Whoever had the idea to utilize Ann Romney more on the campaign trail deserves to be richly rewarded. It might be obvious that her sudden visibility is aimed partly to bridge Mitt’s gender gap, but she really does bring their family alive in a way Mitt just hasn’t yet. In this web video, she does it as explicitly as can be — and it still works:

Warmth, the ability to connect on a personal level, an ability to tell stories and not just solve problems: Ann has the traits that Mitt so conspicuously lacks on the campaign trail. More insight into her does help to explain his success up to this point. I’d venture to guess he’d say he couldn’t have made it to where he is today without her — and that that would be true.

Like the news of Bella Santorum’s hospitalization, Ann Romney’s wistful remembrances of her sons’ childhood remind me of the inexorability of time. I can think of quite a few moms who would say just what Ann says at the start of the video.

“Even then you knew that these moments would be fleeting, but you didn’t really believe it because you were so in the moment of living with those boys,” she said. “It was pretty chaotic, and a lot of fun, but they were great times.”

Better use today well because tomorrow will be here before we know it!