Barbara Bush Quotes
The state dinner is almost a formula, but you try to make it interesting. You try not to overload it with too many political types. You try to get a cross section.
Bush, Barbara. Barbara Bush: A Memoir. Charles Scribner's Sons, 1994.
There was a social custom amongst the wealthy women of early American society where if they were moving to a new town, they would present their cards to the established female residents, who would then visit the newcomer at her home. Dolley Madison, anxious to bring some social civilization to Washington, still a rough swamp area, went out of her way to visit all comers and the Cabinet (Department) wives then did the same. However, as the government and Washington grew, this became more and more difficult, and subsequent first ladies wanted more of their privacy and time devoted to family. As America grew in importance, more counties sent ambassadors to Washington, and their wives all expected to be visited and invited. See {620648} for more on the “obligations” of a first lady and cabinet wives.
Luce was the publisher of Life and Time Magazines, the two most important and influential magazines in the country. Mrs. Truman was a plain woman who most of the time of her husband’s presidency did not even live in Washington DC and she did not participate in politics, and never campaigned. Harry Truman resented the fact that she was be criticized by Mrs. Luce and would not have the Luce’s at the White House thereafter.
Barbara Bush was the first lady of the United States from 1989 to 1993 as the wife of George H. W. Bush, who served as the 41st president of the United States, and the founder of the Barbara Bush Foundation for Family Literacy. She previously was the second lady of the United States from 1981 to 1989. Among her six children are George W. Bush, the 43rd president of the United States, and Jeb Bush, the 43rd governor of Florida. She and Abigail Adams are the only two women to be married to one U.S. president and the mother of another.
