Ann Romney on Mitt & Their 'Storybook Marriage'

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ET

Stunning in red and remarkably comfortable onstage, Ann Romney addressed her largest crowd to date at the Republican National Convention in Tampa, Florida tonight, soon after husband Mitt was officially nominated by the Republican party to oppose Barack Obama in the race for President of the United States.

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With all five sons front and center as she spoke, Mitt's wife of 43 years faced the large crowd confidently in a cardinal silk faille creation by Oscar de la Renta, speaking of her presidential hopeful husband's good character as well as their marriage, which she called anything but "storybook."

"I read somewhere that Mitt and I have a 'storybook marriage.' Well, 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 MS or Breast Cancer."

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Ann suffered from Multiple Sclerosis (a debilitating autoimmune disease) since the late '90s, as well as a bout of breast cancer in 2008, citing her husband's support through these struggles (and more) as proof he is capable of taking on the office of president with compassion-- a trait she says he is not often recognized for.

"I know this good and decent man for what he is -- warm and loving and patient," she said. "He has tried to live his life with a set of values centered on family, faith, and love of one's fellow man. From the time we were first married, I've seen him spend countless hours helping others. I've seen him drop everything to help a friend in trouble."

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Also opening up about the first time they met, Ann told the story of when she fell in love with her husband while photos of their days as fresh-faced newlyweds flashed on screens behind her.

"He was tall, laughed a lot, was nervous -- girls like that. It shows the guy's a little intimidated -- and he was nice to my parents but he was really glad when my parents weren't around…And he made me laugh."