Gaffer:__ Democratic operative Hilary Rosen.__Victim:__ Stay-at-home mom Ann Romney, whom Rosen criticized as never having worked a day in her life.__Date:__April 2012.__Short-term consequences:__ Romney registered a Twitter account to defend herself.__Shortly after, her countless of varyingly hot sons joined in, too.__The Obama campaign distanced itself from
__Gaffer:__ Democratic operative Hilary Rosen.



__Victim:__ Stay-at-home mom Ann Romney, whom Rosen criticized as never having worked “a day in her life.”



__Date:__ April 2012.



__Short-term consequences:__ Romney registered a Twitter account to defend herself. Soon after, her innumerable brood of varyingly hot sons joined in, too. The Obama campaign distanced itself from Rosen and praised mothers, including Romney, who chose to leave the working world in order to raise children.



__Long-term consequences:__ “I Love My Mom!” was second only to “We Built It!” as the most prominent *and* most cloying theme of the Republican National Convention. Ann Romney’s role in the campaign was only strengthened by the affair.