With Barbara Bush’s recent passing, I watched coverage of her funeral in Houston, Texas, which was attended by former presidents and first ladies(sans the Carters), including current position holder, Melania Trump. This reminded me of how different our recent first ladies have been from each other, in terms of style, causes and prominence within their respective husband’s administrations.
The role of First Lady was never an official position, and the term came into use much later on in time. George Washington’s wife Martha was known as Lady Washington, back then they did not refer to spouses as “First Lady”.Nothing was expected from them, they were simply the president’s wife. Now it seems first ladies are to take up a cause or fill some role.
In your opinion, who was was your favorite First Lady? The criteria is totally up to you, it could be their fashion or contributions or something else.
I’ve used the period after World War II as a benchmark, for most first ladies before that time are forgotten and it makes no sense to ask about Millard Fillmore’s other half:rolleyes:.
So from Bess Truman to Melania Trump, who would you choose?
Michelle Obama. Aside from the fact that she’s a black woman and I’m a white man, and she’s been married to the president of the United States and I haven’t, I find her to be the most relatable of the ones in my lifetime (Rosalyn Carter through present).
For just cuteness, my favorite by far was Laura Bush, but more when she was young and cute like Sally Field. She was cute older too, she still is cute I guess. She and W. are a cute couple, even though I hated W.'s administration.
I wasn’t around for Kennedy, but Jackie O seems odd, aloof and somehow damaged. I think having her as the first lady would have been too surreal. Betty Ford and Rosalyn Carter both seem pretty cool.
Betty Ford. Though it came after her husband’s administration, facing down her substance abuse issue and making it something that could really be talked about and treated made a major impact. It took guts.
Hillary Clinton. Feel free to disagree with me, but I thought it was great that Bill Clinton had a wife who he could discuss policy with and be completely open.
I really can’t say anything negative about any of the First Ladies, while all had their warts (what human doesn’t?), they have all had many moments of class and dignity and it’s hard to pick one. And if I did pick, I’d go back one president and select Eleanor Roosevelt.
Michelle Obama. An extremely intelligent, highly educated and accomplished person, who exudes dignity and compassion. I wish she had used her position to promote initiatives that were a bit more hard hitting, but I can appreciate the delicate balancing act for someone whose role is defined by her marriage. The vitriol directed at her may have also played a role in her decision to champion fairly bulletproof causes.
My second choice would be Hillary Clinton. Her work on health care was significant and I liked the way she refused to be sidelined into the typical role of hostess.
It is interesting to see how these women have been treated by the press and the public. If Michelle Obama had been responsible for the death of another person (as Laura Bush was as a teenager), I can’t imagine that Fox News and its ilk would ever have let us forget it.
Obama. She’s also the only one I ever met. Coincidence? Perhaps not! She was wonderful in person.
I was 13 when Nixon resigned, so Pat Nixon would be the first First Lady I have any recollection of. (And she stayed so far out of the limelight I have only sketchy recollections of her.) anyway, of all of them, the only one I have any particular negative reaction toward was Nancy Reagan, mostly because she often seemed to come across like a loon rather than for anything major. Even when I was seriously opposed to their husbands, the First Ladies have seemed like pretty good people.
I guess Michelle Obama, certainly during the time her husband was in he White House. Betty Ford did a lot more afterwards, but then Michelle hasn’t had much afterwards time yet. To be fair Betty Ford had less time in the White House than Michelle.
I recall them back to Mamie Eisenhower, but her only a little.
Surprised by the lack of Jackie Kennedy mentions. While I was not around during those Camelot years of lore, I have to name Jackie as my favorite. Not only for her looks, but her sheer class. She faced so many tragedies in her life, some in public view, but always shouldered on. Jackie raised her kids to be fine adults, and created a myth around her husband that endures to this day.
I’m a fan of silent, smiling first ladies, so Mamie Doud Eisenhower gets top spot. Jackie also just smiles but hers is like telling people to stay away and pretend she’s not there, basically like Melania. Not a fan of speak-up ladies like Rosalynn or Michelle.
Yeah. They need to know their place, which, like all women, is to be seen and not heard. Design some new curtains for the White House, plan a menu for a state dinner or some shit, but otherwise just shut up already.
Laura Bush seemed to eschew the spotlight which is fine, and she seems nice and apparently is good friends with Michelle Obama, but I’m more interested in FLOTUSes who worked for change. Mixed feelings on Nancy Reagan - the drug campaign was silly but well-intentioned, but minus several hundred points for bringing in a White House astrologer. Johnson had a beautification campaign (and put up with her pig of a husband) but it was really before my time. Nixon and Carter I remember very little about whether they actually did anything or not (although, again, I remember them as being nice). I can’t really sort out the reality of Jackie Kennedy from the myth, and I don’t know much about Eisenhower or Truman. And the jury is still out on Melania.
