It is about time, too!
What do Cecilia Sarkozy of France and Cristina Fernandez de Kirchner of Argentina have in common? Both stylish women wear Prada! Both are also former first ladies who discarded their first lady title for other pursuits. Cristina will certainly be elected president of the republic of Argentina to succeed her husband. After a decade spent in grooming Nicolas for the top job, enigmatic Cecilia divorced him to go into private life.
The first lady is an American invention. Legend has it that the first “first lady” was James Madison’s wife Dolley. Actually, when living in the White House, she was unaware of the privilege; the prestigious title was posthumously bestowed on her in 1849 when resting in her coffin. Nowadays, the wife of a male head of state, whether dictator or democratically elected qualifies as a first lady. In all the countries which are nominal republics, first ladies are sitting on top of the prestige heap. American first ladies are still a breed apart. Only in America has the position retained its ceremonial and full regalia as well as its somewhat obsolete sense of purpose.
With a few exceptions, 19 and 20th centuries American first ladies have been outstanding women in their own rights. Many wives were unenthusiastic first ladies, resenting public exposure as well as their loss of freedom. They nonetheless established strong role models for American women. First lady Jackie Kennedy even attained iconic status worldwide. The president and his wife commonly worked as a team, with a caveat: the first lady is an unpaid position. Lady Bird Johnson expressed her view on this matter: “The first lady is, and always has been, an unpaid public servant elected by one person her husband”.
Subsequently, the freshly elected Bill Clinton famously announced that the American people got two for the price of one! A dutiful first lady is someone exclusively dedicated to promote the fame and grandeur of her husband the president. To meet their goals, first ladies commonly conscript the other dwellers of the presidential palace such as first daughter, first cat, or first dog.
It is worth pointing out that many US presidents owe their position to the relentless campaigning of their wives. These women achieved first lady status by propping hubby to the top job! The first lady is de facto an elected official! One usually acknowledges that there is always a strong woman behind a powerful man; this saying rings particularly true for American presidential couples. Florence Harding made this point very plain: “I know what’s best for the president. I put him in the White house. He does well when he listens to me and poorly when he doesn’t.” She was more outspoken than most. The current campaigning for the US presidential primaries shows that there are many potential svengalis among the candidates wives, most of whom had high-powered jobs before giving them up to boost up their husband’s presidential bid.
In the rest of the world, first ladies carry less visibility and prestige; they go quietly about their business. Some have careers; others are home buddies; others stay in the shadow of their husbands. A trade unionist by marriage, Marisa Leticia the first lady of Brazil is just happy to log miles on AeroLula the presidential jet. She does not get her script from “Desperate Housewives”! If loose canons are the exception they have nonetheless made headlines. Danielle Mitterrand of France was a noteworthy example. She pushed her independence to the limit by publicly endorsing political causes contrary to her husband’s policies. Lucy Kibaki, the official wife of the current president of Kenya is the poster girl for dysfunctional first families. She commonly berates diplomats, slaps the face of journalists, and consistently bullies her husband.
If Jackie Kennedy attained iconic status, Eva Peron of Argentina reached divine standing! Part Cinderella, part Cruella, her political legacy remains controversial at best. She became the spiritual leader of the Peronist movement, the Mother Teresa of politics. Her bid for vice president was nonetheless thwarted. Several factors came into play, including the dithering of her envious husband, and the misogynous mindset of the military brass. Her early death at 33 left her followers with an unfathomable grief. Her funeral was a state affair, and her coffin was kissed by half a million people. She became a saint and a legend.
Some 50 years later, the funeral of the “People’s Princess” produced a comparable emotional outpouring. During her short life, Princess Diana another popular cultural icon, indulged in a celebrity cult. Gossip has it that she fantasized about becoming an American first lady and to go about redecorating the White House. She planned to achieve this status by marrying an American billionaire who would subsequently buy his way into the White House! It is the Jackie Kennedy Onassis saga in reverse!
Cristina Fernandez de Kirchner strongly rejects the Evita parallel. She does admit to a certain resemblance with the career path of Hillary Rodham Clinton. Anointed by her husband, Cristina will succeed where Evita failed. Hillary Clinton’s presidential quest is far thornier and success is still very uncertain.
Is the first lady sinecure losing its appeal? Not really, the function is evolving. Laura Bush claims “The role of first lady is whatever the first lady wants it to be.” Therefore ambitious first women increasingly regard the job as a launching pad for more hands-on and executive duties. In this Eleanor Roosevelt showed the way. President Truman called her the first lady of the world. After the death of her husband she increased her civil rights advocacy and became a U.S. delegate at the recently created United Nations. She is known to have given some 350 press conferences!
Many first ladies are more popular that their husband. Laura Bush who has been enjoying an approval rating twice as high as that of George should join the Republican candidate’s fray. This is a nightmarish proposal, America deserves better than George as first gentleman! To watch George adoringly gaze at Laura will be unbearable.
Beatrice Labonne, October 26, 2007.
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