The couple kissing after her speech.

If only for a moment, bare-knuckled politics gave way to heartfelt emotion as Ann Romney offered up a very public love letter to her husband Mitt and told American mothers: “I feel your pain.”

You can trust Mitt. He loves America. He’ll take us to a better place, just as he took me home safely from that dance

For those seeking the fire and brimstone that has marked much of the bitter 2012 fight for the White House, it came at the end of the first night of the Republican National Convention, when bombastic Governor Chris Christie opened up several lines of attack on President Barack Obama.

For those embracing the well-worn traditions of a US political con­vention, there was the earlier call in which delegates selected Mr Romney as their official nominee.

But for eloquence, down-home charm and a girlish reminiscence of her “deep and abiding love” for her husband, Ann stole the show.

“I want to talk to you tonight, not about politics, and not about party,” she started out. “I want to talk to you about love.”

Every eye, every ear was trained on Ann Romney at that moment, as she laid out her very personal case for why her husband should be the next US President.

From the moment she took the stage, the would-be first lady electrified the crowd of more than 4,000 delegates and thousands more observers in a cavernous Tampa, Florida forum virtually packed to the rafters with Republicans, many of them seen teary-eyed as Ann personalised the Romney story.

A collective smartphone salute greeted Ann as she strode out on stage. A receptive audience snapped photos of her as she waved both hands to the crowd.

Signs read “We Love You Ann” and “Women (heart) Ann”.

“It has been 47 years since that tall, kind, charming young man brought me home from our first dance. Not every day since has been easy but he still makes me laugh,” she said.

“You can trust Mitt,” she said to applause.

“He loves America. He will take us to a better place, just as he took me home safely from that dance.”

When she promised that “no one will work harder, no one will care more, no one will move heaven and earth like Mitt Romney to make this country a better place to live,” the entire convention was on its feet.

After her speech, Ann’s husband Mitt stepped out from behind the backstage curtain and gave his wife a hug and two kisses on the lips, as the audience roared its approval.