June 10, 2004

Urm, No, I Don't Think So

Family Feud question: If Mt Rushmore had first ladies, who should be up there?

Number one answer, 53 out of 100 - Hilary Clinton

Others; Eleanor Roosevelt, Jackie Kennedy, Barbara Bush, Martha Washington, Laura Bush

BTW: the first answer given by a contestant was Nancy Reagan - who wasn't on the list - where do they do these polls??

UPDATE: We got quite a reaction to this one, not the least of which from me - be sure you check out the comments.

Also wanted to say that these contestants, in trying to come up with answers, could not remember many names. We were treated to Nancy Roosevelt, Maura Kennedy, and "President Bush, the one who is President now - his wife - what's her name? Oh yeah, Barbara"

Posted by Vox at June 10, 2004 01:40 PM | politics
Comments

If they put Hillary up there I might just blow the whole mountain to smithereens. =D

Posted by: rachel at June 10, 2004 02:00 PM

Not to defend the idea but Hillary is the most well known because she is the biggest bag. The answers are more or less a popularity contest rather than that of nobility and honor.

Posted by: Wickld at June 10, 2004 02:18 PM

Hilary in stone? Hmmm - - and that would be different from how she is now because???? ;)

Posted by: Uptown Girl at June 10, 2004 04:25 PM

LOL - perhaps the stone version would be a bit warmer.

Posted by: Vox at June 10, 2004 04:38 PM

Hildeebeast?? Are you serious? What the hell has she done for this country? Ugh.

Posted by: Lori at June 10, 2004 05:51 PM

what has any first lady ever done for this country?

Posted by: friend at June 10, 2004 10:42 PM

"friend" are you serious??? Why don't you read a book or newspaper once in awhile and then you would know what other first ladies have done for the country.

Posted by: Lori at June 11, 2004 12:59 AM

i read all newspapers, not just the politically slanted ones.

reading to small children? punting for a national healthcare system? get pictured on the cover of good housekeeping? look out for education (don't everyone laugh at once)?

seriously, nine times out of ten, the first lady is given a pet project to keep her mind off of everything else.

most of the time they just act as pr for the president.

what exactly has the last three first ladies done that has made this country better? i can't find anything that hasn't been either shot down or laughed off.

nancy really started the say no to drugs movement and wanted children to get more exercise. nancy could have and should have been a standard bearer of what the first ladies to follow should have done, and i think they all have failed miserably at that.

Posted by: friend at June 11, 2004 02:44 AM

Which makes my point friend. Not ALL first ladies have done things for the country but some have.

Posted by: Lori at June 11, 2004 07:59 AM

ummm... yeah...

laura's still a tool.

Posted by: friend at June 11, 2004 04:35 PM

Disrespectful, ad hominum attacks like that will get you banned from this site. If you have something specific to say, let's hear it. If you just want to thumb your nose at each other - do it elsewhere.

BTW: where do you find a newspaper that's not politically slanted?

I would also say that PR for the President is a valuable and important job, as is entertaining visiting dignitaries and heads of state, even if it doesn't qualify as doing something "for the country" in your eyes.

One of the biggest images from Kennedy's presidency is Jackie; her clothes, her redecorating, her style, her grace and charm.

One of many things that were perceived poorly about Clinton's presidency was Hilary, even among many of his supporters; her questionable dealings with the Rose law firm, her self-involved, politically motivated speeches, her dismissive attitude towards motherhood and being a wife, her lack of skill as a hostess to foreign leaders.

Neither of those women made a lasting contribution "to the country" but they left a lasting legacy - one worth remembering, one not.

Barbara Bush worked for literacy, against homelessnes and promoted AID's awareness - certainly not new ideas but worthy of the platform she used in tackling them.

Laura Bush has used her degrees in Education and Library Science to promote literacy, early chilhood learning, and education projects (Teach For America, The New Teacher Project, and Troops to Teachers). As an Ambassador for UNESCO she has worked for education worldwide, and she has lead the efforts for teacher training in Afghanistan.

She works on women's rights programs and health issues (heart disease and breast cancer, especially, in honor of her mother) in partnership with the National Heart Lung and Blood Institute .

She started the Preserve America program in an effort to sustain the nation's cultural and natural heritage.

And you say she's a tool? Is it because she is attractive and soft spoken? After the years of Hilary have you forgotten that a woman doesn't have to be a b**ch to be strong and independent? Do you think that because a woman agrees with her husband she isn't an independent thinker?


Edith Roosevelt worked with the Needlework Guild, a group formed to provide clothing for the poor. At the turn of the 20th century - before it was fashionable.

Dolly Madison began many of the traditions in the White House that are now standard protocol, such as the Inaugural Ball. Her ability to deal with foreign heads of state is legendary and was a great service in the early days of this country.

Martha Washington's unwavering support of her husband as he fought in the war that ensured our independence, and later as he led a fledgling nation in it's first steps, can not be over-estimated.

Should I go on?

Posted by: Vox at June 11, 2004 05:51 PM

what about eleanor roosevelt?

She understood social conditions better than any of her predecessors and she transformed the role of First Lady accordingly. She never shirked official entertaining; she greeted thousands with charming friendliness. She also broke precedent to hold press conferences, travel to all parts of the country, give lectures and radio broadcasts, and express her opinions candidly in a daily syndicated newspaper column, "My Day." (courtesy of whitehouse.gov)

that's a little more than appearing on the cover of good housekeeping.

but because eleanor was the wife of a democrat president, you'd probably find something to insult her about.

Posted by: friend at June 11, 2004 09:52 PM

Actually, I mentioned the wives of a couple of Democrats positively - did ya' miss it?

I was never personally very impressed by her, so chose not to include her - though I know many, many people consider her to be a very worthy idol. I don't dislike her or feel the desire to run her down, she just is not my personal cup of tea. I am much more fond of Edith Roosevelt.

However, that is two First Ladies you have mentioned as having contributed - aren't you answering you own question?

If you are going to pull a direct quote from a web site, you should probably include an attribution

Posted by: Vox at June 11, 2004 11:51 PM

BTW: You didn't tell me why you think Laura Bush is a tool....


???

Posted by: Vox at June 11, 2004 11:54 PM

i did include an attribution. didn't you see the "(courtesy of whitehouse.gov)"?

if jackie o. had sad grace and charm, why was jfk in the sack with marilyn?

laura doesn't really do anything. she just stands there and smiles. she's a stepford wife.

Posted by: at June 12, 2004 03:27 AM

1) nope, completely missed it - sorry

2) perhaps because he was a pig

3) I just listed many of the things she does, and you say she just stands there and smiles? Have you ever seen an interview with her, or read the things she's written? I know that you don't agree with (or don't like) her husband, but just because she agrees with, and loves, him doesn't make her a Stepford wife. Just because she is charming, graceful and gentle, a Southern Belle, rather than bombastic and grating does not make her a Stepford wife. Even if you don't approve of her projects (how could you disagree with them? but, whatever) you can't deny she works hard at them.

Even if you don't care whether teachers are being trained in Afghanistan, you can't deny that it is happening. I personally think that is a big deal, as I believe education is the hope of all nations - especially those living in the oppression of the Dark Ages.

I appreciate her work on education here as well. I don't believe the problem in our schools is a lack of money but a lack of focus. Her work to bring in teachers with real world experience and fresh views, as well as the desire to educate rather than indoctrinate our youth, is a huge step in the right direction.

As a woman, and one who has breast cancer in the family and therefore (probably) in my future, I appreciate the work of all private citizens to find treatments and work towards a cure. Knowing that heart disease is the number one killer of women, and knowing that that message was not getting out before, I appreciate the work done by National Heart Lung and Blood Institute (and others) to increase awareness. Laura Bush's involvement with both of those causes helps to elevate the profile of the work. I don't think she has to be in a lab bent over a rack of test tubes to play a role in fighting the diseases and decreasing the number of victims.

You must be a child of the 70's - growing up when women thought the only way to be taken seriously was to be as loud as the boys. What the move toward equality gave us was the ability to be strong and gentle. I have much more respect for a woman who can be strong and yet remain a lady. Laura Bush personifies that. She doesn't need to toot her own horn because that isn't what it is about for her, she just does the work. She has remained strong and graceful through some very tough campaigns, through having horrible vicious verbal attacks made on her husband (and some on her, as well). She has never seen the need to lower herself to the level of those attackers - she rises above. A weaker woman would have folded or lashed out, not Laura Bush.

And because of that inner strength and resolve, you think she is a Stepford wife.

What kind of women do you usually spend you time with? Wouldn't you rather have one that loves you and lifts you up? One who is kind and gentle, a good and loving mother, one who has a smile for you when you look at her, and yet possesses an core of steel that strengthens you?

Posted by: Vox at June 12, 2004 11:49 AM

i like the women that will argue with me over a blog ;)

Posted by: friend at June 12, 2004 05:06 PM

Is that what we were arguing over? I clearly had the wrong impression. I thought we were arguing the pro and cons of First Ladies and their contributions to the country.

My bad, I guess.

Posted by: Vox at June 12, 2004 05:28 PM

to be completely honest, i've forgotten.

whattcha doin' this weekend?

Posted by: friend at June 12, 2004 08:25 PM

Damn, I turn my back for a min and all kinds of stuff happens in here! hahaha And dates? Wow...

Posted by: Lori at June 16, 2004 04:47 AM