Romney tries on the warm and fuzzy in Parade interview

Parade claims a circulation of more than 32 million. The weekend magazine supplement to scores of newspapers offers the perfectly vanilla, nonthreatening platform for political candidates to introduce themselves.

Mitt and Ann Romney get their turn in the comfortable weekly’s lap this weekend—the magazine’s interview from late last month set amid a lobster supper at the couple’s lakeside retreat in New Hampshire.

Yet even in this relaxed setting, Romney is dependably himself. Dependably formal. Dependably square. Though the interview also delivers a few more human moments, mostly through Ann Romney but also from the candidate, as he muses about hearing the sound of his grandchildren’s feet pattering about the White House.

The public’s view of Romney’s likability has persistently been low, particularly compared with President Obama’s. And though the rational among us make a rational case that this touchy-feely stuff shouldn’t matter, it inevitably does—particularly to the undecided voters who tend to make gut-check rulings on whom they want to see on TV for the next four years.

Parade writer Lynn Sherr salts this weekend’s interview with several questions from readers, the “vast majority” of whom, she told Romney, wanted to know how he related to their struggles.

In response, Romney said that as a pastor of a Mormon congregation he “saw people with various challenges and did my best to help them.” Those scheduled to give testimonials at next week’s Republican convention will need to put a little more meat on that emotional bone. It’s hard for men — this one in particular — to talk about how he understands the other guy.

Another reader named Jean S. wanted to know if Romney had ever felt like a loser. “I define myself by my relationship with God, my wife and my family,” he responded. “And in those relationships, I’m not a loser.”

Fine. We respect a guy who feels good about his family. But, Mr. Starched Jeans would have scored more points with something, anything, lighter. How about a quip about how Tagg and the boys beat the stuffing out of him at the Romney Olympics, the fun games the family stages each summer?

The candidate recovered slightly by quipping about his hair. But that’s something he’s not losing.

Ann Romney conceded to Parade that there are moments when the stories on the campaign trail make her cry. Asked if he ever cried, the candidate offered: “I’m emotional. I don’t show it quite as clearly as John Boehner, but I’m an emotional person. There is a, I don’t know, a societal norm that if you’re running for office, you can’t be emotional, and perhaps I bow to that too often.”

Questions about your emotions, even as potential leader of the Free World, best not include “societal norm.” Not one instance of tears that can be admitted? How about at the death of your beloved father? Or the moment when your first son was born? Or even a recollection about the many times Rick Santorum reminded Republicans that your Massachusetts health bill paved the way for Obamacare? That surely made your handlers cry.

Romney got a little closer to the right tone when asked about how he pictured life inside the White House.

He said what a “good thing” it had been to see the Obamas raising their two daughters there. “I hope, if we are lucky enough to be there,” he added, “our grandchildren could come on occasion.”

“They’d want to move in, Mitt!” Ann Romney chimed in, to which her husband added: “I think having little feet in the hallway is wonderful.”

A whiff of humanity, after all! And the children shall lead him.

james.rainey@latimes.com

Twitter: latimesrainey