Obama defends mothers, wants analysts not to criticize family during campaign

Los Angeles - Responding to a Democratic strategist's criticism of Barcak Obama's Republican rival Mitt Romney's wife, the US President has said that "there is no tougher job than being a mom" and that the families of candidates should be off limits.

Democrat Hillary Rosen on Wednesday criticized Mitt Romney for publicizing his wife as a trusted economic advisor because, Rosen claimed, Ann Romney has "never worked a day in her life."

Rosen apologized to Ann Romney a few hours later in a statement, acknowledging her words were "poorly chosen."

Obama said he knows well how hard mothers work from his own upbringing and from raising daughters with his wife, Michelle, The Los Angeles Times reports.

"When I think about what Michelle's had to do, when I think about my own mom, a single mother raising me and my sister, that's work," he said in a Thursday interview at the White House with anchor Bruce Aune of KCRG-TV of Cedar Rapids, Iowa.

"So anybody who would argue otherwise I think probably needs to rethink their statement," Obama added.

Obama, whose wife was part of the political debate in the 2008 campaign and has been a target of criticism during her time as first lady, said pundits should limit their focus to candidates, and not "civilians" in their family, The Los Angeles Times reports.

The Obama campaign attempted to distance themselves quickly from Rosen and limit any fallout, and Obama himself made clear his focus was on Mitt Romney alone.