Transcripts For CSPAN Leadership Of First Lady Laura Bush 20150411

With the first lady is by patricia, an associate with the realtor Real Estate Department of our partners. She has served as an account manager for several relationships and has had extensive experience representing buyers and sellers on real estate transactions. Her work is a fascinating historical look at first ladies. A traditional conservative woman, or activist. She comes from texas. Dr. Coopers research focuses on comparative experiences of women in the western world specifically the transnational ground of women and international relations. Shes the author of a number of works, including the book informal ambassadors american women, transatlantic marriages. Ourt first two administration officials. Dr. A in her 35 year career, she has served as curator, museum director, government official, association director, and advisor for private and public cultural institutions prior. Prior to assuming museum director, she was part of Library Services where she served in both the george w. Bush and barack obama administration. Margot was chairman of the Business Community on the arts of the Chairman Committee of the arts. She traveled with laura bush to paris or the u. S. Reentry to unesco in 2003, and was appointed by secretary of state powell to unesco. She has traveled to many places at led Cultural Missions from uruguay to the peoples republic of china. Finally, our discussion in the center will be a need to mcbride, chief of staff to First Lady Laura Bush . Ms. Mcbride is executive in residence for the center of congressional and president ial study in the American University in washington. She direct programming and National Conferences on the legacies of americas first lady and their influence on politics, policy, and global diplomacy. She served as chief of staff First Lady Laura Bush from 20052009. In this capacity, she directed the staff work on a variety of domestic and Global Initiative in which mrs. Bush was involved. Each of the speakers is going to have 10 minutes to speak. At the conclusion of their presentations, we will have q a from the audience. There will be floating microphone so you will be asked to raise her hand. Thank you. Enjoy. [applause] good morning. The valuation of the first ladys role is evolution, its societal expectation perception her particular execution of the role has oscillated throughout the course of history. The commitments of every president ial administration, the boundaries tethered to the first ladys role have customarily undergone a realignment or redesignation. They are deeply woven into the fabric of first lady post and elusive threat of power, often elastic. At certain junctures, the first ladys role has been exclusively defined and carry out as hostess, interior decorator greeter. The delineated the reason are completely doused in the mystic obligation. Domestic obligations requirements. The emphasis her selected china pattern, color scheme, fematheme for wallpaper yet at other junctures, the metaphorical pendulum swings in the other direction. And the first lady abandoned the mystic obligations and abandons domestic obligations and assumes the politically active role. Often times, more frequently than not choosing womens rights, the feminist movement, womens suffrage. What happens . She at times is admonished, criticized for stepping over traditional boundaries. At other points, she is uploaded for over action. Applauded for her overarching. Which are called eight brave initiative. A brave initiative. Betty ford, in the midst of her tenure 19741977, held Historic Press Conference Announcing to over 150 reporters that she was indeed a firm supporter of the equal rights amendment, ended up she would undertake to seek its passage. Her or did declaration her ardent declaration was seen by some as an act of courage, well some were while some were offended by her opennessutspokenness. Her actions are appointed by some, deemed reprehensible by others. We see historical accounts swinging the other way. Where the first lady seems to assume it every demure role. The feminist movement is intentionally disregarded. Successor to Lawrence Harding varies up her role as purely social, a political demonstrates complete allegiance to her husband calvin to refrain from trying anything new. Making speeches of any sort, and is forbidden from wearing trousers. She is directed to hold tea parties and ladies w lunches. Another example is eisenhower. She served as the perfect 1950s wife. She too followed instructions quite the and showed no deviation quite blissfully and showed no deviation. She does exactly what is expected of her domestically and socially. Perhaps her coat is all telling quite illustrative of her tenure. I turnt he the porkchops. The research i have done on first ladies shows this pattern of first ladies walked in the spotlight. Others remained shouted in darkness. Others were just fake silhouettes. This ebb and flow appears to be tightly tethered to the individual, to her education her level of confidence, her fears, her relationship with her husband, definitely the political climate. What is happening in the United States . Is the economy waning . Is it improving . Public perception how did the media perceive her . All factors that influence how she is able to move about. Also, some of my research disclosed that there are first rate who never assume the role. First ladies. Due to depression or health. What happens . There is a surrogate. It is a nice, for a sister. A niece or a sister. In the 1800s, and and takes the role of an aunt takes the role of the traditional first lady. Hosting receptions will be an integral part of first ladyship. What does emerge from my research that is interesting is that there is no pattern. As the pendulum swings back and forth, you would think that if one lady makes a lot of progress and open stores thatdoors, that the next first lady would take the figurative torch and progress, doing more than the first lady. Eleanor roosevelt 1933making 35 as we all know accomplished so much. 19331935. She visits supervision. Fights against racism. Visits soup kitchens. She executes her role as first lady with a very domestic flare. Domestic flair. The eleanors groundbreaking activities are no litmus test for vets. Another again with rosalyn carter. She truly served as a political partner to jimmy carter. She arrived quite surprisingly with her own agenda. She sat down on cabinet meetings represented her husband on a diplomatic meetings to south america, initiated her own projects. The projects included federal health care for the e lderly. Fashion concerns not unheard to do list. Not on her todo list. Nancy reagan arrives with no political agenda, hosts celebrity luncheon, assumes the traditional role. Is criticized when she appears to have spent an inordinate amount of money on a new white house tea set. I want to go back in time to abigail at. Abigail adams. She is like rosalyn carter, political partners. What is amazing about Abigail Adams is a plethora of letters that are her legacy. Over 2000 letters that we find that she has exchanged and written to john adams, her husband. Her opinions, or political demeanor, her political acumen is remarkable. She is promoting womens rights. Everything is emerging from these letters. Perhaps her most famous quote her written instructions to her husband remember the ladies when he goes up to draft the declaration of independence. But what happens if she is persecuted for speaking out. She is mocked as mr s. President accused of being an outspoken aristocrat. Dolly madison is her predecessor. She treats her post quite differently. She expresses her in a disdain for politics when she declares politics is the business of men. I dont care what office they hold or what supports them. I only care about people. She is known very well for her parties, gowns, her generosity. Very different from Abigail Adams. Switching back to the word political partner. I mentioned Abigail Adams. Sarah polk is the righthand woman for james polk. She is assisting with his speeches, breeding and highlighting his people articles for him to show and issues that demand his attention. Her passion is indeed politics. Her interest in the Domestic Affairs quite peripheral. What is interesting about sarah polk is the same reaction. She is not interested in anything domestic. Her demonstrated disenchantment with traditional roles is a subject of Harsh Criticism particularly among women who were appalled by her actions. Again, this is the mid1800s. They firmly believed that sarah should spend more time in the kitchen and less time debating. If we fastforward a century later, it sounds like Hillary Clinton assumes a very aggressive first lady role. She is a practicing attorney. She sets up an office in the west wing. The first ladys office had always been located in the east wing. Eight difference from the nucleus of power. Her relocation is interpreted as a deliberate relocation to be involved in her administration. To proximity of her office to the president s oval office is deemed incomprehensible, plainly unacceptable. She stirred more controversy when she leaves a task force on National Health care reform. Leads a task force. She is deemed too outspoken for many. For americans, her political involvement is too invasive. Mouse which laura bush. Now switch to laura bush. I have been talking about the jhhe pendulum swinging back and forth, some taking a domestic role and some taking a more aggressive role. Somewhere more interested in being political of all. Being politically involved. If you study over bush, by Research Shows that she is the epitome of delicately balancing both roles. Of being a political partner and also building domestic obligations. She is a career woman. She is a librarian, a former teacher. She exhibits domestic qualities. She has a wife, and mother, she handles reception of social affairs, she admits her interest perhaps her anxiety with respect to passion. In her out of biography, she states i was was like all first ladies. I wanted to look good. I knew how interested the public and press were in what first ladys wear. I wanted to look elegant. and yet, she does much more. She approaches controversial topics including Stem Cell Research abortion, samesex marriage is. She raises Early Childhood Cognitive Development intervention literacy, reading programs. In 2001, laura bush took the place of george bush on his weekly address and regularly speaks out against the talibans oppression of women and children in afghanistan. She speaks about oppressive government into burma. Acumen to her predecessors are concerned that her initiative primarily focused on women and children. However, her casted net was indeed wider. For the first time, she raced or global for global communitarian issues. She moved the first lady spotlight to a global. Quoting her quite a lot of insight, and is probably what major successful in this delicate balance that she achieved so gracefully. She says the role of the first lady should be whatever the first lady wants it to be. But her caveat in conclusion and she accomplishes this but i am not the one who was elected. She successfully navigate the perimeters of the first lady ship by achieving a delicate balance, unlike anyone before. Thank you. [applause] thank you for your patience. I am hate historian, not a i am a historian, not a technician. Is that better . I am going to continue with many of the comments from the preceding paper. They actually flow very well together. This works out for both of us, i think. In our journey from west texas to the challenging and horny world of washington dc, laura bush wore many hats. Elementary School Teacher librarian, mother. All of these traditionally a consent conservative identity shape laura bushs eight years in the nations capital. Ask an american on the street to describe her, and responses will fall into broader responses of education and literacy. Is dominate the mindset of most americans today. This dominates. Such a conventional perspective of her comes as no surprise. She was raised in a conservative region of a conservatives date in a conservative period. These recurring conformance labels have played a significant role in the molding of her identity as a wife, and mother, a teacher, and a librarian. And has been promoted, and presented repeatedly in a number of venues and in a myriad of ways over the last 20 years. But what is surprising the degree to which eight short years in which she pursued an integral rear prior to marrying george has dominated her public life and her husbands political dialogue for decades. How do we as historicans and practitioners explained this fixation on laura bush in these roles . Specifically a teacher in a librarian, when those pursuits lasted eight out of her 68 years. A lover of children and books and much admired first lady twice over seems to be the image most americans have of her. A very safe, sellable version of her has proven to be a successful strategy. Reading, children, and education or issues that she was comfortable with, and gave her credibility in the political arena as well as the public. In her own words she had explained that she had always done with traditional women did. And i was very satisfied. But as one of her biographers argue, that is not a story. Not the whole story. It never is. The code provided by mrs. Bush herself provides a window into hard identity. Into her identity. People probably think i am a shy librarian. Few librarians fit the stereotype. There are people who like knowledge and are interested in lots of different things. The simple version with the first hold, and it certainly fit the first lady mold. A closer inspection of lauras words over the next decade reveal a very different persona that disputes the conformist and exclusively traditional identity. If we look at a quick glance of her as first lady, she is second only to Hillary Clinton at the most traveled first lady in history. She took 46 tips to more than 75 countries. In the second term alone, she spent hundred 35 days abroad. Comparing it to the president she ranks third amongst the most traveled numbers of the executive range. But she is not an activist simply based on the days she spent away from home. Is what she chose with her time that defines her as an activist. Whether she was promoting education, health care, opportunities for women burma or tanzania, she was an exceedingly active first lady. Hurter director describes her as a medical diplomat. Her initial foray into politics as first lady came in texas between 19952000, wish you supported where she supported issues of aabout literacy and womens health. Doctors literally wrote out the scriptures say prescriptions saying read to your children every day. That worked wonders. The ready to read program concentrated on Early Childhood Education Programs serve as a processor to the National Program ready to read, ready to learn. She established the texas book festival perceived by many to be her crowning achievement. Finally, she was a serious advocate for Breast Cancer and alzheimers awareness and research believing that writer dialogue would lead to greater awareness. And approach she took to multiple initiatives. As first lady of the United States laura continues to promote issues at a National Level that she had supported the state level. The consistency between her ideas and initiatives often in washington dc mirrored one another almost exactly, and rightfully so. She and her staff had achieved terrific success in texas. Consequently, it was logical to continue the same path but in a different location. She began to replicate from her most successful texas projects on the national scale, including the book is the book based on the texas version. By december of 2001, she remarked that she was finally hitting her stride in the white house. In september, she hosted her first state dinner and kicked off the National Book festival. After a short nine in the white house, during that second term as chief of staff she said all of the pieces were getting together. She was doing what she loves and found her place in washington and beyond. She reflected upon the moment, laura recognized that she had a forum. I will not always have it. The time is now. Little did she know how right she was. September 11 2001, laura was on her way to capitol hill to testify on in Early Childhood education conference, which made her the fourth first lady in history to appear before a congressional committee. In the time it had taken to drive from the white house to the capital, the world had irrevocably changed. But laura has not. As always, she had adapted to her circumstances. This day marks a trajectory in the turning point of her presidency. So too was her first ladyship. In her First Official act after 9 11, she wrote two letters to School Age Children in the United States. To Elementary School students, she began with dear children and to middle school and High School Students she began with dear students. She spoke in new york city and directed her thanks and appreciation to the teachers and volunteers across the country. She noted as we rebuild and recover from the tragedy of september 11, we must remember while our lives are changed forever, our purpose as educators and volunteers remains the same. With those words she may very well have been talking about herself. She substituted for her husband in weekly saturday radio address in november 2011, she became the first first lady to deliver an entire radio president ial address. She chose to address the issue of womens rights in afghanistan. Focused on the brutality in women and children by the Al Qaeda Terrorist Network and argued that in afghanistan, we see the world that terrorists would like to impose on the rest of us. She delineated the television from muslims around the world and identified the poverty, poor health, and illiteracy, that the terrorists had imposed on women and children for decades. Laura, not the president forever aligned the war on terror with the fight for women and children. And chose to pursue much of the initiatives on her own. More importantly, she solidified her longstanding advocacy for many children when she categorized the fight against terrorism is a fight with the right and dignity for women. A week later she talked to 11 exiled afghani women in the white house, and argued that you write for women that the rights for women must be secured in in afghani government. This marked her tenure as first lady. She consistently vocalized the need to advance Educational Opportunities for women while promoting issues critical to children and families worldwide. And initiatives occurred during the second term with the help of chief of staff Anita Mcbride whose wideranging experience in d. C. And the state to permit helped to shape the Global Nature of lauras evolving activism. Mcbride planned the trip to afghanistan while that country with still very dangerous and its future most uncertain. For a first lady to travel to a country in war to specifically meet with afghan women and children made a Significant Impact onn programs, such as the childrens counsel. Such risks are important for all of us, and especially for american women to speak up for our sisters around the world. Another area laura visited regularly was africa. Whether it was a trip to cape town to talk about violent against women a visit to tanzania to personally meet with individuals suffering from hiv aids or to talk with orphaned at the Catholic Ministry center. Her time and energy has been diverse and where he will receive. Another issue laura shed significant spotlight on what human rights in burma. With the help of the entire womens caucus in the senate, she wrote a letter to the ge nerai ofll of the united nations. She demanded the immediate and unconditional release of chee and called upon burmas neighbors to bring about a democratic transition. Pressing efficacy at such a high influential level does not support the superficial version of laura feesimple elementary teacher. Finally, her leadership concerning Breast Cancer brought awareness to the. She removed some of these stigma of the mere word braseast mentioned in political dialogue. In her final years as first lady laura established several Breast Cancer alliances in countries that had previously seemed women into silence rather than treating the reality as a medical situation. She led efforts in the middle east mexico, panama, saudi arabia and the uae to make Breast Cancer our businees. Is not aggressive presupposing the conservative for a supposedly conservative first lady to talk about potentially taboo topics in these countries. Consequently the u. S. Middle east partnership offered women hope. A chance to tell their stories and to offer them the cultural context and environment to empower women to take charge of their own health. Speaking of four sisters around the world, and talk of empowering women does not mesh with the alleged conformist perspective of laura. Demanding the release of medical visitors traveling in the midst of work Political Prisoners traveling in the midst of war and calling to educate all children are not the examples that come to mind in discussing her time as first lady. But if one wants to take an evidencebased approach to evaluating her, a very interesting picture appears. If we stopped to analyze the rhetoric of her speeches without your picture at the top of the page. If we pull her name off the travel logs, and examined the breadth and depth of her initiallytive, and to measure the consistency of these efforts, it reads much more like what the American Public associates with Hillary Clinton than laura bush. Mrs. Bush has repeatedly demonstrated her dedication to the challenges facing men women and children around the world. After 9 11, you can imagine how difficult it was to help children learn long after teacher. Im proud to be able to continue that same mission today. She was true to the mission. Perhaps even more importantly laura had been exceptionally active in her term since leaving the white house. She boosted a womens for my project, renovated eight the nexta clinic, visited an orphanage, and visited zambia alone in 2010. The initiatives she pursued 20 years ago appeared to be the same she will pursue the next 20. Two follow her interest for the rest of my life. 00000 i hope. While it may be easier to imagine her as the dutiful wife, is neither a complete nor wholly accurate picture. Based on her time as first lady, in this country and abroad, the public at home must reconsider their view of laura the librarian with laura, the International Activist first lady. [applause] difficult following such terrific papers. But i will try. My name is ann. Aannn i had the pleasure of working with mrs. Bush on a number of projects. I would like to focus on her work in the arts. In fact, i want you to know that i had the pleasure of serving also george bush senior when i was the head of the National Endowment of the arts. President bush 43 and the laura bush were people dedicated to the arts. In fact, i like to call their administration the most money ever given out by the government for the arts. In the history of arts funding. The second greatest amount of money ever given out for the arts was given out by his father. Not only did he keep the tradition, he expanded it. But with mrs. Bush, certain words come to mind to me. I loved consistency. That was one of my words as well. Synergy, compassion, and humanity. When i first encountered mrs. Bush, i was at the department of education as a chief of staff. Having a first lady who is a teacher, who was a librarian who understands the basic necessities of literacy, was not only inspiring to alml of us, it helped create a keystone in the no child left behind legislation. After i left education, i went to the National Endowment for the humanities, where i was a deputy chairman. There, i saw how mrs. Bush was developing a very consistent and impressive sense of working together. This was really the first time that the heads of the arts endowment, the director of the ezine and Library Services, and the head of the arts and humanities actually met together, actually worked together, and came up with things that each could support. With regard to the com humanities, i was very involved with the digitization project. Digitization is something that holds off our tongues now. It is something that everyone is trying to get funding for. We are living in the digital age. This was ahead of the curve. This is because mrs. Bush told very strongly about it. She met with bruce and i was part of that. It became a major initiative. What was so intriguing about it wasnt there were a million ideas about how to digitize. Whether it was photographs books, archives, whatever. Mrs. Bush said you know, i think it would be a good idea if we develop a standard way of doing this. Because indeed, lots of people have these projects, but none of them could read them all on one reader or season in one setting. Or seeme them in 17. In setting. It may sound boring, but this changed the way we handle things in libraries in archives. One of the first people i called up was an evening brian because i needed her wisdom. Was anite a mcbride. We had found we had 17 million in the budget that somehow know when it you anything about. It had just been sitting there. No one knew anything about it. I wanted everyone to know at least that we had it. We hit another big problem in the art World Conservation and preservation. That 17 million became the first seed money to pull people together. First, throughout the united dates, and then a throughout the world. Throughout the United States, and then throughout the world. We gave at 1 billion in grants. Of that, almost 300 Million Dollars with conservation and preservation. Mrs. Bush helped us think through how we all of this together. How we pulled all of this together. She was the chairman of this approach. We started in washington, but then we went on the road. We got scholarships from a bank of america. It is to magic words wo magic words laura bush, when you go to Corporate America are many projects. Those words opened doors. It helped create a network of Museum Directors and curators, librarians, also archivists. We brought them together in atlanta, in denver, in buffalo in washington. We brought them together to talk about topics that were of common interest and need. Someone said to me, what you think is the biggest advantage of all this . I said, they all sat in the same room and got each others phone numbers. The big names in the arts were sitting with people perhaps from smaller institutions. People who would never in their wildest imagination call the other people up. Now they knew each other. They had a drink or had lunch together. All of that came directly from laura bushs instigation. I will let you know about that. With the National Endowment for the arts, we develop something called the big read. i am sure anita logged many miles. I was on a couple of those trips. It meant that communities pick a book that they wanted to focus on. Some american classic Like Washington square or whatever. The community would read the book, have discussions there were teaching aids prepared, a curriculum. With each book, there was even a dvd where sections of the book work read by a mosquito. Read by famous people. I was so excited, i got to read something by washington su quare. It was wonderful to have that opportunity and to see the results of this extraordinary program. Also at imlf, we were honored to be asked to help with katrina. I spent a lot of time down there drinking books out of the mud as did so many people who were directly involved with the administration. Dragging books. I know anita can give much more context students. This is something the first lady was involved with on a daily basis. The imlf has a Scholarship Program for librarians called the laura bush program. Usually what happens when one administration and another comes in that anything that has somebodys name on it disappears. This is sacrosanct, no one would take her name off of this. No matter what political strife or view. The one that i hope that people begin to understand besides the list of achievements and these papers that contextualized and certainly shared all of mrs. Bushs achievements withas that mrs. Bush is a person that really cares and walks the walk. Shes the person you can depend on. Shes the person who understands what it is like to be in a small town or to have the platform of the world. She is someone that we will always be proud of. And i feel especially honored that i have the chance to work with her. Thanks so much. [applause] i really enjoyed your talk so much. I wish i can continue listen to you. It is great to be here with you all today. I will say, if laura bush were to walk into this room. Everybody would just try to be better. She is one of those extraordinary presences that inspires other people ibyu here mere presence to do the best that you can. I am delighted to be here to talk about her leadership. I want to spend a few minutes talking about her. Ultimately, the way the person leads is an indication of the kind of person they are. When i first met laura bush, i was in my hometown in 1995 of el paso texas. That is where her mother is from. Her husband had just been elected governor of texas. What i remember most, it was at a reception at the university of texas at el paso, with those penetrating blue eyes and the way that she listened more than she spoke. She was at this reception honoring an artist and writer tom lee whose book she had read this painting hung in the governors office. Tom was 87 years old. By the end of that year, she and governor bush had invited him to austin with his wife sarah sleep in sam houstons that at the governors engine and to see friends of his including numbers of the king ranch family. To see friends of his before the last time he died in 2001. When laura noted the texas book festival in austin, which grew into the from your u. S. Literary event. Into this premier. She took it on the road. When she took it on the road, she brought it back to el paso. Again, to honor tome lee and other el paso artist. When she meets someone she admires, she will never forget them. Daily, like a thread that is woman they become like a thread that is woven through her life. One thing laura bush, after meeting tom lee and reading his books, he wrote a quote. There is a mountain on el paso old frank on. Called franklin. There is a beautiful quote of his same sarah and i live on the east side of the mountain. It is the sunrise side, not sunset side. It is the site to see the data that is coming, not the date that is gone. It goes on to say that the best date is the date that is coming, with wise wideopeyes wide open. She loved that quote. Her husband it used to that quote he accepted the republican nomination and became president of the United States. One thing i did learn early on about bush is that when she does need someone she admires their lives become intertwined with hers, but also she focuses attention on them. A mexican friend of mine was a cnn hero award winner. She started a hospital in our bordering community. She once said upon meeting laura bush when she was invited to speak at a border governors conference. She said laura bush does not absorb light. She reflects it and it shines on other people. The texas festival became the model for the National Book festival. Which just celebrated 15 anniversary. Of the obamas were the honorary chairs. With 200,000 people attending. In 2000 and32, when it started in d. C. , laura bush invited mrs. Putin to attend. Where the russian first lady got the idea, she got the idea, no one was telling her what to do, she got the idea of hosting a festival of her own. The following year, after stopping in paris for the u. S. National delegations reentry into unesco, which she led. I was part of led. Mrs. Bush continued on to russia. She visited mrs. Putins book festival, inviting american authors who delighted at the russian children. In addition to shining the light on others, another thing i have learned that when a laura bush shares what she loves things multiply. Her love of books has not only given birth to these book festivals in the u. S. And parts of the world, but thee Laura Bush Foundation for replacing libraries continues providing grants or hundreds of School Libraries every year. After asking me to chair the president s committee on the arts and humanities in 2001, she attended our first meeting. Her words were few. She is not professorial, really. She is just very brief and to the point. As we have seen her quotes here. What she says is that time is short. You better get going. So we did. [laughter] realizing that this is the truth of coming into government service. Realizing that if we tried to do something on our own that no one else was doing, we would have wasted too much time trying to figure out what that was. Knowing her, we took another tack asking how we might help. We had many partners, all of the institutions that have anything to do with arts and culture in the u. S. , including the smithsonian institution, the kennedy center, but our primary partners were the National Endowment for the arts, the National Endowment for the communities, and the institute of museum and Library Services, which ann chaired. We found out that all of them were interested in International Cultural diplomacy, but their budget had no leeway for crossborder collaboration. Since we raised our money privately, we did get a bit of government money, but most was raised privately, we were free to help them out. We were able to add an international component. It did not just happen in the united dates, it happened in mexico and china. It happened in egypt. In focusing on collections, we developed Many International components focusing on collections and preservation. It was natural for me as a border girl, by the time i got to washington, i was thinking, where are my mexican friends . When i became chair, we did award ceremonies called coming up taller where a word recognize. Awards for youth were recognized. While he could not project with four children the future, he could see the joy in their eyes when they participated. He could swear when they took their final bow that they came up taller. That is how the awards got their name. We used to do the ceremony on capitol hill. It was done in the Clinton Administration started back then. We moved it back into the white house at bushs invitation. We began recognizing programs for mexico that first year. Then we recognized programs from china. Then we recognized programs from egypt. Than our last coming tup taller awards, english chinese arabic, and spanish world spoken. I remember the mexican investor turning off his telephone before things started. He said i do not want to be distracted from this wonderfull experience which is what the real relationship between the u. S. And mexico is all about and that is wanting the best for our children. another thing about mrs. Bush is leadership is that she has always worked for the best of the worlds children. Saving americas treasures was another project the President Committee spearheaded collaborating with the ilmf. They became integrated into that program in selecting the award. When we recognize treasures like fort davis the place where the Buffalo Soldiers were, and the bus where rosa park defied and discrimination. We hosted a sister cultural parks conference, tying together World Heritage sites in mexico with those in the u. S. We like to remember when there were borders, which of the scars of history. Through our National Parks and their counterparts in history we initiated project 2020 with the American Film Institute and the department of state supporting International Lawmakers with Community Discussions International Film makers with Community Discussions. We led the highest level cultural delegation to ever visit the peoples republic of china and created joint nina case that are continuing today and particularly with the library of congress. When mrs. Bush says that time is short, get going, she means what she says. She trusts others, and people respond. After leaving the white house she means it still as she continues to lead. One area i have been involved in the Womens Initiative at Bush Institute, in which she the chair. Beginning with two classes of egyptian women, the Bush Institute has brought them to smu in dallas the lord about writing Mission Statement setting goals, and based upon an smu professors research, how to build a network, the single most important measure of any woman success. They are paired with a mentor and sent across the u. S. To learn about business, social media, the law, and politics, as well as our own countries struggle to achieve a democracy. They visit their mentors hometown and build Networks Learning how to cascade their new knowledge to women back in egypt. My own mentee sandy wanted to learn how to export products made by traditional egyptian artisans to the United States, which she has now done. She wanted to get a Business Visa to travel to the u. S. , bringing egyptian products, which she has now done. Just a few months ago, i heard from her in kansas city, where she was selling thousands of her design at a large Christian Conference. They are christians as well as muslims. She was at a large Christian Conference heading home to get egyptian artisans more work. On International Womens day march 8, laura bush reported on the second class of tunisian women who now have tabulated among themselves a network of over 10,000 other women. So yes it is true that when a moral bushlaura bush leads, good things multiply. [applause] thank you to all of you. You have made my job easier, but also harder to add to the wonderful contributions that these scholars have. I appreciate having had the opportunity to interview with you and redo them ahead of time. And read them ahead of time. And also your firsthand experiences of working with mrs. Bush. I want to thank hofstra for putting this on the agenda. I think from listening to everybody today, i am hoping it is whetting your appetite as consumer for information about the people who lead our country. s topic of the resident this topic of the first lady, or spouse, because it may change someday to be husbamdnd. It is crucial to understanding presidency. At American University, or redo conferences where we do conferences across the country to tell this story of the president s spouse and the myriad of contributions that they have made throughout our history. To politics and policy and to global diplomacy. Is a top job. It is a tough job. There is an expectation to be in two worlds. You are expected to be in a meaningful initiative, but you are also responsible for chicken care of your family and the home life, which is so important to the health and welfare of the present. The president the leader of the free world who has every goal problem come to his desk. Every single problem. It is a complex role, as we have heard from everyone here today. It is especially sensitive to a everchanging media climate. Barbara bush, someone i have reflected on after she left the white house, she said i never considered the domestic challenge, but rather an opportunity. That is such an optimistic way to look at it. Lady johnson wheneve said i i have a podium, and i intend to use it. In the 18th and 19th century first ladys roles were a bit different. They were consumed with a nation at war. They were consumed with the safety of their the 20th century brought us dramatic changes. Their world was defined by the economic and social challenges of the country. The reform movements, their labor movements. They were expected to be a voice. This convention challenged conventional view of the role of women. The more complicated the times become, the more important it is for first ladies to use their position wisely. What we understand and see through history, every person puts their own stamp on it. There is no Position Description or statutory authority. No salary. A lot of freedom to do what you want to do and be yourself. At the beginning of the first ladys conferences, i use a fictional want ad. It describes the superhuman multitasking skills we expect out of these women. Pat nixon cold it the hardest unpaid job in the world. Ronald reagan said, the government gets only one employee for free and that is the first lady. Rosalynn carter said, i have learned i have influence. I have a responsibility. No other confidant or advisor to the president is as uniquely invested or devoted to their spouses success. We have learned about historical fixtures figures. Abigail adams had trouble curtailing her opinions. She wanted to express her views. We know thousands of letters, the rich history of conversation and dialogue between her and john adams. She was so profoundly devoted to the formation of our new nation. She and do word endured long separations from her husband. She knew the fragility of the win of john adams as president having won by three votes. Dolly madison set the model for the role of first lady that would go unchallenged into the 20th century. Most of us know her as the best social hostess in washington. What her husband valued was her political acumen. The ability to bring people together. Using her strength and knowledge as a hostess. We talked about sarah polk. Caroline courson is another Caroline Harrison is another first lady we know little about. When she served, the late 1800s, she teamed up with other progressive minded women of the time to lead an effort to raise funds for Johns Hopkins University Medical school on the condition, one condition. It admitted women. These people have been leaders. They have stood up for other women and social causes. They never were subservient to their husbands, they were partners. Some of them, like the best truman bess truman, she did not have a very public role. She was asked to do something as simple as break a champagne bottle. It would not rate. After multiple tries. After that, she did very little in the public sphere. Mimi eisenhower, she has a quote, think does the policy ike does the policy, i turn the pork chops. She understood the social component of her job and was happy to do it. Our modern first ladies, i will only mention a couple until we go into laura bush. It is important to understand the arc of history and the evolution. Laura bush looked to Lady Bird Johnson as one of her models. When asked who her favorite first lady, she was conflicted. She had her motherinlaw as an example. She also looked to another texas first lady, Lady Bird Johnson. Who had such a profound impact. The courage to campaign for the civil right act. In the south. She understood the power of media and its communicating effectively. She would critique the president s speeches. She was a millionaire and her own right because she owned radio stations across texas. She understood the power of communication. Betty ford, we know she stood up for the e. R. A. So did pat nixon. Betty ford lifted the ban that divorced or unmarried people could not come to the white house without an escort or guest. Rosalyn carter, we know she was a political partner for sure. As people probably dont remember that we have heard to thank for the requirement that children in our country have childhood immunizations. Several shots that children need to get before they are two years old. That was her strategy she worked on with the centers for disease control. I had the privilege of being with laura bush. Working sidebyside with her, traveling to all 50 states. You heard some of the projects he took around the country. 77 countries. Eight years. Yet she is the third most traveled first lady. Pat next was the first, 81 countries. Hillary clinton, 80. Laura bush, 77. I saw so many examples of her gentle power around the world. She was unsung and unrecognized by many for her work on education reform and human rights. She said to me, what i am putting my paper when this is published will surprise many people. She forewarned me, not everyone will accept or believe this could be true. The fact that when we were in her presence, we responded. We did not want to fail her. She put no demands on us, but the fact that she put such a level of consistency and passion, really a vote for everyone around her a evocked for everyone around her to do their best. Itll will forget the level of anxiety we felt. Didnt at this university were children when this happened. Students at this university y were children when this happened. We need to remind each and every generation the shock and anxiety we felt. One of her friends at the time said, i felt so sorry for you. You are giving up all of your privacy. After 9 11, that friend called her and said, i am jealous of her. You can do something. Whereas the rest of us felt so helpless. She led so many initiatives that people do not know about. The hard Truth Campaign. If you drink at diet coke, i want you to look at the site of the can. There is a red symbol. Laura bush is the investor for that campaign. When she found out more women die from Heart Disease than Breast Cancer, she said i dont know that, i dont think most women do. You heard the referral to save americas treasures. And initiative started by Hillary Clinton. She understood her role in the arc of history. Not every program has to be the baby thrown out with the bathwater. It can be expanded on and continued. It can be made your own. She did that. She suffered from the typecast view of being a shy librarian and teacher, leading a conventional life. How could she possibly have a thought of her own . She was a wartime lady during two difficult and unpopular wars. That made it more difficult to get coverage for her work. But it was never for her. It was for the american people. The good people we have all over the 50 states. What we do to impact peoples lives around the world. Yes, it is easy to ignore the good work of first ladies who serve in controversial or difficult times. This consequence is about the controversial and difficult decision that george bush and his team had to make. Those on the panel have the easiest time. I sat through a number of panels yesterday and will sit through more today. It is bringing home for many of us who were not there the level of profound impact that the president s decision had on the country and world. I would like to have a few comments on these wonderful papers. One, patricia, i love yours. The Historical Perspective that you had. Provoking us. Unlocking the mystery of the position. I have had the ability to watch the position in three positions of close. President reagan, and then george w. Bush. It is a little early still. Only six years later, to be able to see the full impact of george bush and laura bush. But i appreciate the podium we had been given to shine a light on laura bushs work. It has been extraordinary. I want to also comment on danas paper. I love and appreciate the depth you were able to obtain. The only issue i take is the title. Not really issue, but something i think is a conversation we can have about traditional conservative women or International Activist first lady. Why should those be exclusive . That is something that laura bush suffered from. Because she was considered a traditional first lady, how could she possibly be an activist . Part of it is following in International Activist first lady, Hillary Clinton. I suggest we have to look, the fact that conservative women care about the world, too. We have as much interest in our sisters progress around the world is our liberal counterparts do. One person who commented on this was the first lady of afghanistan. I raise her because, again, this point of consistency. Laura bush said she will work on afghan womens issues for the rest of her life. Recently, in dallas, the new first lady of afghanistan came for a meeting. The u. S. Afghans womans council. A Publicprivate Partnership between the u. S. Government and many institutions and individuals. We never left the women of afghanistan. Laura bush has been our leader. In the last few years, Hillary Clinton has joined as cochair. Now we have the first lady of afghanistan as cochair. She said this, laura bush is someone who knows what the word commitment means. She described mrs. Bush as relentless and resourceful. You dont appreciate yourher power until you are faced with her achievements. You have not forgotten us and we will not forget you. Laura bushs comment in her characteristic way, she does not like to bring attention to herself and would be embarrassed by the things we are saying but they are so true. Her response was when it comes to key issues in your life, you never get to rub your hands and say, i am done with that. You have to keep working. That is what the ongoing work of the Bush Institute has allowed both president and mrs. Bush to do. Anne mentioned a fun project the big read. Communities around the country. Mrs. Bush inspired to get around a book and enjoy it. Have libraries and Community Organizations get involved. One of the books is to kill him mocking bird. Bridgeport connecticut is one of the cities where we brought the big read. They took on to kill a mockingbird or. Restaurants and bars got involved, including a bar that named a drink tequila mockingbird. You mentioned katrina. I think that is alluded ito in your paper. What most people dont know is laura bush made 25 visits to the gulf coast after katrina. Her Library Foundation continues to rebuild the libraries. The Ripple Effect of her work is astounding. I am proud to have served with her and in the white house as many times as i have had, to be a fly on the wall to the arc of history. To continue to tell the story of the remarkable Women Leaders who lead. The huge element of their leadership, in particular, for laura bush. Thank you. [applause] we have a microphone that will travel to you if you raise your hand with a question. I will say that we will give priority for the first question, if they are students. If not, we will go to others. Sir . Thank you very much. Thank you very much for a wonderful forum. I heard a lot of positive things about laura bush you do not hear in the media. I also appreciated the Historical Perspective of the other first ladies. I was a little surprise i think it was patricia, the way you pretrade portrayed nancy reagan. Not terribly involved with white house affairs, at least that is what i heard. You talked about purchasing the tea set and other things she was criticized for. I remember the media attacking her for being responsible for example for getting rid of the secretary of the treasury, the chief of staff. I heard her say she was responsible for bringing together the calgary all and president Mikael Gorbachev and president reagan. Did i hear you correctly . I thought she was more involved. Patricia i do agree with you. I guess for purposes of brevity in my paper i compare her to rosalyn carter. I do agree with you on a number of she had the whole campaign, just say no to drugs. I think she really takes on a big role one president reagan is shot. We realize how much she is probably saying she is running the country. It was more comparing her to a rosalyn carter. As her term went on, i think maybe she is an example of a little bit of both. She does have a politically active role. Different than Hillary Clinton but she definitely initially comes in and is going to purchase a tea set. 200,000. The day she is about to purchase it, it comes out in the media that School Lunch Programs are going to come of the money is being decreased. I dont disagree with you. I think she kind of takes on more of a political role later on, especially when president reagan is shot. Guest can i add more to that . I appreciate the question. I worked with mrs. Reagan as well. I think she is a misunderstood character. I will leave you with a humorous response she had. She was criticized for all the clothes she brought. A dramatic change from the carter administration. The hard Truth Campaign i mentioned, one of the president ial libraries we went to to talk about the heart Truth Campaign there was an exhibit of nancy reagan red dresses as part of this advocacy and awareness. There were hundreds and hundreds of people there to see it, lined out the door. Nancy reagan said to laura bush, i was vilified in the white house for my close. Now they are lining up to see it. She made fun of herself in an event where she showed up wearing secondhand clothes. One of the things patricia said, which is true, was the timing of releasing the china. Which id way was privately funded, but it did not matter. The fact that it was a huge price tag and came at a time we were in a recession the timing was terrible. She suffered from bad press that was very hard for her to ever recover. Still referred to often times as queen is nancy. Profoundly devoted to her husbands success. Sir, in the center . I also want to say, fantastic panel. Really enjoyed it. I wonder if anybody would speak to the magnetic power of laura bush over her husband. I say that any positive way. I can think of a couple of examples. One thing i was surprised by the choice of smu as the president ial library. I was thrilled about it. That is where laura bush went to school. I think maybe she had some play on the location of the library which could have been in waco. I understand president bush had the habit of not wanting to stay overnight anywhere without laura. What are some other things about how she positively influenced her husband, whether in speeches we had a snippet of that. I can tell just from knowing the two of them, it is very positive. I would love to hear you talk about that. Guest i would just say two comments. I have known the family since the 1980s. They are partners in everything. She is an anchor to him. He is hugely supportive of everything that she does. I will just say one comment here about even going to afghanistan. You heard about the trip we plan, 10 years this month. When laura bush interviewed me and said, i want to go to afghanistan, that was the first thing she said. I said, does the president know . Yes. If he knew, that was all the support we needed. He sent her all over the world. As an advocate, a representative of him. The closest personal envoy you could send over the world is your spouse. She was so effective. They were partners in everything. Devoted to their family. Also in this important work of the country. She was there in every single part of it. It was grounding for him. Defining that zone of piracy and family is so important. I would often remember being on the phone with mrs. Bush. They live over the store. If the president came home, she would go. That was it. End of conversation. That was her time to be there for him. The job is just so hard and they depended on each other so much. I think anchor is a good word. He always loved the quote of Carl Sandburg that a mountain is something that is fastened down something you can count on. By her presence, you can count on her. I was very privileged because i stayed a lot with them in the Governors Mansion when he was running, thinking about running for president. I have been in the white house. He touched based with her in a matter where he was. He would say, i remember one time i say the opposite of what i mean. She says, you know. She was this callming assurance. He said, i have heard him say more than once, he has been so fortunate to be from a loving family. You are not afraid of success. You are not afraid of failure. I was there one time, at the Governors Mansion. She was on the phone. I was sitting there listening. When she got off, she said, that is time magazine. If george wins, he will be on the cover. If al gore wins, he will be on the cover. As far a she was concerned, she was going to be finding a matter what. Having someone like that in your life, when you are in that kind of arena, is extraordinary. I think we can do one more question. Sir . Thank you. I just want to know if the Hollywood Community or Music Community or Broadway Community gave mrs. Bush a hand in her initiative with the arts. Did they reach out to her and help out . One thing we didnt mention. At the end of the Administration First of all, i will say this. When you are in the white house if you need a musical performance or a group, no one will say no. They are happy to come. We had many broadway performers and other performances. The kennedy center, every year hollywood is honored. At the very end of the bush administration, all of the Cultural Arts agencies got together to honor laura bush. I will let adair talk more about this. They did everything they could to support the opening of performances, the opening of exhibits. She was always there. Another underreported activities of laura bush. Adair, do you want to respond . Adair the thing is, she enjoys all of that. It is her leadership, an extension of who she was. When she was first lady, i remember jim leachs wife, they did it in exhibit of grand would over across the street from the white house at the renwick. When we would go stay there, she would have a group of friends. You all need to go over there and i want you to go over there. One time when i was there, we went to fords theatre to see this performance over the president s shoulder, a oneperson play about a white house fvalet. Not only did she take us but she took the white house valets. She was always present. She was at the back of the room in ford theater, just out of enjoyment. Everybody did appreciate her. That was a wonderful event at the smithsonian, the naturalional portrait gallery. Can i add one comment. This gave me a memory. You are talking about the traditional hollywood, the big stars. It is no secret republican administrations have a different relationship with hollywood then democratic administrations. There were two occasions i remember where Steven Spielberg came through one time, tom hanks and other. They were going to a photo receiving line. Mrs. Bush told Steven Spielberg aside. The movie schindlers list had been out about a year. They started talking about their fathers experiences serving in world war ii. His father had served in world war ii in the pacific theater. He was astounded, Steven Spielberg by this very personal conversation he had with her. This is not what hollywood expected of george and laura bush. To connect on a human level. They are human beings like the rest of us. After Steven Spielberg and his wife came through the line, i was standing there in the green room. He turned back and came back to me and said, i really like your first lady. I thought, well, of course. We all do. We love her. Tom hanks and his wife, we had a christmas reception, she was interested in the human life at the white house. She said, where does she order her Christmas Gifts . Does she do it online . Does she use amazon . People are intrigued by the mystery. Even people at that level, celebrities. It is that particular, in the president s house, they related as human beings. It was an interesting experience for me. For laura bush, it was natural. Go ahead. When i was at the education department, we went to an evening event. We were any photo line. That was the day that spot had died. One of my dogs had died, too. I said, i am so sorry about spot. Rod paige wanted to kill me. I said, i love that he cries. But now he needs to wipe his eyes because that will wipe the rest of the photograph. One other story. I am from el paso. Theres a movie about our basketball coach. The bushes showed that moveie at the white house. What they really had were two people who were part of that. We have a place in el paso cold h and h carwash. It was started by syrian immigrants. They are the biggest youutech fans. The owner of h and h carwash was invited. He is such a fan. He said at the president s table. When you go in the carwash, we all signed to the menus. He has a picture with them. He said, i wish people could meet him. I wish they could experience the love in that man. How much he cares. I love hearing him say that. Those of us who know them know what a struggle it is and how much they care about people. I think that is an appropriate last word. I want to thank everyone for coming. Thanks for your research, your commentary. It has been a true perfect terrific panel. Thank you very much. [applause] [captioning performed by the national captioning institute, which is responsible for its caption content and accuracy. Visit ncicap. Org] some news on another first lady. Several sources reporting Hillary Clinton will be announcing her candidacy for president sunday, making her the first democratic candidate to enter the 2016 race. This will be her second bid for the white house after losing the white house to barack obama in 2008. Her video is expected to be released sunday to read we will eric here as soon as it is available. Sunday. We will air it here as soon as it is available. Looking inside the life of every first lady in american history. Based on original interviews with historians and biographers. Learn details all oof all 45 first ladies. The book, first ladies president ial historians on the lives of 45 american women. , describes the lives of these women. Cspans first ladies is an entertaining and inspiring read and is available as a hardcover or ebook. Next, a look at the merits and impact of Public Employee unions with Political Science professors. They debated one another. This is one hour. [applause]