Ann Romney’s Convention Speech

Ann Romney delivered a speech Tuesday night at the Republican National Convention.

(by Jennifer Fermino & S.A. Miller, NYPost.com) TAMPA – Ann Romney Tuesday night added the “heart” to her husband Mitt Romney’s presidential run.

“Tonight, I want to talk to you from my heart about our hearts Tonight, I want to talk to you… about love,” Ann said in her prime-time speech at the Republican National Convention.

The crowd showed their love for Ann, welcoming her with a standing ovation and then giving her their rapt attention.

Setting out to soften her husband’s all-business image and boost his appeal to female voters, she described their loving marriage and their life struggles, and told Mitt’s strong character pulled them through.

“I’m still in love with that boy I met at a high-school dance and he still makes me laugh,” she gushed. “A story-book marriage, no. What Mitt Romney and I have is a real marriage.”

At the end of the heartfelt speech, Mitt Romney walked onstage and hugged and kissed his wife — and the crowd went wild.

During the speech, Ann credited Mitt with pulling her through difficult times, the same way she promised he would pull America through tough times now if he’s elected.

“This is the man who will wake up every day with the determination to solve the problems that others say can’t be solved, to fix what others say is beyond repair. This is the man who will work harder than anyone so that we can work a little less hard,” Ann said.

She also defended Mitt against attacks on his business success.

“He was not handed success. He built it!” she proudly boasted, echoing the convention’s theme.

“This man will not fail,” she declared. “This man will not let us down. This man will lift up America!”

She declared that she wanted to “talk not about what divides us, but what holds us together as an American family. I want to talk to you tonight about that one great thing that unites us, that one thing that brings us our greatest joy when times are good, and the deepest solace in our dark hours.

“At every turn in his life, this man I met at a high-school dance, has helped lift up others. He did it with the Olympics, when many wanted to give up,” she said referring to Romney shepherding the 2002 Salt Lake City Games through turbulence. “This is the man America needs.”

In the hours leading up to her big speech, Ann did not show any nervousness.

She baked Welsh cakes — it’s a family recipe — for reporters and poked fun at the absurdity of her husband’s strategist telling her what to wear onstage.

“The funniest thing of all is that Stuart Stevens, who wears his shirts inside-out, is advising me on what dress I should wear tonight,” she said with a laugh. …

smiller@nypost.com.

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