Quote:Michelle Obama and Hillary Clinton are ranked the nation’s 5th and 6th best first ladies, according to a new poll from Siena College.


And for the fifth time in a row, Eleanor Roosevelt, the wife of former President Franklin Delano Roosevelt, claimed the top spot as the nation’s best presidential spouse.

Siena’s poll, conducted in conjunction with C-SPAN as part of the network’s series “First Ladies: Influence and Image,” has surveyed a group of historians and scholars five times since 1982 on their attitudes toward the country’s first ladies. The poll asked respondents to rate each woman on 10 qualities: background, value to the country, being the White House steward, courage, accomplishments, integrity, leadership, being her own woman, public image, and value to the president.

Eleanor Roosevelt was ranked first in six of the categories, including value to the country, leadership, accomplishments, and courage.

Respondents were also asked a number of more specific questions about the first ladies of the 20th and 21st centuries, including who best managed their family life during their time in the White House, who could have done more with their position, and who could conceivably serve as president.

Michelle Obama was ranked highest for her ability to manage family life in the White House – perhaps unsurprising for a first lady who has described her primary job as “mom-in-chief” to daughters Sasha and Malia.

Laura Bush, the wife of former President George W. Bush, was cited by the highest number of experts as someone who could have accomplished more during her stint in the White House.

And Hillary Clinton, by a wide margin, was identified as the first lady who could most easily step into the presidency in her own right. Clinton, who ran for president in 2008 and has also served as a senator and the U.S. secretary of state, is mulling another presidential bid in 2016.

Apart from Roosevelt, Clinton, and Obama, rounding out the top ten this year were Abigail Adams (#2), Jacqueline Kennedy (#3), Dolley Madison (#4), Lady Bird Johnson (#7), Betty Ford (#8), Martha Washington (#9), and Rosalynn Carter (#10).
And the first ladies whom historians have deemed lackluster? Those unfortunate few, in descending order at the bottom of the list, were Margaret Taylor, Florence Harding, Letitia Tyler, Eliza Johnson, and Jane Pierce – because apparently people have really strong opinions about Jane Pierce.

(02-29-2016, 09:19 PM)Nebuchadnezzar Wrote: Martha Washington

She had a fat bowl waiting for ole George when he got home from work.

Quote:Eleanor Roosevelt was ranked first in six of the categories, including value to the country, leadership, accomplishments, and courage.

(03-01-2016, 09:00 AM)GMDino Wrote: Of course she wasn't a "proper" lady.

(03-02-2016, 05:58 AM)StLucieBengal Wrote: So if trump wins and falls ill like FDR.   You would be ok with his wife taking over a position she wasn't elected?

ER should be considered a criminal.

(03-02-2016, 08:24 AM)GMDino Wrote: You have an incredibly warped sense of history.

(03-03-2016, 04:24 PM)StLucieBengal Wrote: FDR wasn't fit to govern.*    His health was terrible**.....  He should have resigned and handed over to the VP.*   Not let his wife run the show behind the scenes.*

(03-03-2016, 04:29 PM)GMDino Wrote: * Opinion

** Citation needed.

(03-03-2016, 04:41 PM)StLucieBengal Wrote: http://www.amazon.com/The-Dying-President-Roosevelt-1944-1945/dp/0826211712

Read this.  It's worth it no matter how you felt about him.

(03-03-2016, 05:26 PM)GMDino Wrote: I'm sure it is a great opinion piece.

Probably should retroactively start proceedings to put his wife in jail based on this book.   

(03-03-2016, 06:16 PM)StLucieBengal Wrote: Well you choose to stay ignorant and dismiss it or have a quick read and make an informed choice one way or the other.

(03-03-2016, 06:48 PM)GMDino Wrote: The reviews all say he makes a decent hypothesis.  But it comes down to his opinion without the actual records.

That STILL doesn't equate with him being unfit and his wife going to jail for doing his job for him.  But she was a "thick" woman so I can understand why you don't like her.  

(02-29-2016, 09:19 PM)Nebuchadnezzar Wrote: Martha Washington

She had a fat bowl waiting for ole George when he got home from work.

(03-01-2016, 09:54 AM)michaelsean Wrote: That Jane Pierce.  Just the mention of that *****'s name just makes me want to punch something.

(03-01-2016, 09:00 AM)GMDino Wrote: Of course she wasn't a "proper" lady.