Maria Shriver Asks Ann Romney About GOP's 'Gender Problem'

In an interview with Ann Romney aired on Tuesday's NBC Today, special anchor Maria Shriver couldn't help getting in a dig at Republicans: "The Republican Party is viewed by so many women as having a gender problem, a women's problem. Do you believe that?"

The question came amid a segment that was largely focused on the Romneys funding the creation of a new medical center to research multiple sclerosis – which Ann Romney suffers from – as well as other neurological diseases.

Shriver wondered about Mitt Romney's political future: "The Romneys now face another turning point, whether to launch another campaign for president. Recent polls show Mitt leading all potential GOP candidates for 2016....Do you talk about, like, 'Let's try this again'? The third time will be the charm, like it has been for other people who've run?"

Mrs. Romney dismissed such chatter: "We are having no serious conversations about it, because we said at the end, we will never do this again. It was hard. We've done it. We've had our turn."

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Here is a transcript of the exchange aired on the October 14 Today:

8:23 AM ET

(...)

MARIA SHRIVER: The Romneys now face another turning point, whether to launch another campaign for president. Recent polls show Mitt leading all potential GOP candidates for 2016.

[ON-SCREEN HEADLINE: Ann Romney's Big Announcement; Opens Up About Politics, Family And the Future]

ANN ROMNEY: As you're walking through airports, everyone's screaming at you, "Run again!" You know, it's complimentary.

SHRIVER: Do you talk about, like, "Let's try this again"? The third time will be the charm, like it has been for other people who've run?

ROMNEY: We are having no serious conversations about it, because we said at the end, we will never do this again. It was hard. We've done it. We've had our turn.

SHRIVER: The Republican Party is viewed by so many women as having a gender problem, a women's problem. Do you believe that?

ROMNEY: No question, there is a problem. No question. They need to fix that. There's no question that we need to listen better. We need to have women believe that we're on their side.

(...)