Myra G. Gutin - Böcker

Radical political and social changes, together with the development of radio and television, have dramatically altered the role of the President's wife since the early years of this century. Gutin's book examines the public and private personas of twelve presidential wives in the context of those changes. Focusing on the First Lady's public communications, the author looks at the roles that each of these women has filled, from ceremonial figure and White House hostess to presidential surrogate, campaigner, and independent advocate for special causes.Although several presidential wives have taken advantage of the freedoms and opportunities enjoyed by contemporary women, a number of First Ladies have chosen to remain within the limits of more traditional roles. The author first discusses Florence Harding, Grace Coolidge, Bess Truman, and Mamie Eisenhower, whose public participation in the presidency consisted of acting in a ceremonial capacity and serving as social hostesses in the White House. Lou Hoover, Jacqueline Kennedy, and Pat Nixon communicated with the public more directly and on occasion used the media as a means of publicizing projects in which they had an interest. Not until Eleanor Roosevelt, however, did the First Lady begin to exploit the power of the White House fully. Mrs. Roosevelt--and after her, Lady Bird Johnson, Betty Ford, and Rosalynn Carter--frequently used every communication outlet available to speak in behalf of special projects and causes. Nancy Reagan shifted from a role restricted to ceremonial and White House social functions to active participation as a political surrogate and independent advocate. Providing a wealth of factual detail as well as careful analysis, this book will enrich any study of America's recent political history.

Wife of one president and mother of another, Barbara Bush was an outspoken first lady who looked more like her constituents than did her predecessors. A White House resident for only four years, she nevertheless became and remains one of the most admired women in the world.This new look at Barbara Bush draws on recently opened records at the Bush library, the first lady's many speeches, interviews with the first lady's staff, and an exclusive interview with Mrs. Bush to impart a new appreciation for this beloved former first lady. And while other biographies - and her own memoir - have hinted at seeming contradictions in the Barbara Bush persona, Myra Gutin looks squarely at her White House years to set the record straight and show that she was more than ""America's Grandmother"" in faux pearls.Gutin's portrait reveals a woman who was more of a success as first lady than her husband was as president - who in many ways was the public face of the George H. W. Bush administration. And while she wasn't an innovator as presidential wife, Gutin shows how the ""Silver Fox"" used her rich experience in politics to master the public relations side of first ladyship with as much skill as any White House spouse.Gutin argues that Barbara was more politically astute than George - even though she denied any input into policy-making and maintained an apolitical image. In fact, she played an integral role in campaigning, fund-raising, and other activities that often blurred the line between the humanitarian and the political. Piercing through the first lady's public persona, Gutin reveals Barbara's backstage political skills in action - along with her closely held views on social issues like gun control and abortion.From behind the facade of an ideal American family, Gutin also includes frank accounts of George H. W. Bush's alleged adultery and of the death of the Bushes' daughter Robin. In addition, she lends new insight into Barbara's relationship with her mother, her role as entertainer, and her role in wartime.Gutin gives us a vibrant woman who lent warmth to her husband's cool image and whose legacy lives in the Barbara Bush Foundation for Family Literary and several best-selling books. It is a richly textured narrative that depicts a woman of loyalty, candor, and common sense, who knew when and how to apply those qualities in the service of her husband.