# First Wives Candidates Debate **URL:** \ **Category:** Politics & Elections\ **Created:** [August 17, 2012, 2:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/first-wives-candidates-debate/631740 "2012-08-17T02:32:04Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![The\_Flying\_Dutchman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/9fc348/32.png) [@The\_Flying\_Dutchman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Flying_Dutchman)\ **Post date:** [August 17, 2012, 2:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/first-wives-candidates-debate/631740/1 "2012-08-17T02:32:04Z")
Ha anyone ever proposed this ? It would be a real hoot. Michelle vs Ann. They both strike me as tough and capable. Moderated by Barbara Walters ? What say you ? PS typo in title. One debate would suffice. ---
**Author:** ![Farmer\_Jane](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/bbe5ce/32.png) [@Farmer\_Jane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Farmer_Jane)\ **Post date:** [August 17, 2012, 2:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/first-wives-candidates-debate/631740/2 "2012-08-17T02:56:47Z")
I think it’s stupid. Wives don’t run the White House. ---
**Author:** ![The\_Flying\_Dutchman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/9fc348/32.png) [@The\_Flying\_Dutchman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Flying_Dutchman)\ **Post date:** [August 17, 2012, 3:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/first-wives-candidates-debate/631740/3 "2012-08-17T03:26:10Z")
The run their husbands. ---
**Author:** ![Qin\_Shi\_Huangdi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/f04885/32.png) [@Qin\_Shi\_Huangdi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Qin_Shi_Huangdi)\ **Post date:** [August 17, 2012, 11:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/first-wives-candidates-debate/631740/4 "2012-08-17T23:48:16Z")
> [@Farmer\_Jane](#): > > I think it’s stupid. Wives don’t run the White House. Except Edith Wilson and Hillary Clinton. ---
**Author:** ![Ellen\_Cherry](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ellen_cherry/32/3600_2.png) [@Ellen\_Cherry](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ellen_Cherry)\ **Post date:** [August 19, 2012, 4:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/first-wives-candidates-debate/631740/5 "2012-08-19T16:16:19Z")
I elect to move this to the elections forum. From IMHO. ---
**Author:** ![nogravity](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/9d8465/32.png) [@nogravity](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/nogravity)\ **Post date:** [August 19, 2012, 4:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/first-wives-candidates-debate/631740/6 "2012-08-19T16:32:33Z")
Eleanor Roosevelt wielded quite a bit of power and made a radio address on Pearl Harbor the day before Franklin’s big ‘Day That Shall Live in Infamy’ speech. ---
**Author:** ![Farmer\_Jane](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/bbe5ce/32.png) [@Farmer\_Jane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Farmer_Jane)\ **Post date:** [August 19, 2012, 4:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/first-wives-candidates-debate/631740/7 "2012-08-19T16:36:26Z")
I hate the attention given to wives in the first place. What are they wearing? Are they chaste enough? How well have they raised their children? Where did they go to college? What did their thesis say? Are those ARMS you’re showing??? ---
**Author:** ![BrainGlutton](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/82dd89/32.png) [@BrainGlutton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrainGlutton)\ **Post date:** [August 19, 2012, 5:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/first-wives-candidates-debate/631740/8 "2012-08-19T17:27:26Z")
> [@nogravity](#): > > Eleanor Roosevelt wielded quite a bit of power and made a radio address on Pearl Harbor the day before Franklin’s big ‘Day That Shall Live in Infamy’ speech. It was a running joke at the time, the Eleanor was so high-profile and got around so much, compared to previous First Ladies. I recall an editorial cartoon: Two miners down a shaft, completely dark but for the beams of their helmet-lights. One looks up the shaft and says, “Hey, here comes Mrs. Roosevelt!” ---
**Author:** ![Boyo\_Jim](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/87869e/32.png) [@Boyo\_Jim](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Boyo_Jim)\ **Post date:** [August 21, 2012, 5:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/first-wives-candidates-debate/631740/9 "2012-08-21T05:18:20Z")
After their debate, they can have a bake off, and then a beauty pageant! ---
**Author:** ![bouv](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/bc8723/32.png) [@bouv](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bouv)\ **Post date:** [August 21, 2012, 1:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/first-wives-candidates-debate/631740/10 "2012-08-21T13:38:38Z")
> [@Boyo\_Jim](#): > > After their debate, they can have a bake off, and then a beauty pageant! So Michelle goes 3 for 3, is what you’re saying? ---
**Author:** ![Marley23](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@Marley23](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marley23)\ **Post date:** [August 21, 2012, 1:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/first-wives-candidates-debate/631740/11 "2012-08-21T13:56:31Z")
A debate would be pointless, but less stupid and sexist than the bake-off or they did a few months ago. I don’t know how much influence political spouses really have and I suspect there is a lot of variance from candidate to candidate. We don’t need to treat them all as proxies for the campaigns of their spouses. ---
**Author:** ![BobLibDem](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/boblibdem/32/3149_2.png) [@BobLibDem](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BobLibDem)\ **Post date:** [August 21, 2012, 5:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/first-wives-candidates-debate/631740/12 "2012-08-21T17:54:43Z")
The First Lady (or someday, the First Spouse) is a silly idea. We elect a person to be president. Whether his/her spouse wants to champion some favorite charity or sit around for four years watching movies and eating bon bons, I honestly don’t care. Michelle Obama seems like a nice enough person. Ann Romney does not. But that would be a piss poor reason for voting or not voting for their candidate spouses. ---
**Author:** ![ElvisL1ves](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/5daacb/32.png) [@ElvisL1ves](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ElvisL1ves)\ **Post date:** [August 21, 2012, 6:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/first-wives-candidates-debate/631740/13 "2012-08-21T18:01:45Z")
> [@Qin\_Shi\_Huangdi](#): > > Except Edith Wilson and Hillary Clinton. And Nancy Reagan and her astrologer. ---
**Author:** ![Simplicio](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/c37758/32.png) [@Simplicio](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Simplicio)\ **Post date:** [August 21, 2012, 8:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/first-wives-candidates-debate/631740/14 "2012-08-21T20:03:47Z")
> [@bouv](#): > > So Michelle goes 3 for 3, is what you’re saying? If they add a round of playing dress-up with horses though, Michelle’s toast. ---
**Author:** ![Boyo\_Jim](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/87869e/32.png) [@Boyo\_Jim](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Boyo_Jim)\ **Post date:** [August 21, 2012, 8:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/first-wives-candidates-debate/631740/15 "2012-08-21T20:21:14Z")
And if there’s a marathon shopping contest, Ann would run away with it – well, stride gracefully, at least. ---
**Author:** ![Icarus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/icarus/32/72_2.png) [@Icarus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Icarus)\ **Post date:** [August 21, 2012, 8:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/first-wives-candidates-debate/631740/16 "2012-08-21T20:23:59Z")
OK, yeah, the spouses don’t run the country, yada yada… However, I do think there is a legitimate line of questioning that could be put forth… If you were in conflict with a decision or policy of your spouse, how would you interact with them on the subject? If you were in conflict with a decision or policy of someone on your spouses staff, how would you interact with them on the subject? How would you interact with your spouse regarding that person? What specific actions would you take to support your spouse in the presidency? …stuff along those lines. ---
**Author:** ![Simplicio](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/c37758/32.png) [@Simplicio](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Simplicio)\ **Post date:** [August 21, 2012, 8:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/first-wives-candidates-debate/631740/17 "2012-08-21T20:29:16Z")
> [@Icarus](#): > > OK, yeah, the spouses don’t run the country, yada yada… > > However, I do think there is a legitimate line of questioning that could be put forth.. Heh, I always like constructions like “could be put forth”? When an argument is so silly even the person making it feels the need to put it in the mouth of some hypothetical abstract other person. ---
**Author:** ![Icarus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/icarus/32/72_2.png) [@Icarus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Icarus)\ **Post date:** [August 21, 2012, 8:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/first-wives-candidates-debate/631740/18 "2012-08-21T20:45:58Z")
> [@Simplicio](#): > > Heh, I always like constructions like “could be put forth”? When an argument is so silly even the person making it feels the need to put it in the mouth of some hypothetical abstract other person. The passive voice is one of my superpowers…😃 ---
**Author:** ![Boyo\_Jim](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/87869e/32.png) [@Boyo\_Jim](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Boyo_Jim)\ **Post date:** [August 21, 2012, 9:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/first-wives-candidates-debate/631740/19 "2012-08-21T21:02:01Z")
> [@Icarus](#): > > … If you were in conflict with a decision or policy of your spouse, how would you interact with them on the subject? … I’m sure at least one of them would answer, “The President wouldn’t get any for the remainder of his term.” ---
**Author:** ![Simplicio](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/c37758/32.png) [@Simplicio](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Simplicio)\ **Post date:** [August 21, 2012, 9:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/first-wives-candidates-debate/631740/20 "2012-08-21T21:35:01Z")
> [@Icarus](#): > > If you were in conflict with a decision or policy of your spouse, how would you interact with them on the subject? > > If you were in conflict with a decision or policy of someone on your spouses staff, how would you interact with them on the subject? How would you interact with your spouse regarding that person? > > What specific actions would you take to support your spouse in the presidency? > > …stuff along those lines. How is this a debate? Is Michelle Obama going to call Anne Romney out, and tell her that she doesn’t really interact with her husband the way she says she does? It seems bizarre to have two woman “debate” each others relationships with their spouses. As to answering personal questions, First Lady’s do get interviews where they get asked about this stuff. They pretty much always rotate between the same three or four cliche answers, but to the extent that there’s value in asking it, it does get asked. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/first-wives-candidates-debate/631740.md?page=2)