With Betty's passing, I have to admit - I like all of our "First Ladies" in my lifetime.

[Faygo Kid]

I don't know much about Bess Truman, but Harry loved her unconditionally. One of the great love stories of the century, and good for them.

Mamie was an enigma. Trapped in the 1950s, and that wasn't easy for any woman. She was not exactly a sweetheart, but certainly not a bad person. In over her head, maybe.

Jackie: I weep that she died so young; I'm glad that she didn't have to learn of JFK jrs. death 12 years ago this week.

Lady Bird: I may love her best. What a wonderful person, and an early environmentalist. She put up with Lyndon, too.

Pat: A good-hearted person afflicted with a dead-hearted person. She really wanted none of it.

Betty: Is there a heart so cold that does not love Betty Ford? She never imagined that she would be First Lady. But she transformed our lives, and the rabid and nuts Republicans of today must deal with her legacy: Honesty.

Rosalynn: OK, I admit it. I had the hots for her. Still do, I guess. Do you know that she turns 84 next month?!? Wow. A wonderful person and human being.

Nancy: You know, she did something right in raising Ron Jr. and Patti. I will not pile on here. Ronald Reagan could not be elected dogcatcher in today's Republican Party. He compromised.

Barbara: If you can't say anything nice, say nothing at all.

Hillary: She was Eleanor Roosevelt. I'm glad she's always been on our side.

Laura: She broke with Rove about gays et al and Fox News has destroyed her ever since. She's a non-entity now.

Michelle: Love her. Stay safe, Michelle.

[The Velveteen Ocelot]

1. Barbara Bush is a nasty old harpy.

[Faygo Kid]

2. Like I said, if you can't say anything nice . . .

[devilgrrl]

13. there's nothing nice to say.

:shrug:

[Bozita]

15. +1

[EFerrari]

18. "If you can't say anything nice, come sit by me."

Approx, Dorothy Parker.

[secondwind]

9. Could not have said it better myself. She is so full of herself.

[dsc]

3. what about Hillary?

[Faygo Kid]

4. Oops. Will fix.

[elleng]

5. Bess was 'difficult,' to say the least. Agree that good Harry loved her,

but can't figure it out. Among other things, as I recall, a real bigot.

Thanks for the memories!

[northoftheborder]

8. Bess Truman...

....was an awkward first lady. She did not like anything about the role, and spent much of her time at their home in Missouri. Truman did love her, but she was a tough old bird. Mamie Eisenhower was not political at all, and not very interesting. After Bess and Mamie, when the beautiful Jacqueline came along, so educated, cultured, fashionable, the country fell in love with her.

Hillary was the modern Eleanor Roosevelt. Eleanor was smart, very intelligent, and very liberal, and had a lot of influence on her husband.

My favorites since Roosevelt: Eleanor, Jackie, Lady Bird, Hillary, Michelle.

[Faygo Kid]

14. +1, except add Betty and Rosalynn.

[Angry Dragon]

6. Nancy, Laura, Barbara ......... I have nothing to say

:popcorn: :popcorn: :popcorn:

[no_hypocrisy]

7. Did you ever see Mamie Eisenhower when she was younger?

[secondwind]

10. wow, these are amazing photos! thanks for posting them!

[Faygo Kid]

11. I agree. I have never seen these. Amazing.

We were all young. Once.

[ellenfl]

12. too bad the other repub 1st ladies did not take a page from

betty's playbook. i had forgotten about her liberal stands on women's issues and even that she was a republican president's first lady. we might actually have achieved equal rights.

ellen fl

[jeff47]

16. Wait, you like all of them but give Nancy and Barb a pass?

That would kinda imply the "all" part isn't true.

[trud]

17. my take

I like all I remember except:
Pat - cold.
Nancy - not sure what's going on with Nancy, but she and Ronnie did their kids dirt.
Barbara - well, do I have to say anything?
Hillary - never met a war she didn't like. I voted for Obama because of her policies, then he morphed into Hillary,


My favs - Rosalynn and Betty and Eleanor - Eleanor was the very, very best. I disagree about comparing Hillary to Eleanor. Hillary is a buddy of BigBusiness and BigWar. Eleanor went down in the coal mines and cared about ordinary people.

[Faygo Kid]

20. I was born in '51, so can't include Eleanor. Obviously, she would be first.

Mom would insist on it.

[Bryn]

25. Good Choice!

I love Eleanor the best! Not crazy about Nancy, Barbara, Hillary. Hillary is nothing like Eleanor.

[Bryn]

19. Bess Truman was lovely!

No wonder Harry loved her. From 5th grade to high school.



Still looked good at older age

[trud]

22. I always liked how Harry

stood up for his kid, Margaret, when the critics said she was a terrible piano player :-)

[sarge43]

23. Singer, Harry was the piano player.

Truman's outstanding characteristic was loyality.

[trud]

26. oh, right.

I knew Margaret was not so good at something :-) An entertaining novelist, though.

[RebelOne]

21. Michelle is my favorite and next to her is Jackie Kennedy. n/t

[RubyDuby in GA]

24. Barbara Bush is a hateful old hag ~ if you can't say something nice, come sit next to me

I, for one, don't have one good thing to say about the evil bitch who spawned that pack of jackals.

[trud]

27. Tell us how you really feel, RubyDu :-) n/t