humor.

"I will tell you, in politics, the fastest way to get in trouble is to make a joke. So I think Robert De Niro has just learned that."

Comments

[RobertHenryEller]

12:15 PM on 03/28/2012

"I will tell you, in politics, the fastest way to get in trouble is to make a joke. So I think Robert De Niro has just learned that."

Or, restated:

In politics the fastest way to get in trouble is to demonstrate wit and expect sophistication.

I'd have no problem with Ann Romney as First Lady. Unfortunately, she has too much baggage. I'd estimate about 200 pounds of it.

But she'll have to wait. I am really looking forward to four more years of First Lady Michelle Obama. And hopefully, she can get hubby to act more Presidential. And by that, I mean that it's way past time for Mr. O. to kick some serious butt. Gloves off, POTUS.

[Caleb Joshua Reynolds]

01:52 PM on 03/26/2012

Very nice, Mrs. Romney. Stay classy.

[Wood Gas]

05:50 PM on 03/25/2012

Okay, we have a strong, compassionate, intelligent, educated and irrelevantly, attractive First Lady. Been a long time since. (Skip the compassionate and attractive though, you could make a case for Mrs. Clinton). I see no first lady candidates who approach this standard, for one thing, Mrs. Obama married better.

No, not yet.

[dng999]

01:11 PM on 03/27/2012

I think both of them have trouble getting through doorways.

[Kat Becker]

01:23 PM on 03/27/2012

What?!? Michelle Obama is attractive, Princeton and Harvard educated, and involved in many good causes.

[MissTigress]

02:16 AM on 03/25/2012

well, honestly, good for her. It was funny. They obviously have a sense of humor...their favorite show is Modern Family, so I do think they get it and got that joke. It was a very funny comment on how four years ago people were saying they just weren't ready for a black president. It's just funny, people.

[GCL 1]

12:12 AM on 03/24/2012

>"But Ann Romney said people who are angry about De Niro's joke need to lighten up."

I agree.

[floridanorm]

07:17 PM on 03/23/2012

That Ann Romney has to have a great sense of humor being married to that wild and crazy Mitt for all these years!

[Don Stalvino]

06:49 PM on 03/23/2012

She would make a much better first lady than the current one. She has probably been proud of this country even before her husband ran for President.

[Redv14]

07:49 PM on 03/23/2012

I don't see anything to be proud of especially when child can be shot dead for walking down the street wearing a hoodie and the killer goes free.

[igdoodle]

11:28 AM on 03/28/2012

Bazinga!!!!!

[Shasha HodnettDee Harris]

04:27 PM on 03/24/2012

LOL!! So are you proud of a country that would allow the wholesale extermination of a people, simply because they are different? You're taking the first lady's comment out of context. Also, just how do we know that "Ann Romney" would make a better first lady? We already know that her bumbling husband wouldn't make a better president. She's good at cleaning up his messes, after he continually sticks his foot in his mouth. That's what most of us know about her so far.

[olehippi]

06:46 PM on 03/23/2012

Are the news organizations really this starved for news during an election year when the Middle East is in turmoil, our government is broken, and American workers can't find jobs? Seriously?

[MichaelAult]

06:39 PM on 03/23/2012

Good for Ann Romney. This doesn't make me like Mitt more as a candidate, but DeNiro's statements were at a private fund raiser for President Obama. The media made an issue out something that shouldn't have been a story. Newt just needs to drop out of the race altogether.

[Ron Beicht]

06:43 PM on 03/23/2012

you can't have it both ways if something is said in jest about Obama or his wife there is a uproar

[Wood Gas]

05:52 PM on 03/25/2012

Newt needs to drop off the planet, altogether.

[Caleb Joshua Reynolds]

01:56 PM on 03/26/2012

Moonbase?

[rworaso1922]

06:38 PM on 03/23/2012

SO WHAT????? huffpo is so idiotic...what next...michele used 4 squares of t/p or ann took too long a hot bath! huffpo is more and more like 'the onion' everyday

[robbo1400]

06:36 PM on 03/23/2012

I'm getting to like Ann Romney more and more. Every time she speaks, she is a positive on Mitts campaign.

[DocBlake]

06:35 PM on 03/23/2012

Why is Newt Gingrich in the news anyway?

[olehippi]

06:44 PM on 03/23/2012

Because he's an endangered species. Newt's pond is drying up.

[KatherineOne]

06:34 PM on 03/23/2012

and you know...and you know ...another Carloline, you know.

[MACON MAN]

06:31 PM on 03/23/2012

No one pays any attention to the first ladies anyway. Even less would pay attention to DeNiro.

[Xanadutu]

06:18 PM on 03/23/2012

Ahhhh ~ And the witch laughed ~