(MUSIC)
VOICE ONE:
The wife of the United States president has no duties or powersunder the law, but has an important place in America. I’m FaithLapidus.
VOICE TWO:
And I’m Steve Ember. We tell about First Lady Laura Bush andother wives of presidents, this week on the VOA Special Englishprogram THIS IS AMERICA.
(MUSIC)
VOICE ONE:
The National First Ladies Library in Canton, Ohio, recentlyopened an education and research center. Laura Bush spoke at theevent. Missus Bush, the wife of the forty-third president, talkedabout other first ladies in history. She remembered how Bess Truman,the wife of the thirty-third president, had described the duty of afirst lady.
Harry Truman served in office from nineteen-forty-five untilnineteen-fifty-three. His wife said the job of the first lady is tosit quietly in public next to her husband and make sure her hat ison straight.
Missus Bush said some people agreewith this. But, she added, the fact is first ladies have made andchanged history.
VOICE TWO:
In two-thousand-one, for example, Laura Bush became the onlyfirst lady to give a full presidential radio message. She spoke inplace of her husband in his weekly talk. She described the poorconditions for women and children in Afghanistan under Taleban rule.
Laura Bush is a former teacher and librarian. She and her husbandmoved into the White House in January of two-thousand-one. Sincethen she has spent a lot of time on educational issues.
Missus Bush has launched a national campaign called Ready toRead, Ready to Learn. It places great importance on reading tochildren to prepare them for school.
VOICE ONE:
Laura Bush has also started the National Book Festival inWashington. The first one took place on September eighth,two-thousand-one. About thirty-thousand people came to enjoystorytelling, readings, musical performances and book-signings. TheLibrary of Congress gathered writers and artists from across theUnited States.
The third National Book Festival will be held this year onOctober fourth.
This interest in reading follows a tradition set by another firstlady, Barbara Bush — the mother of the current president.
Barbara Bush is the wife of George Herbert Walker Bush, America’sforty-first president. They lived in the White House fromnineteen-eighty-nine until nineteen-ninety-three. She continues toserve as honorary chairman of the Barbara Bush Foundation for FamilyLiteracy. That group has awarded millions of dollars to programsacross the country.
VOICE TWO:
Laura Bush was born Laura Welch in Midland, Texas, innineteen-forty-six. She developed an interest in reading as a youngchild. She completed her studies in education at Southern MethodistUniversity in Dallas in nineteen-sixty-eight. Then she taught schooluntil nineteen-seventy-two. The next year she earned a master’sdegree in library science at the University of Texas at Austin.
She met George Walker Bush in Austin in nineteen-seventy-seven.They married in Midland a few months later. In nineteen-eighty-onethey had twin daughters. Jenna and Barbara are now college students.
(MUSIC)
VOICE ONE:
Historically, many first ladies limited their activities. Theyorganized dinners for important guests. Or they welcomed groups tothe White House.
But other first ladies have been activists. Hillary RodhamClinton is now a United States senator from New York. No other firstlady has ever been elected to office.
She campaigned for the Senate during her last days in the WhiteHouse. Her husband, Bill Clinton, was America’s forty-secondpresident. He served two terms, from nineteen-ninety-three untiltwo-thousand-one.
Hillary Clinton led the efforts in her husband’s administrationto enact a health care reform plan. That plan died in Congress. Asfirst lady she was also active in children’s issues. And shesupported her husband during his impeachment trial innineteen-ninety-nine. The Senate cleared him of charges that he liedabout his relationship with Monica Lewinsky, a young White Houseworker.
Hillary Clinton and her husbandalso both faced accusations of dishonesty in their past financialdealings. She was called to give evidence while first lady. Theaccusations never resulted in charges.
Hillary Clinton has many critics. But she also has manysupporters. Many people believe she will run for president herselfsomeday.
(MUSIC)
VOICE TWO:
Eleanor Roosevelt was another activist. She was married toFranklin Delano Roosevelt. He was elected president four times, andserved until his death in nineteen-forty-five. (The Constitution nowsays presidents can serve only two terms.) Franklin Roosevelt guidedthe nation through the great economic depression and most of WorldWar Two.
Much of the public also liked Eleanor Roosevelt. She didhumanitarian work. She worked to improve human rights for women andminorities. She spoke throughout the country about major issues.
But she, too, was often criticized. Some people did not think afirst lady should influence public policy.
VOICE ONE:
Sometimes President Roosevelt joked about his wife’s influence.In nineteen-thirty-three, he named a woman to the Cabinet for thefirst time ever. Union leaders opposed the appointment of FrancesPerkins as labor secretary. But Missus Roosevelt supported her.
Later Missus Roosevelt said she was sorry for the problems herhusband had with the union officials. But Franklin said he wouldrather have an hour of trouble with union officials than troublewith Eleanor for the rest of his life.
(MUSIC)
VOICE TWO:
Early in American history, Abigail Smith Adams was first lady.Her husband, John Adams, was the second president of the UnitedStates. This was in the late seventeen-hundreds. Missus Adamsexpressed strong opinions. Critics had a name for her. They calledher “Missus President.”
But one first lady did more than influence her husband’sdecisions. For months, Edith Wilson made the decisions. Her husbandwas Woodrow Wilson, America’s twenty-eighth president. He suffered astroke in nineteen-nineteen.
Edith Wilson performed many presidential duties while her husbandwas sick. So, for a time, Missus Wilson was America’s unofficialpresident.
VOICE ONE:
Social duties are a part of life for any first lady. Dolley PayneMadison was famous for her parties even before she became firstlady.
She was the wife of James Madison, America’s fourth president. Hehad been secretary of state to President Thomas Jefferson.Jefferson’s wife died, so Dolley Madison helped him entertainvisitors.
Dolley Madison probably is best known for what she did when theBritish invaded Washington. That happened during the War ofEighteen-Twelve. When the British burned the White House, DolleyMadison fled with important government documents. She also removed apainting of America’s first president, George Washington.
Martha Washington had not enjoyed being first lady as much asDolley Madison did. Martha Washington once said, “I am more like astate prisoner than anything else. There are limits set for me whichI must not move past. And, as I cannot do as I like, I resist andstay home a great deal.”
(MUSIC)
VOICE TWO:
One modern first lady said she wanted to live a private life.Instead Jacqueline Bouvier (boo-vee-AY) Kennedy became one of themost famous first ladies ever.
She was married to John Fitzgerald Kennedy. They moved into theWhite House in nineteen-sixty-one.
Jackie Kennedy was young and beautiful. Her picture was always inthe press. During a state visit to France, she became very popularwith the French people.
This caused the president to describe himself as the man who camewith Jacqueline Kennedy to Paris.
VOICE ONE:
Each time the wife of a new president enters the White House, sheredefines the job of first lady. Someday there may be a completeredefinition. If so, Americans will have to decide what to call theperson married to the president. “First gentleman” perhaps?
(MUSIC)
Our program was written by Jerilyn Watson and produced by CatyWeaver. I’m Faith Lapidus.
VOICE ONE:
And I’m Steve Ember. Join us again next week for more about lifein the United States, on the VOA Special English program THIS ISAMERICA.