( CNN ) -- When Dolley Madison swanned onto the Washington scene in pink satin and ermine in the early 19th century , she created a new role for first ladies . The president 's wife could appear larger-than-life on the public stage , imparting emotional and psychological messages about her husband to the public . Our most famous first ladies were charismatic figures : Dolley Madison 's message confirmed the Madison administration 's legitimacy and authority ; Eleanor Roosevelt helped Depression-weary Americans feel hopeful and virtuous ; Jacqueline Bouvier Kennedy showed the world that the Kennedys were a new breed of young , modern , cosmopolitan Americans . Our current first lady belongs to this tradition . Michelle Obama , dressed in J . Crew , with her little girls and career firmly in hand , assures us that people like us are in power . Opinion : Ann Romney did great , but wo n't move needle . Of course , many first ladies have preferred to remain in the background . Mamie Eisenhower famously insisted on remaining a largely domestic creature . Barbara Bush proudly eschewed the spotlight , while her daughter-in-law Laura -- perhaps one of the most productive recent first ladies -- did her work quietly and without a lot of fuss . Still , even the most modest of presidential wives can help a president or candidate seem more human and less a political machine . When Ann Romney mounted the platform at the Republican convention , she appeared to be a first lady wannabe of the second camp . She , too , is proudly domestic and puts herself outside politics . And she seems , well , like a perfectly nice woman -- the kind you 'd like to have as a neighbor . When she began her speech , `` Tonight I want to talk to you from my heart about our hearts '' and `` Tonight I want to talk to you about love , '' it looked as if Ann Romney was about to tell her personal story in an effort to warm and fuzzy up her rather remote and stiff husband . One might say no candidate 's wife has had so great an opportunity to make a difference . No matter if they support or decry Mitt Romney 's politics , people generally agree that Romney does n't always seem human , much less a beacon of compassion and empathy . But the need to make Mitt more personable is so great that , in planning Ann Romney 's speech , his advisers may have overreached . After her initial talk about love , instead of relating personal anecdotes , she went on to address remarks to hardworking families and especially women `` who have to do a little more . '' It seems her husband 's handlers recognize that in addition to Mitt 's personality , Republican policy needs warming up a little too . Can Mitt bring love and empathy to people who are struggling , even to people whose lives are so different from his own ? Ann Romney had to humanize Mitt as the husband and father she trusts and whom we can trust . In that , she was on steady ground in telling her `` When Mitt Met Ann '' story , positively beaming when she spoke of being a wife and mother . Women in the hall clapped their hands off for that . But she was not in her element in her evocations of sighing mothers at the end of a hard day , in offering insights and empathy for women and families struggling to pay bills , to buy gas and food . That 's too much for her to do . She has neither the personal nor the professional authority to talk about the difficulties of poor , working-class or even middle-class Americans . Opinion : Ann Romney stole the show on opening night . Her remark about women doing more , and doing it happily , is cringe-worthy : Does she know that with women making , at the best , about 80 % of what men do , they have to do more just to break even ? I understand Mitt Romney 's advisers are in a tough position . Democrats are painting him as a heartless capitalist , ruthlessly firing and downsizing to make Bain Capital one more dollar . Even loyal Republicans , who will support Romney to the end , are n't excited about the guy . But do n't put it all on Ann 's shoulders . She ca n't be Dolley Madison and Mamie Eisenhower at the same time . No woman should have to work that hard . The opinions in this commentary are solely those of Catherine Allgor .
Catherine Allgor : Ann Romney seems to be a political wife who is domestic and outside politics . Allgor : Her speech was best when she tried to humanize her husband . Allgor : But she tried to identify with the struggles of poor and middle class and should n't have . Ann Romney ca n't relate to the poor or make GOP policy warm and fuzzy , Allgor writes .