First Ladies. Let's talk about them.... Pickles is USELESS!

[KyndCulture]

Ok, I watched a dvd today that had some clips of various First Ladies throughout history and my partner and I got to talking about this.

I'm 39 and I have memories the last few First Ladies and I don't rememeber one so utterly useless as Laura Bush. She does NOTHING.

Eventhough I have deep seeded anger for Reagan, Nancy at least DID SOMETHING. I didn't agree with it, but at least she got off her rich butt and took a stand for something.

So I thought maybe we'd have a discussion of First Ladies through history... is there one so worthless as Laura?

[classof56]

1. What happened to the gang project reffed in the SOTU speech?

Guess I must have blinked.

Tired Old Cynic

[terrya]

2. Mamie Eisenhower was more useless...but hell, that was 50 years ago.

I agree about Laura Bush. She may not like it, but the role of First Lady is radically different today from that of the likes of Mamie Eisenhower. The First Lady isn't "just" the wife of the President nowadays. She's expected to be her own person...to have causes and interests that matter to her...and maybe to other Americans. I honestly don't know what the fuck Laura Bush actually does. I suspect this "June Cleaver" persona is designed to NOT be anything like that of Hillary Rodham Clinton and not to piss off the fundementalists who don't like those "uppity women" like Hillary.

[KyndCulture]

3. OH good point... is she laying low to counteract hillary?

She is a woman, a mother and if she hopes to connect with women of the 21st century I should hope she'd have a thought in her head... but we've seen nothing.

As much as I loathe her husband, I loathe her just an iota more for being the june cleaver, stepford woman.

[Captain Hilts]

14. Mamie was a vile human being, actually.

My mother worked in the Sec. of War/Sec. of Army's office. Mamie was a total pain in the ass.

A friend who's brother worked for the Eisenhowers in Gettysburg said the same thing.

[Ilsa]

4. I wouldn't mind her being "June Cleaver" if her children were

still little and somewhat dependent upon the parents for rides, etc. But her girls are grown, and I never hear anything about her except for the PR nonsense. I suspect she sits around smoking and reading novels all day.

[KyndCulture]

5. Yeah I know. Does she have a single thought? or a cause?

or a brain cell?

History will not remember her fondly...

[evilqueen]

6. former first ladies

Eleanor Roosevelt was a pretty active first lady, and for many good causes, particularly involved with helping the poor as well as disabled veterans.

I also admired Jackie Kennedy, and I believe she had a good heart and was probably the most instrumental first lady in her cultivation and support for the Arts.

[Kali]

7. Oh come now,

she singlehandedly keeps the drapery-fabric-into-clothing industry alive.


me-ow!

[Mend]

8. You mean she hasn't wiped out gangs yet?

What happened to that pet project of hers?

[nankerphelge]

9. I like Betty Ford...

her clinics are awesome.

[TomInTib]

10. She has to keep a low profile...after all, she killed her former

boyfriend with her car, married a former alcoholic and cheerleader (who is, regrettably, the current leader of the free world), has two unemployed party-girl daughters who haven't quite figured out that maybe you shouldn't stick your tongue out while your daddy is president and the press is watching - or get cited for drinking underage and the press is watching...and don't forget that Mother-in-law...

Hell, I'd recuse myself to my double-wide with a few good books and a carton of Marlboroughs if I were her. She probably has a good set-up down in the back forty down in Crawford that nobody knows about.

[KyndCulture]

11. true! Statute of limitations on vehicular homicide and all... nt

[TomInTib]

12. Pat Nixon...so who would you rather sleep with - W or Tricky Dick?

eeeeewwwwwww....

Guilt by association.

[Eloriel]

13. Let's not. We don't elect First Ladies -- why not stop judging them?

I don't care for the woman, but I'm really sick and tired of the unrealistic expectations heaped on all women in that position, and the judgment and criticism and often sexist remarks (say about her clothing and looks, etc.).

Whoever is in that role is a political spouse, so there has to be some socializing that goes with that role, and more so for the top job (state dinners, etc.), but beyond that, I think it's wrong and unfair and unrealistic to make demands on the person, and set them up for criticism no matter what they do.

Now, don't anyone interpret this as some sort of defense of Laura: I despise the woman and think of her as some sort of Stepford Wife. But whatever she does or doesn't do beyond normal social obligations isn't my business. We didn't elect her, we don't pay her, there's no job description.

So it's none of your business, either.

[TomInTib]

15. What about Hillary for President, and Bill as First Man...?

We can dream, can't we?

[la la]

16. but---------

we can talk about them all we want- right?

We all have opinions, why not let it all hang out? What's the problem with that?

The thread started with talking about First Ladies, didn't it?

geeze

[KyndCulture]

17. OH we don't? Really... then why was Teresa such a big deal?

Come on... that's a nice thought, but it's not reality.

[TomInTib]

21. Even though I voted for Kerry, I never really wanted him to

inherit Bush's mess, but how much fun would Teresa have been as first lady? She is so much her own woman, and so politically incorrect...plus Kerry's daughters and Teresa's sons vs. Jenna and Barbara as presidential kids? I wish we could have had a debate between the potential presidential progeny...

[Captain Hilts]

18. Yes, we do elect her, and Barney, and the twins, but I agree with you...

let's leave her alone.

She seems to have been taken or taken herself out of the fray. You know he was desperate during the campaing when they pulled her into it.

But W, Laura, Barbara , Jenna, Barney, etc. all come as a package deal.

[TomInTib]

22. and "Bar" as her mother-in-law? Perhaps she deserves our pity.

[wakemeupwhenitsover]

33. I disagree.

pickles is fair game. If she had taken herself completely out of the game & only agreed to host state dinners, fine; She's off limits. However, pickles has been more than willing to go to fundraisers, give speeches, be used in a SOTUS (can you just see her leading a gang task force? doesn't that just give the most bizarre image?). Once she allowed herself to be used she became fair,

And yes, she's absolutely worthless.

[Libby2]

19. It seems such a shame

to have all that influence and use it for nothing.

She makes me ill.

[KyndCulture]

20. She offends me as a woman and mother that she hasn't made a gesture...

to Cindy....

[Libby2]

26. Yes, me too

She wanted her daughters left alone, so they could be normal teenagers.
But she doesn't appear to have compassion for the teenagers dying for a lie.

[sue_66]

29. She offends me also

When I see her standing beside the moron she married and nodding her head in agreement, I want to scream. She is sickening

[KyndCulture]

30. welcome to DU, Sue_66

I agree...she takes women's rights back to the 50's....

I certainly am not a bobble head to my partner! She is a disgrace.

[OKDem08]

23. if only she had a conscience

or something mildly resembling it she might try to persuade her husband to speak w/Cindy for at least 30 mins. It's not like either of them have anything better to do. My perception of her is just like GWB--fine w/a teleprompter but left to her own defenses, totally & completely clueless.
She is such a stepford wife...makes me abso-fu**ing-lutely ill! :puke:

[evilqueen]

24. if you're a public figure, expect to not have a private life

That's just the way it is.

And I think first ladies should be more than a decoration at the White House or a fixture at parties.

[Wizard777]

25. Uh "Pickles" is actually Bush's other wife Condoleeza Rice.

AKA the live in National Security Advisor. I mean just how stupid does he think Laura is? When she is not exspousing George's politics. I really like her and I really feel sorry for her.

[candice]

32. Wasn't poor Laura just picked as a wife of convenience...

when First Son decided to run for Congress and was in need of a wife. Saw her at a barbecue and proposed immediately. She didn't know what she was in for. If you were hitting 30 in Midlands, Texas, I'm sure that Georgie Boy looked pretty good.

[zulchzulu]

27. She's playing her role as chessycatting domestic lightweight shill well

Laura knows not to step out of bounds and actually express herself for fear that the Repug Party would villify her immediately if she dared express that she had a thinking brain...

She plays the part perfectly for the Neocon agenda,

[KyndCulture]

28. which is reprehensible...

[snowbear]

31. Speaking of Laura Bush...

I'm still pissed at that damn cookie contest during the campaign.. :mad:

I can't remember which woman's magazine held it.. but they had Laura Bush's moist, chewy oatmeal/chocolate chip cookie up against a dry pumpkin cookie that someone submitted on behalf of Teresa Heinz Kerry.. = x( =

I remember Teresa's interview about the contest.. She was livid that she didn't know anything about the competition until reporters were asking her what she thought about getting creamed by the first lady.

Teresa said it wasn't her recipe and she would have never submitted those bland orange hockey pucks to the contest. :mad:

Yeah, I know.. it was just a dumb cookie contest.. :eyes: But Teresa was duped big time on that one.. :cry:

The Kerry's know how to whip up a hell of a batch of cookies according to popular rumor! ;)

[MADem]

34. I think that whole baking, homemaking horseshit just has to STOP

Hillary Rodham was a LAWYER, facrissake!! Teresa Heinz, a philanthropist!!! Who the hell has time to bake cookies? If you are in those leagues, you either send someone out to buy nice ones or if you are lucky enough to have a cook or a maid who cooks, you DELEGATE!

While I agree that the position, which these spouses get into by accident of marriage, is a great platform, I do not believe that the better half of any president should be FORCED to do all that stuff. They do not pay them, they are private citizens, and I do think it is up to them what they choose to do, or not do.