Top 10 Most Influential First Ladies Part 2

And now, for the top five.

5. Lady Bird Johnson

My personal favorite, Lady Bird Johnson, wife of Democratic President Lyndon Baines Johnson, was extremely influential in her husband's presidency, and indeed in his life in general. Lady Bird was a counselor and senior advisor (unofficially) and helped to improve her husband's image as well as undertake the duties of First Lady and push the boundaries. She was a well-known advocate and fighter for women's rights and for conservation and wildlife, with the Highway Beautification Act, a bill designed to limit billboards and other junk and to increase flowers and other plantings to improve scenery and help promote conservation efforts, being called "Lady Bird's Bill". She was also a strong supporter and advocate for the Head Start program, which provides comprehensive education, health, nutrition, and parent involvement services to low-income children and their families. She campaigned in the South, by herself, for her husband's 1964 campaign, and she was with him every step of the way. She also has the distinction of having been protected the longest by the Secret Service - 44 years.

4. Rosalynn Carter

Rosalynn Carter, wife of Democratic President Jimmy Carter, is in many ways a lot like Pat Nixon, only more so. Rosalynn Carter was her husband's closest advisor, and had been since being married. She helped to advocate for mental health, a cause that she had championed for years, and was named Honorary Chair of the President's Commission on Mental Health. Furthermore, she was his personal envoy to Latin America during a state visit. She even sat in on Cabinet meetings, and was essentially his campaign manager for all of his elections. She was also, along with Lady Bird Johnson and Betty Ford, a vigorous campaigner for the Equal Rights Amendment.


3. Betty Ford

One of the most open and frank First Ladies and public officials, Betty Ford, wife of Republican President Gerald Ford, was known to be very influential in advising her husband, as well as in regards to social issues of the day. In fact, a study taken by historians in 1982 listed her as the third most influential First Lady (after Abigail Adams and Eleanor Roosevelt). She wasn't afraid to voice her opinion on drugs, premarital sex, marijuana, and women's rights, to name a few. As with Lady Bird Johnson and Rosalynn Carter, Betty campaigned vigorously for the Equal Rights Amendment. Despite her positions (pro-choice, pro-ERA, not anti-marijuana, and unafraid to speak her mind) she remained extremely popular. Her biggest influence, however, was in helping to spread the word about breast cancer, both the disease itself and treatment, and in addiction, both the disease itself and the recovery. 2 months into Gerald Ford's presidency, she discovered she had breast cancer, and talked about getting a mastectomy and other aspects of breast cancer in the hopes of raising awareness and helping other survivors. And she had been suffering with an addiction to painkillers and alcohol for years, and she finally managed to get treatment for it. Determined to help others with similar problems, she opened the Betty Ford Clinic, and remains involved in its affairs to this day.


2. Eleanor Roosevelt

Another one of my personal favorites (in fact, the top 5 are all my favorites) is Eleanor Roosevelt, wife of Democratic President Franklin Delano Roosevelt. She is considered to have set the standard for First Lady activism and broke precedents. She was a savvy political operator, and acted as her husband's "eyes and ears" and traveled the country and saw things for him. She wrote her own newspaper column, and was a key advisor to her husband. FDR's Secretary of Labor Frances Perkins once commented that FDR was an insecure person and, if you were careful, could influence him and make him do things. She also noted that Eleanor was able to do this. She held her own press conferences and worked hard for civil and equal rights. After FDR died, she continued her activism, and was appointed as the United States Delegate to the United Nations General Assembly, and was the first chairperson of the United Nations Human Rights Commission, and helped to write the United Nations Universal Declaration of Human Rights. She was appointed by President Kennedy to the National Advisory Committee of the Peace Corps and was the Chair of the President's Commission of the Status on Women.


And, the number one most influential First Lady is...


1. Hillary Rodham Clinton

Yes, ladies and gentlemen, you guessed it. Hillary Diane Rodham Clinton, wife of Democratic President William Jefferson "Bill" Clinton, was truly the most influential First Lady. Ever since marriage, they have been a "partnership", with Bill campaigning at one point on the slogan "two for the price of one". Her influence was first seen during her husband's terms as Governor of Arkansas, where she was named Chair of the Arkansas Educational Standards Committee, which reformed the Arkansas education system, and earlier she had been appointed Chair of the Rural Health Advisory Committee. She was also appointed, by President Carter, to the board of directors of the Legal Services Corporation, eventually becoming the first woman chair of the corporation. Her most well-known role, prior to becoming a Senator and Secretary of State, was her being named the Chair of the President's Task Force on National Health Care Reform. While most First Ladies had been named to commissions or were honorary chairs, this was the first time a First Lady had been given a serious, hands-on, policy-making position, and she became the target for all of the attacks and criticisms. That, however, did not stop her from remaining, in many cases, the "court of final appeal" on many decisions. After the health care debacle, she continued to remain involved in policy. She helped sponsor and promote the SCHIP bill, which passed with bipartisan support. She helped create the Office on Violence Against Women in the Department of Justice, and broke Pat Nixon's record on world travel. One of her most famous and powerful speeches is her address the the United Nation's Fourth World Conference on Women, held in China, where she spoke forcefully and directly about the various human rights violations, and stated that "Women's rights are human rights, and human rights are women's rights". She created an organization called "Vital Voices", which worked and still works to promote women's rights and empowerment of women globally. It is for all of these that Hillary is number one. And it is a testament to the women of America that ten incredible women had such influence on the United States.

But, what about Michelle Obama? Tune in to my next piece. Same duck time, same duck place.