MYRTLE BEACH, SC--(Marketwire - Jan 17, 2012) - In back-to-back "Coffee Breaks" hosted by CafeMom, the most visited site for moms in America with more than nine million monthly unique visitors, the Perrys and the Santorums got personal in front of over 100 moms, talking about their marriages and opening up about their everyday challenges.
Rick and Anita Perry talked and joked about their relationship -- which brewed for 16 years before they got married. Demonstrating her steadfast support, she said, "As a mother of two children, I want every young person to have the same opportunities that we had growing up. I want our world to be safe. I'm not convinced it's not safe now. I know what my husband can do to keep it safe."
Rick and Karen Santorum revealed the family effort behind the campaign and discussed the juggling it requires -- particularly with seven kids. They talked about everyday obstacles they've encountered -- from flooded basements to broken down cars to fridges on the fritz -- but the most emotional moment was when a mom with a special needs child asked about the Santorums' daughter, Bella, who has Trisomy 18. Karen Santorum broke down and talked about how when Bella was born she was falling apart, but Rick was an emotional rock.
Video of key moments from the events with the Perrys and Santorums can be found at CafeMom Studios on YouTube and photos are available upon request.
Between the two events Stephen Colbert broadcast a message to the moms -- talking about his own South Carolinian mother. Though some responded positively, many almost chided him for making the serious silly -- as if taking him to task like his own mother might.
The event, part of CafeMom's "Moms Matter 2012" initiative -- a nonpartisan platform to inform and empower moms -- was held at Fresh Brewed Coffee House. Pollster, Frank Luntz, and CafeMom's election correspondent, Lindsay Ferrier, facilitated the discussion. The event followed on the success of CafeMom's first Coffee Break with Newt Gingrich, during which Mr. Gingrich shared an emotional moment talking about memories of his mother.
Despite being a crucial voting bloc for the 2012 elections, moms are feeling anti-partisan, disenfranchised, and financially insecure, according to CafeMom's recent Moms Matter survey. The survey also revealed that moms are also looking for empathy from candidates. They most want candidates to "show me you understand families like mine."
More about Moms Matter 2012
Moms Matter 2012 is a nonpartisan platform organized by CafeMom, America's most visited website for moms. The site's mission is to unite moms, regardless of political affiliation, in order to bring the issues they care about most to the forefront of the country's awareness, help shape the outcome of the 2012 election, and ultimately improve the lives of moms and their families in this country.
About CafeMom
Launched in 2006, CafeMom is the online meeting place for moms, reaching more than 9MM unique visitors per month on CafeMom.com and 20MM+ unique visitors per month on CafeMom Plus (comScore, Sept. 2011), a boutique network of sites that reach moms and parents. CafeMom is also the leader in developing custom programs for leading brands that want to connect with and understand moms online. CafeMom is a strategic partner to leading mom companies like General Mills, Kmart, P&G, Target, Dell, and others. CafeMom plans to launch Mamás Latinas, a new bilingual site to serve Hispanic moms, in 2012. CafeMom lead investors are Highland Capital Partners and Draper Fisher Jurvetson. The company was founded by Andrew Shue and Michael Sanchez.