# Who is your favorite First Lady? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [June 12, 2017, 6:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-is-your-favorite-first-lady/788759 "2017-06-12T06:21:59Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Reddy\_Mercury](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/43a26b/32.png) [@Reddy\_Mercury](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Reddy_Mercury)\ **Post date:** [June 12, 2017, 6:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-is-your-favorite-first-lady/788759/1 "2017-06-12T06:21:59Z")
Myself it is a three way tie between Jackie Kennedy, Lady Bird Johnson, and Betty Ford. All wonderful and true LADIES, who brought dignity and warmth to The White House. Jackie with her grace beyond compare; Lady Bird with her gentle, soft Texan accent and her love of our nation’s land; Betty for her down-home bluntness and shocking honesty in a time of lies and betrayal. ---
**Author:** ![Dale\_Sams](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/779978/32.png) [@Dale\_Sams](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dale_Sams)\ **Post date:** [June 12, 2017, 9:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-is-your-favorite-first-lady/788759/2 "2017-06-12T09:50:45Z")
Dolly Madison of course. ---
**Author:** ![Superdude](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/superdude/32/13450_2.png) [@Superdude](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Superdude)\ **Post date:** [June 12, 2017, 10:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-is-your-favorite-first-lady/788759/3 "2017-06-12T10:30:58Z")
I was born in 1973. Out of the First Ladies we’ve had during my time on Earth, Michelle Obama, hands down. Opening my eyes at all of them, I’d still place her and Eleanor Roosevelt as 1a and 1b Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-G900A using Tapatalk ---
**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:** [June 12, 2017, 10:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-is-your-favorite-first-lady/788759/4 "2017-06-12T10:56:04Z")
> [@Dale\_Sams](#): > > Dolly Madison of course. Disqualified for liking oyster flavored ice cream. It’s hard to pick one. Jackie for being the epitome of grace and style. Eleanor for being a strong woman, the first First Lady to be more active in her own right. Michelle for her eloquence and passion for child nutrition. Betty for raising breast cancer awareness and being a strong survivor. I call it a four way tie for my vote. ---
**Author:** ![asahi](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/asahi/32/8693_2.png) [@asahi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/asahi)\ **Post date:** [June 12, 2017, 11:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-is-your-favorite-first-lady/788759/5 "2017-06-12T11:36:58Z")
I can only speak about those I’ve seen in my lifetime but I’d have to say, hands down, **Michelle Obama**. A very smart, a very real person who seems down to earth and did her best to speak to all people of all classes. As much as I didn’t care for her husband’s administration, I also liked **Laura Bush** a lot. I initially thought she was just a little housewife president, but she seems to have a lot of depth that I didn’t initially appreciate. ---
**Author:** ![igor\_frankensteen](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/839c29/32.png) [@igor\_frankensteen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/igor_frankensteen)\ **Post date:** [June 12, 2017, 11:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-is-your-favorite-first-lady/788759/6 "2017-06-12T11:47:49Z")
I don’t recall having an outright PROBLEM with any of them, as First Ladies. More than anything else, I have appreciated the fact that surrounding politicians and pundits abused all of them by using them for their own political concerns. That abuse includes both derogatory commentary, and laudatory comments, since even political compliments were designed to push a separate agenda of the person making them. ---
**Author:** ![iiandyiiii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/iiandyiiii/32/7924_2.png) [@iiandyiiii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/iiandyiiii)\ **Post date:** [June 12, 2017, 11:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-is-your-favorite-first-lady/788759/7 "2017-06-12T11:53:06Z")
Michelle Obama – passionate, eloquent, inspiring, tough, and just an amazing role model for girls and young women. ---
**Author:** ![Bone](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bone/32/407_2.png) [@Bone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bone)\ **Post date:** [June 12, 2017, 12:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-is-your-favorite-first-lady/788759/8 "2017-06-12T12:47:50Z")
More opinion seeking than about elections. Moved from Elections to IMHO. [/moderating] ---
**Author:** ![panache45](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/panache45/32/64_2.png) [@panache45](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/panache45)\ **Post date:** [June 12, 2017, 1:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-is-your-favorite-first-lady/788759/9 "2017-06-12T13:05:43Z")
I have to say, it’s a toss-up between Eleanor Roosevelt and Michelle Obama. ---
**Author:** ![Annie-Xmas](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ecc23a/32.png) [@Annie-Xmas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Annie-Xmas)\ **Post date:** [June 12, 2017, 1:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-is-your-favorite-first-lady/788759/10 "2017-06-12T13:45:32Z")
I absolutely adore Hillary Clinton. ---
**Author:** ![elbows](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/b3f665/32.png) [@elbows](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elbows)\ **Post date:** [June 12, 2017, 1:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-is-your-favorite-first-lady/788759/11 "2017-06-12T13:52:59Z")
Michelle Obama. She didn’t give off the vibe of being a mere accesssory, (possibly because she the most educated FL of the bunch?) Nor did it feel that she was being managed or manufactured, the way most previous First Ladies did. She had an authenticity that shone through, giving an impression of depth of character. (I am only speaking to the FL of my lifetime, not founding father era!) ---
**Author:** ![Cardigan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cardigan/32/187_2.png) [@Cardigan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cardigan)\ **Post date:** [June 12, 2017, 2:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-is-your-favorite-first-lady/788759/12 "2017-06-12T14:02:52Z")
Eleanor Roosevelt pretty much wrote the book on what being politically active first lady is all about. Although I hear tell Woodrow Wilson’s wife may have played an important role in keeping the office of the President operating behind the scenes following his stroke. ---
**Author:** ![Patx2](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/73ab20/32.png) [@Patx2](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Patx2)\ **Post date:** [June 12, 2017, 2:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-is-your-favorite-first-lady/788759/13 "2017-06-12T14:40:05Z")
Barbara and Laura Bush, they both seem very genuine. ---
**Author:** ![puddleglum](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/puddleglum/32/137_2.png) [@puddleglum](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/puddleglum)\ **Post date:** [June 12, 2017, 4:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-is-your-favorite-first-lady/788759/14 "2017-06-12T16:55:29Z")
I like Melania because she is the prettiest. Second favorite is Grace Coolidge because of the chicken joke. ---
**Author:** ![Procrustus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/procrustus/32/2994_2.png) [@Procrustus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Procrustus)\ **Post date:** [June 12, 2017, 5:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-is-your-favorite-first-lady/788759/15 "2017-06-12T17:03:30Z")
> [@puddleglum](#): > > I like Melania because she is the prettiest. To each his own, I suppose. I think Mrs. Obama is prettier than Mrs. Trump. Jackie Kennedy was very pretty too. I think, however, we should judge them on other factors primarily. I’d vote for Michelle Obama and Eleanor Roosevelt as my top two. I’ve got no complaints about any first ladies, except Mrs. Reagan, and her “just say no” campaign. ---
**Author:** ![SpoilerVirgin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/4491bb/32.png) [@SpoilerVirgin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SpoilerVirgin)\ **Post date:** [June 12, 2017, 5:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-is-your-favorite-first-lady/788759/16 "2017-06-12T17:27:16Z")
> [@Dale\_Sams](#): > > Dolly Madison of course. My choice, even with the oyster ice cream. ---
**Author:** ![running\_coach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/running_coach/32/15836_2.png) [@running\_coach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/running_coach)\ **Post date:** [June 12, 2017, 5:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-is-your-favorite-first-lady/788759/17 "2017-06-12T17:37:36Z")
> [@puddleglum](#): > > I like Melania because she is the prettiest. Second favorite is Grace Coolidge because of the chicken joke. By prettiest do you mean she posed nude? ---
**Author:** ![Tim\_R.Mortiss](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tim_r.mortiss/32/142_2.png) [@Tim\_R.Mortiss](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tim_R.Mortiss)\ **Post date:** [June 12, 2017, 5:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-is-your-favorite-first-lady/788759/18 "2017-06-12T17:41:39Z")
Laura Bush. As far as I know, she’s the only FLOTUS who ever killed a guy. ---
**Author:** ![Reddy\_Mercury](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/43a26b/32.png) [@Reddy\_Mercury](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Reddy_Mercury)\ **Post date:** [June 12, 2017, 5:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-is-your-favorite-first-lady/788759/19 "2017-06-12T17:43:14Z")
> [@Cardigan](#): > > Eleanor Roosevelt pretty much wrote the book on what being politically active first lady is all about. Although I hear tell Woodrow Wilson’s wife may have played an important role in keeping the office of the President operating behind the scenes following his stroke. She was pretty much the Acting President. All the Cabinet/everyone else reported to her, and she determined what her husband needed to read or sign or know. His stroke was so devastating he could only concentrate for short periods of time, and he was also very emotional labile afterward with delusions of grandeur and rigidity in his ideas. So she was essentially our first female President. ---
**Author:** ![Living\_Well\_Is\_Best\_Revenge](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/6bbea6/32.png) [@Living\_Well\_Is\_Best\_Revenge](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Living_Well_Is_Best_Revenge)\ **Post date:** [June 12, 2017, 5:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-is-your-favorite-first-lady/788759/20 "2017-06-12T17:44:17Z")
Michelle Obama, by a long shot. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-is-your-favorite-first-lady/788759.md?page=2)