Romney: I've been both places.
Snow: They don't understand it.
Romney: There's no, there's a lot of misperception. A lot of misunderstanding and misperceptions about, about the church, and that's unfortunate. It's, um, I, I had them too, before I joined. And so it's um, there's a lot that needs to be done to educate people about it, and to have an understanding that, um, basically we share the same values as probably most faiths.
Snow: In our latest ABC poll where we asked about this, 35 percent of Americans said they'd be less likely to vote for a presidential candidate who was Mormon.
Romney: And I think that the difference is that once they get to know this Mormon, they're fine with it. (Laughs)
Snow: It's not about, it's not about his religion? I know he has said that, that he would, he would answer to the constitution.
Romney: No, of course.
Snow: Do you think he has to give a speech about it, though? Do you think he has to do sort of a Kennedy-esque (speech)?
Romney: Well, I personally think he does. We'll see whether his staff and whether my husband comes to that same conclusion, and I'm actually anxious for that to happen.
Snow: People do have crazy ideas.
Romney: They do.
Snow: I mean, I know you know this. That show, Big Love.
Romney: I know, and that's so unfortunate.
Snow: It's really unfortunate.
Romney: It's, unfortunately, you know, polygamy, is, (laughs) Mitt has only one wife and polygamy has been outlawed in the United States for a long time, and you know, if you are involved in polygamy, you are excommunicated, there is, polygamy is not any part of this church.
Snow: In, in some ways, do you, do you like that you're going to be able to spread that message? That you're going to be able to shed a little light on a faith that people don't know much about?
Romney: No, I don't know if that's a byproduct of it, and it's not why we're doing this, but I, I would hope that all of these things bring light to everything where we, where people have misperceptions about not just this faith, but maybe someone else's faith, and that, and again, it was that same experience that I learned, um, with my MS, and coming to the conclusion that you really need to look to the heart and soul of someone, and see where they're coming from. And certainly if people look at our heart and soul, they will understand that we're in this race to make a difference, and to help, and that we share the values of most Americans, and um, yes, we have our faith, and you know, we do believe that Jesus Christ is our personal savior, so, you know, I think that a lot of people need to, to maybe get used to.
Snow: Could you see voting for someone who's faith you don't understand well? For example, I don't know, someone who is a member of Islam, or, or Jewish? Would you have any trouble?
Romney: I would hope that people take the measure of the man or the woman. And, and take that, and recognize too, that people have faith traditions that may be a little different, but looking for the similarities that, that bind us together.
The Human Factor
Snow: The columnists weren't very kind to you, maybe you didn't read it, but in 1994, some of them called you a Stepford wife. They weren't very kind about it.
Romney: No.
Snow: They thought you were too perfect. What do you, what do you say to them? Here's your chance. What do you, what do you say to people who say, you're just, it's cookie cutter, it's too perfect?
Romney: Well, you know, those, those things happen, and that's why I don't like the print media as much, um, and they're able to characterize things I think in ways that you don't like.
Snow: Did you ever get angry?
Romney: Yeah, I did. That, that really did make me angry.
Snow: Does Mitt get angry?
Romney: Oh, yeah.
Snow: He doesn't swear, right?
Romney: On occasion.
Snow: He does on occasion (laughs) About ten years ago, you said you had never heard him swear, but now you have?
Romney: (Laughs) Probably when that article came out. (Laughs) No, this, you know, obviously he has, he has moments, and I do too. Where you know, you lose, you lose.
Snow: You're human.
Romney: Yep.
Snow: You lose your cool.
Romney: Lose your cool!
Snow: But he does seem very level.
Romney: He's very measured, and he's very practical, and he really, he really loves to evaluate problems, and to be level headed about it. He was very good in raising the boys. I have to say that, I'd come home, you know, I'd want to be pulling my hair, with these five boys. He was very good.
You can read another ABC News original article or watch the "Good Morning America" video on Kate Snow's conversation with Ann Romney by clicking here.
