Convention speeches: Ann Romney focuses on Mitt, Chris Christie appeals to independents
(CBS News) In Tampa, Fla., Wednesday night two very different speeches were heard at the Republican National Convention. The first was by Ann Romney, focusing on the man she fell in love with in high school. In the other by New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie, who accused President Barack Obama and the Democrats of hiding the truth about the future.
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Ann Romney offered a personal introduction to her husband of 43 years and father of five.
"I read somewhere that Mitt and I have a 'storybook marriage.' Well, let me tell you something. In the storybooks I read, there were never long, long, rainy winter afternoons in a house with five boys screaming at once. And those storybooks never seemed to have chapters called (multiple sclerosis) or breast cancer. What Mitt Romney and I have is a real marriage," Ann Romney told the convention crowd.
And she made a direct appeal to women, saying, "It's the moms who have always had to work a little harder, to make everything right. It's the moms of this nation - single, married, widowed - who really hold this country together."
Romney said she came to talk about love - and the crowd gave her love back - and especially when her husband came onstage after.
But then came the keynote. Christie was a different approach. "Tonight," he said, "We are gonna do what my mother taught me, tonight, we are gonna choose respect over love."
It was a call to action. "This is the American way," Christie said. "We have never been victims of destiny. We have always been the masters of our own. I will not be part of the generation that fails that test and neither will you."
His words were tailor-made for a different group of voters - all those independents who think the country is on the wrong track, that the American dream slipping away.
"I don't know about you, but I don't want my children and grandchildren to have to read in the history book (about) what it was like to live in an American century," Christie said.
Christie said the president's ideas failed, and he wasn't being straight about it. He said, "They believe that the American people don't want to hear the truth about the extent of our fiscal difficulties. They believe the American people need to be coddled by big government. They believe the American people are content to live the lie with them."
Christie's speech spoke directly to people who are worried the country's best days are behind us and made an indirect hit on President Obama when he said the GOP ticket is not going to pander to voters by telling the hard truths and get things done.
For more on this story, watch Jan Crawford's full report in the video above.
