# 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:** 3
**Author:** ![purplehearingaid](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/7bcc69/32.png) [@purplehearingaid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/purplehearingaid)\ **Post date:** [June 13, 2017, 2:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-is-your-favorite-first-lady/788759/41 "2017-06-13T02:56:55Z")
> [@Procrustus](#): > > 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. I think Jackie Kennedy was a lot prettier than Mrs. trump , I don’t think she is pretty at all ! Jackie Kennedy is my favorite Frist lady . ---
**Author:** ![Wesley\_Clark](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wesley_clark/32/20581_2.png) [@Wesley\_Clark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wesley_Clark)\ **Post date:** [June 13, 2017, 3:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-is-your-favorite-first-lady/788759/42 "2017-06-13T03:04:50Z")
Eleanor Roosevelt. Stood up for civil rights decades before it was popular, promoted feminism and helped draft the universal declaration of human rights. ---
**Author:** ![Johanna](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johanna/32/8318_2.png) [@Johanna](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johanna)\ **Post date:** [June 13, 2017, 3:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-is-your-favorite-first-lady/788759/43 "2017-06-13T15:32:34Z")
Rose Arthur. Totally obscure now, but she was the first lesbian First Lady. After her brother Chester left the White House, she took off with her girlfriend to Italy, where they spent the rest of their lives together. ---
**Author:** ![John\_Mace](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/john_mace/32/185_2.png) [@John\_Mace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_Mace)\ **Post date:** [June 13, 2017, 3:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-is-your-favorite-first-lady/788759/44 "2017-06-13T15:36:36Z")
Getting back to the OP, people also tend to go with what they know, and Michelle is one of the most recent ones in folks’ memories. Other than Eleanor R., any first lady before Jackie is a complete unknown to me. That means most of them wouldn’t even come under consideration. ---
**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 13, 2017, 3:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-is-your-favorite-first-lady/788759/45 "2017-06-13T15:46:02Z")
> [@Johanna](#): > > Rose Arthur. Totally obscure now, but she was the first lesbian First Lady. After her brother Chester left the White House, she took off with her girlfriend to Italy, where they spent the rest of their lives together. According to wikipedia, Chester’s sister (who assumed the role of first lady after his wife’s death) was named Mary. It also says she was married and had four children. I think you meant [Rose Cleveland](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rose_Cleveland). ---
**Author:** ![MindsEye\_Watering](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mindseye_watering/32/3619_2.png) [@MindsEye\_Watering](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MindsEye_Watering)\ **Post date:** [June 13, 2017, 4:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-is-your-favorite-first-lady/788759/46 "2017-06-13T16:13:59Z")
#1 Mrs. Obama #2 Mrs. Clinton ---
**Author:** ![stillownedbysetters](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/41988e/32.png) [@stillownedbysetters](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/stillownedbysetters)\ **Post date:** [June 13, 2017, 5:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-is-your-favorite-first-lady/788759/47 "2017-06-13T17:39:04Z")
I have always admired Edith Wilson, who acted in loco Presidentis, for her husband after WWI. He suffered a stroke and other debilitating ailments rendering him essentially unable to govern. In an era when many women were ill-prepared for such an undertaking, she jumped in and did what was needed, quite competently by all accounts. ---
**Author:** ![Velocity](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/velocity/32/18006_2.png) [@Velocity](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Velocity)\ **Post date:** [June 13, 2017, 6:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-is-your-favorite-first-lady/788759/48 "2017-06-13T18:01:44Z")
Laura Bush. Also, Melania Trump has dealt with the public pressure of FLOTUS pretty well. She is also quite multilingual and had to put up with bigotry for being Slovenian. ---
**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 13, 2017, 6:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-is-your-favorite-first-lady/788759/49 "2017-06-13T18:07:23Z")
> [@Velocity](#): > > Laura Bush. > > Also, Melania Trump has dealt with the public pressure of FLOTUS pretty well. She is also quite multilingual and had to put up with bigotry for being Slovenian. I must have missed the “bigotry for being Slovenian.” ---
**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 13, 2017, 6:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-is-your-favorite-first-lady/788759/50 "2017-06-13T18:29:31Z")
> [@Procrustus](#): > > I must have missed the “bigotry for being Slovenian.” I missed the “public pressure of being FLOTUS”. ---
**Author:** ![What\_Exit](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/what_exit/32/10652_2.png) [@What\_Exit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/What_Exit)\ **Post date:** [June 13, 2017, 6:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-is-your-favorite-first-lady/788759/51 "2017-06-13T18:31:42Z")
Abigail Adams is my choice, her husband was a poor President but great founding father, but she was awesome and pushed both for greater rights and abolition very early on. I liked Barbara Bush the best of the first ladies in my lifetime. A very motherly first Lady, she even looked like George’s mother. 😉 A real breath of fresh air after Nancy. Don’t really understand the love for Michelle; I didn’t see her doing anything more or less than the other first ladies of the last 60 years. I respect her, but I respect most of the first ladies accept for Nancy Reagan. ---
**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 13, 2017, 6:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-is-your-favorite-first-lady/788759/52 "2017-06-13T18:35:12Z")
> [@What\_Exit](#): > > Abigail Adams is my choice, her husband was a poor President but great founding father, but she was awesome and pushed both for greater rights and abolition very early on. > > I liked Barbara Bush the best of the first ladies in my lifetime. A very motherly first Lady, she even looked like George’s mother. 😉 A real breath of fresh air after Nancy. > > Don’t really understand the love for Michelle; I didn’t see her doing anything more or less than the other first ladies of the last 60 years. I respect her, but I respect most of the first ladies accept for Nancy Reagan. Guessing that it’s because she’s an equal partner to her husband rather than a subordinate. ---
**Author:** ![What\_Exit](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/what_exit/32/10652_2.png) [@What\_Exit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/What_Exit)\ **Post date:** [June 13, 2017, 6:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-is-your-favorite-first-lady/788759/53 "2017-06-13T18:40:38Z")
> [@running\_coach](#): > > Guessing that it’s because she’s an equal partner to her husband rather than a subordinate. OK, but that includes many others by that definition. Start with Abigail & Eleanor, Mrs. Wilson, even the dreaded Nancy Reagan. Without question Hillary. ---
**Author:** ![Velocity](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/velocity/32/18006_2.png) [@Velocity](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Velocity)\ **Post date:** [June 13, 2017, 7:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-is-your-favorite-first-lady/788759/54 "2017-06-13T19:05:57Z")
> [@Procrustus](#): > > I must have missed the “bigotry for being Slovenian.” More “foreign” than Slovenian, [but yes](http://www.washingtonexaminer.com/chelsea-handler-wont-interview-melania-trump-because-she-can-barely-speak-english/article/2612742). And aside from the foreigner issue, plenty of other abusive-in-general insults as well - see the tweets calling her a [“bitch, slut, whore, bimbo, skank,”](https://twitter.com/PrisonPlanet/status/755454269206175744/photo/1) etc. Another [tweet](https://twitter.com/PrisonPlanet/status/755372953408331776/photo/1). And [another](https://twitter.com/PrisonPlanet/status/755370515955679232/photo/1). ---
**Author:** ![What\_Exit](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/what_exit/32/10652_2.png) [@What\_Exit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/What_Exit)\ **Post date:** [June 13, 2017, 7:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-is-your-favorite-first-lady/788759/55 "2017-06-13T19:09:23Z")
> [@Velocity](#): > > More “foreign” than Slovenian, [but yes](http://www.washingtonexaminer.com/chelsea-handler-wont-interview-melania-trump-because-she-can-barely-speak-english/article/2612742). > > And aside from the foreigner issue, plenty of other abusive-in-general insults as well - see the tweets calling her a [“bitch, slut, whore, bimbo, skank,”](https://twitter.com/PrisonPlanet/status/755454269206175744/photo/1) etc. > > Another [tweet](https://twitter.com/PrisonPlanet/status/755372953408331776/photo/1). > > And [another](https://twitter.com/PrisonPlanet/status/755370515955679232/photo/1). You’re funny, the stuff Michelle Obama just put up with as First Lady makes the little Melania has had to put up with look like nothing. I’m not even one of Michelle’s big fans as you can see from my prior posts. ---
**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 13, 2017, 7:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-is-your-favorite-first-lady/788759/56 "2017-06-13T19:10:49Z")
> [@Velocity](#): > > More “foreign” than Slovenian, [but yes](http://www.washingtonexaminer.com/chelsea-handler-wont-interview-melania-trump-because-she-can-barely-speak-english/article/2612742). > > And aside from the foreigner issue, plenty of other abusive-in-general insults as well - see the tweets calling her a [“bitch, slut, whore, bimbo, skank,”](https://twitter.com/PrisonPlanet/status/755454269206175744/photo/1) etc. > > Another [tweet](https://twitter.com/PrisonPlanet/status/755372953408331776/photo/1). > > And [another](https://twitter.com/PrisonPlanet/status/755370515955679232/photo/1). Melania has been the recipient of some misogynistic and hateful attacks – I take it you sympathize with Michelle Obama even more for gracefully handling the much, much greater number of hateful attacks (including comparisons to animals) directed at her than have been directed at Melania? ---
**Author:** ![Velocity](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/velocity/32/18006_2.png) [@Velocity](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Velocity)\ **Post date:** [June 13, 2017, 7:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-is-your-favorite-first-lady/788759/57 "2017-06-13T19:12:06Z")
> [@iiandyiiii](#): > > I take it you sympathize with Michelle Obama for gracefully handling the many, many more hateful attacks (including comparisons to animals) than have been directed at Melania? Yes. ---
**Author:** ![Nawth\_Chucka](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/c57346/32.png) [@Nawth\_Chucka](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nawth_Chucka)\ **Post date:** [June 13, 2017, 9:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-is-your-favorite-first-lady/788759/58 "2017-06-13T21:42:40Z")
> [@stillownedbysetters](#): > > I have always admired Edith Wilson, who acted in loco Presidentis, for her husband after WWI. He suffered a stroke and other debilitating ailments rendering him essentially unable to govern. In an era when many women were ill-prepared for such an undertaking, she jumped in and did what was needed, quite competently by all accounts. But the people elected a [vice-president](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thomas_R._Marshall) and those responsibilities should have legally fallen to them instead of her. Her collusion w/ her husband’s loyal staffers (who disliked the VP personally) left the US in a weak position. ---
**Author:** ![ftg](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ftg/32/2801_2.png) [@ftg](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ftg)\ **Post date:** [June 14, 2017, 4:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-is-your-favorite-first-lady/788759/59 "2017-06-14T16:11:16Z")
A vote for Anna Eleanor Roosevelt. How big of a fan am I? I remember her first name. She just didn’t transform the role of the First Lady, she is the biggest icon in women’s rights ever. I think Rosalynn Carter and Hillary Clinton rate higher on First Partner achievements than Michelle Obama. Mrs. Obama has a really high potential for doing big things in the future. Her history is yet to be written. ---
**Author:** ![stillownedbysetters](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/41988e/32.png) [@stillownedbysetters](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/stillownedbysetters)\ **Post date:** [June 14, 2017, 5:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-is-your-favorite-first-lady/788759/60 "2017-06-14T17:59:28Z")
> [@Nawth\_Chucka](#): > > But the people elected a [vice-president](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thomas_R._Marshall) and those responsibilities should have legally fallen to them instead of her. Her collusion w/ her husband’s loyal staffers (who disliked the VP personally) left the US in a weak position. All true, but it took both ability and guts to do what she did, particularly in that time and place. Or maybe I just like bad girls. 😃 [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-is-your-favorite-first-lady/788759.md?page=2) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-is-your-favorite-first-lady/788759.md?page=4)