Laura On Giving Michelle A W.H. Tour: "I Showed Her Closets, All The Things Women Are Interested In"

[Amerigo Vespucci]

Laura Bush On Giving Michelle Obama A White House Tour: "I Showed Her The Closets, I Showed Her All The Things That Women Are Interested In"

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2008/11/14/laura-bush-on-giving-mich_n_143966.html



First Lady Laura Bush talked for the first time about her private meeting with Michelle Obama on Monday. When asked if she shared any White House parenting advice with the future First Lady, Laura Bush responded, "Not really. I think I showed her the closets, I showed her all the things that women are interested in. But I didn't try to give her a lot of advice."

Read on for the rest of the interview with CNN:

ELAINE QUIJANO, CNN WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT: The role of the First Lady is certainly something that I'm sure you discussed with Mrs. Obama earlier this week. How did that visit go? And could you tell us any anecdotes?

LAURA BUSH, FIRST LADY: Well it went great. It was very private, really. It was really much more, I think, two mothers talking about home more in this visit, because of course I showed her the rooms that are our girls' rooms now that I think are the perfect rooms for her girls when they move there.

We talked more about really making the White House a home for a family. And what I know from having lived here and from visiting my mother-in-law when she made this family a home and from reading about all the other families that have lived here is this house really can be a home. And I know that they'll make it that way for their little girls.

QUIJANO: Certainly, there must be some increased pressure, a lot of scrutiny, of course, living in the White House. I was wondering, did you share any advice with her as a mother who has been through it, having had two daughters spending some formative years?

L. BUSH: Not really. I think I showed her the closets, I showed her all the things that women are interested in. But I didn't try to give her a lot of advice. I know she knows that she can make it home.

And that's what she wants to do.

QUIJANO: Last question then. Your husband, the day after the election, talked about it being a stirring sight to see the Obamas because of the historic nature of having the nation's first African-American president. I wonder if you could share your thoughts on that, as well?

L. BUSH: Well I also think it's very, very important. I think it's important for American history. I think it's a message to everybody in the United States of what's possible. But it's also a message around the world because I know, because I heard from them, that there were leaders in the -- around the world who didn't think the United States would elect an African-American man. And so, I think it's a really important message about our own democracy to people around the world.

QUIJANO: Mrs. Bush, thank you so much.

L. BUSH: Thanks a lot. Thanks a lot.

[Political Tiger]

1. To Laura, that means

where the Valium is kept...

[Faygo Kid]

2. The Stepford Wife speaks.

Life has been easy for Laura. She made her choices.

And her makeup grows more like the Joker every year, and I don't think it's a coincidence.

[Beaverhausen]

3. before the naysayers move in, Laura is sort of right

Really, do men care about closets? And it will be the Obama's home and Michelle does have to make it a home for her family. Her husband is quite busy with other matters. It's not sexist to me, but of course YMMV.

[Raschel]

5. Not sexist to me either. And she didn't presume to think Michelle needed advice.

[Beaverhausen]

9. unlike Palin- didn't she offer advice to Michelle when Blitzer asked about that?

as if Palin is such a good mom... :rofl:

[No Elephants]

47. Are all women interested in closets? Are all women alike? Maybe Michelle would have been more

interested in the library or the antiques or the plumbing.

[Sebastian Doyle]

4. "formative years"??

Jenna & Tonic were in college when Chimpy was selected. Did either of them ever actually live in the White House (i.e. more than just a few days over holiday break, or whatever?)

[Starry Messenger]

6. I can't gin up any hate for Laura Bush.

She's actually been OK this year. Maybe she actually mitigates her husband's oafishness and without her he'd be 10 times worse.

[always_saturday]

8. I really can't either. As a woman, I'd *want* to see the closets - and the bathrooms.

[Starry Messenger]

16. Well, I'd want to, too. Mostly because I'm a total snoop. :) n/t

[DesertRat]

22. I'd want to look inside the medicine cabinets.

;-)

[ourbluenation]

27. and the kitchen...and I don't even cook! n/t

[rvablue]

31. And when someone asked her about Michelle's "For the first time

in my adult life I'm really proud of my country" remark, I thought Laura Bush didn't just brush off the question...she defended Michelle....I thought it was very gracious.

[shireen]

7. i like Laura Bush

really, i can't help it. i just have this warm sympathetic feeling towards her.

[sufrommich]

13. I do too. I think she's a woman trapped in a

miserable existence. I feel sorry for her.

[Lisa0825]

18. ditto.

I still wonder if she'll leave him when it's over, or keep up the sham.

[cali]

14. I like her too. And one of the reasons why is that she has a certain

dignity about her. The interview the OP is snarking about was wholly inoffensive.

[alwysdrunk]

30. Same here

Why does she have to be a "Stepford Wife"? Not everyone wants to do what Hillary and Michelle did with their lives. Let Laura do Laura.

[Mz Pip]

39. Laura is definitely the best

of that whole crew. She's kept a pretty low profile, all things considered.

And really, those meeting must be somewhat awkward in spite of the smily photo-ops.

[KittyWampus]

10. Michelle's popular persona= the one holding the family life together while Dad's busy

-see cover of People Magazine- as Mom she probably IS interested in practical stuff like that.

[jjanpundt]

11. I saw several bits of this interview and thought Lauar bush

seemed very relaxed with this segment. She didn't seem to have the valium near-overdose manner going for her at all. Seemed happy with Michelle and stated she felt Michelle would be very successful making the place home.

[Blasphemer]

12. I think she is very happy that her public life is coming to an end

She's really only loosened up in the past year or so and I think it's because her tenure as First Lady is almost over and because the elections put the spotlight elsewhere. When she's not defending her husbands' indefensible acts, she's quite gracious. Despite not having much natural charisma, she has become quite likeable.

[jbnow]

15. Laura defended Michelle on "proud of America" statement

that republicans were attacking her on.

When they asked Laura what she thought of it she was kind and gracious, saying she thought she understood what Michelle meant and explaining her view of it and that clearly Michelle loves America. (Don't recall exactly but it was very good). She said the only problem is that Michelle wasn't use to a national campaign and the way your words can be misconstrued.

Michelle said she sent Laura a thank you note because she was so touched by it.

It warmed my heart when I heard her refuse to take an easy shot

[nomaco-10]

17. So typical of pub women. The vapid, unimportant issues are always...

front and center in their poor, pathetic, closed off and shut down sense of self.


It's truly pathetic and cringe worthy for any 21st century woman.

[Vektor]

19. She was probably trying to be a little bit funny. I don't mind Laura.

I feel kind of bad for her. She was once a vibrant, independent, interesting woman.

It's a shame she got mixed up with the Bushes, because she seems like a nice lady.

[ellacott]

28. I feel a little bad for her too

She was a very attractive woman when she met Bush. I saw a report that said she would marry him if he promised that she wouldn't have to speak a any campaign events. That's another promise he broke.

[Vektor]

41. She's still pretty, but she looks so frozen and sedated now.

I guess I would be too, if I were in her situation.

[lavenderdiva]

29. Perhaps she was once a vibrant, independent, and interesting woman

because she was raised as a Democrat- Unfortunately, like you said, she married into the Bush family, and all those qualities got lost somewhere along the line....

http://www.cnn.com/CNN/Programs/people/shows/bush/profile.html

snip:
Soon after the marriage, George W. Bush began his first political campaign for Congress, which he lost. Laura, raised a Democrat, was now forever tied to a Republican dynasty with her new husband, the grandson of a senator and the son of an ambassador who would soon become vice president, then president of the United States.

[Vektor]

40. I knew that about her.

Sad, isn't it? She sort of sold her soul to marry into that family.

[Beacool]

43. The funny part is that the Freepers say the exact same thing about Hillary.

Hillary was raised Republican and the Freepers think that she sold her soul to the devil when she married Bill.

Ironic, isn't it?

:7

[Vektor]

44. Yes, except as usual, they're wrong.

:-)

[Sarah Ibarruri]

20. The woman has no brain, seriously. nt

[crispini]

21. Well, hell, I'd want to see the closets. nt

[CTyankee]

23. Why wouldn't a man want to see the closets? Wouldn't they want to see the house they're

going to be living in for at least the next 4 years?

Men use closets, right?

[SheWhoMustBeObeyed]

24. Makes sense to me...sounds like they had a good visit

[azmouse]

25. That was probably a lot of work for Laura...

She had to clean out all of her husband's booze bottles hidden in those closets.

[Colobo]

26. She's nice and dumb- the ideal Republican female.

[Egnever]

32. I know, because I heard from them, that there were leaders in the --

You mean like KKKarl ?

[DU GrovelBot]

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[rvablue]

34. In all fairness to the First Lady

I think the second sentence of her first response answers why she made the silly closet remark.

"It was very private, really."

Meaning: This was between myself and Mrs. Obama.

[No Elephants]

46. That doesn't explain the sexism.

[Hepburn]

35. Yeah, while I was going to law school full time and holding down two part time jobs...

...while single parenting a small child and trying how to figure out what next to eliminate from the budget to pay tuition, closet space was at the top of my list!

:sarcasm:

[southernyankeebelle]

36. Class Act

Whatever you think of Bush that is one thing. But Mrs. Bush who I have respect for has been a good first lady. She is a class act. Believe me I wouldn't say it if I didn't mean it because am a democrat. I want to thank her.

[walldude]

37. She show her the skeletons too? n/t

[dkofos]

38. I'd be called sexist if I had said that.

[Beacool]

42. Oh, come on folks, Laura was quite gracious.

It was a nice interview and I have no beef with Laura. I only wish that she had better taste in husbands........

:eyes:

[jesus_of_suburbia]

45. Jenna Bush told Larry King that her mind was "open" when Larry asked who she supported in the GE

This was after the Primaries when it was down to Obama and McCain.

I took that to mean she might be supporting Obama. You never know.


If that is true, I give credit to Laura for raising her daughters as best she could in a nasty family.


She IS a Stepford wife, but she seems fairly decent compared to others who have been thrown in our face over the last 8 years.