Rosen passes on television appearance

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WAS, D.C., April 13 (UPI) -- The Democratic consultant who sparked political outrage with her comments about Ann Romney says she is canceling a planned appearance on "Meet the Press."

The political talk show early Friday promoted Hilary Rosen's scheduled weekend appearance on its Web site after the Democrat adviser said Wednesday Romney, the wife of Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney, "never worked a day in her life" but said later Rosen had changed her mind.

The Hill reported many Democratic insiders were angry Rosen was to appear on the program, fearing she'd exacerbate what had become an irritation for the presidential re-election team that needed to retake momentum lost with female voters after Republicans jumped on her comments.

"I think it comes dangerously close to giving this silly story legs through the next week," said one former anonymous presidential aide. "This is not good. Not good at all."

Rosen apologized Thursday.

"I apologize to Ann Romney and anyone else who was offended," Rosen said in a statement. "Let's declare peace in this phony war and go back to focus on the substance.

"Let's put the faux 'war against stay-at-home moms' to rest once and for all. As a mom, I know that raising children is the hardest job there is. As a pundit, I know my words on CNN last night were poorly chosen."

President Obama rejected the party strategist's remark, saying candidates' families were off-limits.

During an interview Thursday with a Cedar Rapids, Iowa, television anchor, Obama said Rosen "ought to rethink" her comment about Ann Romney, The Hill reported.

"I don't have a lot of patience for commentary about the spouses of political candidates," Obama said during the interview. "My general view is those of us who are in the public life, we're fair game. Our families are civilians."

Obama said Ann Romney seemed like a "very nice woman" who is supportive of her family and her husband.

"I don't know if she necessarily volunteered for this job so, you know, we don't need to be directing comments at them," Obama said "I think me and [Mitt Romney] are going to have more than enough to argue about during the course of this campaign."