First Ladies

2000-2024 | 24 years

A large focus of this episode is on the agenda and power of the First Lady, and how that can clash with the President’s agenda. In this episode, First Lady Abigail Bartlet takes initiative on child labor and the Federal Reserve Chair.

First Ladies have been in the news recently. Many are re-examining Melania Trump’s time in the White House and what a second term with her as First Lady could look like. People continue to discuss the idea that Michelle Obama could run as the Democratic Presidential Candidate for the 2024 election, as Hillary Clinton did in 2016, though her office still claims she will not be doing so. And current First Lady Jill Biden has been in the news lately as people speculate about how much weight she pulls in the Oval Office.

First Ladies are typically the President’s wife, and their first job is to be the hostess of the White House. The First Lady often takes part in planning events at the White House and she often goes to events, like the State of the Union, with the President. However, many First Ladies chose to go beyond these duties, with a staff of their own they use to pursue their own policies and issues.

Eleanor Roosevelt was probably the most active First Lady in American history, now having a legacy as an advocate and leader in the drafting of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. Nancy Reagan was known for her “Just Say No” campaign. Hillary Clinton is known for running for Senator while being a First Lady. Michelle Obama is known for her “Let’s Move!” Campaign. And Melania Trump is known for being born in Slovenia along with her White Hosue renovations.

As shown in the episode, the First Lady’s agenda can come into conflict with the President’s. And while she does have some sway over the actions of her husband, often, the First Lady has to put her own agenda aside to do what will best further the President’s agenda. Additionally, as Lilly mentions at the beginning of the episode, First Ladies tend to be more popular than their husbands, something which makes them powerful in the political sphere.