0 college soccer in wisconsin, we are laughing in here. she got hurt on this. she kicked twice didn't have a good performance. a lot of reporters -- a lot of media was there. it was not what everyone wanted to see. it was surreal a lifetime opportunity. she did not perform well. she said she had a ham spring pull. >> she wouldn't be invited if she can't kick. >> let's do fast forward now. president obama will nominate silvia matthews burrow to lead the white house office of management and budget. she worked for the clinton administration. they carry out the policies and is responsible for making the annual budget proposal to congress. that is how fox reports on this sunday march 3rd, 2013. >> chris: i'm chris wallace. today our exclusive interview with mitt and ann romney. speaking out for the first time since the campaign. we asked them to describe the drama of election day. >> when did you know you had lost the presidency? >> we find out how they are adjusting to a loss they say was a surprise. >> mrs. romney, as we sit here right now, have you gotten over the defeat or is that going to take more time? >> and we talk with the governor about the mess in washington. and what he would do differently. >> how do you think the president has handled the sequester, the $85 billion in automatic spending cuts. mit and ann romney. a "fox news sunday" exclusive. then, the sequester kicks in. now, what happens? the we will ask our sunday panel has the white house hyped the impact of the cuts or are we on a slow motion slide to real pain? all right now on "fox news sunday." >> chris: hello again from fox news in washington. they were in the spot light for years speaking to big crowds and tracked by reporters. but since their defeat four month ago mitt and ann romney have gone silent that is until now. this week we flew to san diego to sit down with the romneys for their first interview since the campaign. we talked about why they lost. what they make of the mess here in washington. and how they are dealing with a life they didn't expect to be leading now. take me back to election day. november 6. is it true that you both thought going in you were going to win? >> i for sure did. i think mitt intellectually was thinking that it was possible we could and he knew how close it was. but my heart and my whole soul was we are going to win. i was there. >> i think we were convinced that we would win. we saw that the polls were very close. but we knew that the energy and passion was with our voters and my heart said we were going to win. >> the crucial swing state of virginia the commonwealth where the race is excruciatingly close. >> chris: as the returns started coming in and they were not what you expected, what were your thoughts? >> the exit polls came out first and suggested it was going to be very close in florida and we thought we would win solidly in florida. it was increasingly clear this was going to be with the best case scenario a long night. >> chris: when did you know you had lost the presidency? >> it was a slow recognition until the ohio numbers began coming in and they were disappointing. i said look, this looks like we lost. wasn't certain. some people said look if this number comes in you could win. by 8:00 or 9:00 it was clear that we were not going to win and. >> and that was what moment like? >> well, it is hard. it is emotional. i mean there was such passion in the people who were helping us. i just felt, you know, we really let them down. >> it was that crushing disappointment. not for us. our lives are going to be fine. it is for the country. >> chris: is it true you began to cry? >> i did, of course. yeah. very disappointed. >> chris: cry for what? >> cry not again it is not sorrow for oh, my gosh, you know, our life, you know, this dream, the dream was to make a difference. the dream was to serve. >> chris: and you called the president and he came down stairs and you delivered your formal concession. >> i so wish that i had been able to fulfill your ar hopes o lead the country in a different direction but the nation chose another leader so ann and i join with you to ernestly pray for him and for this nation. >> it was all that people that helped that came to my mind as i got up to speak and look around the room and saw the people that were there. and i believe i could have made a difference for the people of this country and you think gosh, i just haven't been able to get the job done. and it was very hard. >> chris: in a flash, it was all gone. secret service. the crowds. the intensity. the minute-by-minute schedule and suddenly nothing. how tough is that? >> it is an adjustment. you know, it is interesting in your church we are used to serving and you can be in a very high position but you recognize you are serving and then all of a sudden you are released and you are nobody and we are used to that. it is like we came and stepped forward to serve but the good news is fortunately we like each other and we like being with each other. >> that is our life. i mean our life is the life we have with each other and with five sonsion five daughters in law and 20 grand children. that is our life. that is who we are. >> chris: but is it tough when suddenly the secret service? >> it is different but it is like riding on a rollercoaster. exciting and thrilling ups and downs but then the ride ends and we get off. can't we be on a rollercoaster the rest of our lives? it is like no, the ride is over. >> chris: let me ask you about the months from november until now. were there tears? >> oh, for me, yeah. i cried. when you pour that much of your life and energy and passion into something and you are disappointed by the outcome it is very -- it is sad. it is very hard. >> chris: governor, second is greg? anger? depression? >> no, you look back at campaign and say what did the president do well and you acknowledge that h his campaign did a number of things very effectively. of course, you rehearse all of the mistakes that you you made. and i went through a number of my mistakes i'm sure and then you think about the things that were out of our control. but you move on. i mean i don't spend my life looking back. it is like okay, what are we going to do next. >> chris: governor, we began to see random pictures of you pumping your own gas with your hair messed up. hugging ann in the kitchen. hanging out with the kids at disneyland. do you have a plan or were you just trying to get through the day. >> we were just living our life. and obviously people would see us in various places either walking ail long the beach ohir the car. and they take out their cell phones and take a picture. none of those were done by professional photographers or i might have combed my hair if i haded seen them coming. no, we are just living our life. >> chris: as we sit here right now have you you gotten over the defeat or is that going to take more time? >> i think it takes time. mostly the great principle is sessions bride line, mostly did. i'm mostly over it. but not completely. you have moments where you go back and feel the sorrow of the loss and so yeah, i think we are not mostly dead yet. >> chris: a week after the election, governor, are you had a conference call with top donors in which you said that you blamed your defeat on the president giving away things. >> it is a proven political strategy which is give a bunch of money from the government to a group and guess what they'll vote for you. >> to some people it sounded like the remark you made in your campaign about 47% of americans looking for handouts. >> the president had the power of incumbency. obama care was very attractive particularly to those without health insurance and they came out in large numbers to vote. that was part of the successful campaign. >> chris: fairly or not you know a lot of republican leaders roasted you for those remarks. iowa governor, my feeling is we need to turn the page. gop strategist ed rogers he you can exit the stage any time and no one will mourn. did that hurt? did you feel in a sense you were being pushed out of the party? >> i'm not going to second guess what other people have to say. i don't look back. i look forward. >> you never like it and i never like it and i -- i'm like a she lion when it comes to defending mitt. i know his heart and his abilities. i know he would have been a fabulous president and i mourn the fact that he is not there. and it would have been much better for america i believe in my heart if he had been there right now. >> chris: we are are going to talk to your husband separately. you will have to just sit here for a minute but i want to ask mrs. romney a few questions. >> that is going to be hard. >> chris: all right. well -- [ laughter ] >> i will say nothing. >> chris: why do you think he lost? >> i think they had a better ground game. and i think we were not aware. you know, we certainly had the passion coming from our side and i don't think we were as aware of the passion that was coming from the other side. i think we were a little blind sided by that. >> chris: do you think that the two of you at all contributed to this image which the other side certainly played up that you you were so wealthy that you were somehow out of touch with the concerns of the average american? >> that is a reality that you can't change. i mean we are are who we are. the thing that was frustrating to me is that people didn't really get to know mitt for who he was. >> chris: i want to pick up on that because there were reports that you and your oldest sontag tag were frustrated with the romney campaign that they didn't "let mitt be mitt" and didn't let him show his more open compassionate side. true? >> true. but it was not just the campaign's fault. i believe it was the media's fault as well is that he was not being give and fair shake that people weren't allowed to really see him for who he was. >> chris: what about the media? >> i'm happy to blame the media. >> chris: do you think the media was in the tank for barack obama? >> i think that it is any time you are are running for are office you always think that you are being portrayed unfairly and, you know, we, of course, on our side believe that there is more bias in favor of the other side. i think that, you know, that is a pretty universally felt opinion. >> chris: what do you think of the campaign that barack obama ran? >> i think obviously it was a winning campaign. it worked. >> chris: do you think it was fair? >> no. >> chris: in what pay? >> portrayial of my husband. he is an exceptional wonderful person. >> doug: she is not. >> she is not biased at all. >> gretchen: i'm not. >> i'm not biased. and he is a self-less person that really truly cared about the american people. he truly cares about making a difference and helping others. and for him to be portrayed in a very negative light in another way was very hard. he has enormous skillsets in dealing with difficult issues and i totally believe at this moment if mitt were there in the office that we would not be facing sequestration right now. >> chris: what is your life like now? what are you you doing? how do you spend your days? governor, now you can talk. >> my turn again. >> chris: yes. >> we renamed our foundation the romney foundation for children. we are going to help the very poorest kids in the world. we will help kids in this country with disease and great difficulty and that is taking more are and more of our time. we got a chance to spend more time with the grandkids. we just had twins born as you know and being with them was a thrill. >> chris: i have to clear up a couple of rumors. were you approached by dancing with the stars? >> i was. >> chris: and did you consider are it. >> did i. i love the show. >> chris: and why aren't you going to be out there? >> well, you know. >> the pass is a doble. >> they are impressed you know what that is. >> i would love to have done it. imi am turning 64. i started thinking about it and i'm like i'm not really as flexible as i should be. and now i understand dorothy hamill has been picked and i thought oh, my gosh am i glad i didn't do that. i wouldn't want to compete against dorothy. >> chris: did the republican party approach you about running for john kerry's senate seat? >> no. >> chris: that is not true? >> they didn't approach me. i think there was a thought that oh, wouldn't that be fun for ann to do that and i'm like did any one want to consider how fun it would be for me to do that? >> chris: not a chance? >> not the a chance. i'm enjoying life. >> chris: tell us about the grandchildren and your involvement with them? >> he woo are with them constantly. it is our life. >> i mean virtually every day. we see one grand child or another every day. we took them to disneyland. we took them snow skiing and then our sons matt and craig live close to an open o space area and we throw the ball for the dogs. we play sports with the kids. they like kicking balls, hitting baseballs. we do the things that grandparents are expected to do with grandkids. >> looking back and now how do you both feel about what you have been through and where you are now you? >> i wish everyone could have just been in our pockets and gone with us and seen what we had seen and what you see when you see that are the heart of the american people. i leave, you know, discouraged by the outcome of the election but also optimistic about america. and because of the people that live here. and it is an amazing place. >> chris: governor? >> it was an exciting thrilling experience and it didn't end the way we wanted it to. but the experience itself was magnificent. were there tough days? absolutely. were there exhilarating days? even more of them. and so i kind of one of the great life experiences. anybody would say can you imagine anything more fantastic than being able to run for are president of the united states? >> chris: that throw the football is one thing more -- >> yeah, winning. but the -- but two years and we have done it twice. two years seeing the american people, it is a great thrill of a lifetime that we will obviously cherish throughout our lifetime. >> chris: when we come back we will ask mitt romney about his frustration as he sees washington trapped in the gridlock and he talks more openly than he ever has about why he thinks he lost the presidency.