Ann Romney to host GMA. Will Michelle Obama follow?
| New York
Ann Romney is guest-hosting "Good Morning America" next Wednesday.
ABC says the wife of Republican presidential hopeful Mitt Romney will be on hand at the morning news program for its 8 a.m. (Eastern time) hour. Joining George Stephanopoulos at the anchor desk, Mrs. Romney will be filling in for co-anchor Robin Roberts, who is on extended medical leave.
ABC says it is in discussions with first lady Michelle Obama for a similar guest appearance when her schedule allows. Both Ann Romney and Michelle Obama took high-profile speaking roles at the political conventions this year. Could this be round two of the ongoing battle for the "Mom vote"?
Stephen Colbert, Oprah Winfrey and the cast of "Modern Family" have previously been announced to substitute for Roberts.
Good Morning America appears to have adopted a strategy similar to the one taken by ABC on Live! with Regis and Kelly. When Regis Philbin announced he was leaving the show in Sept. 2011, what followed was a series of guest co-hosts for several months. In Sept. 2012, ABC and Kelly Ripa finally settled on Michael Strahan, a former NFL football player and current co-host of Fox NFL Sunday. And the show got a new name: Live! with Kelly and Michael.
Roberts' absence came as "Good Morning America" has overtaken NBC's "Today" show in the ratings after years in second place.
Copyright 2012 The Associated Press.
