Constitutionally Dubious

15 October 2007



Laura Bush Now Makes Policy Statements

Usually the First Lady of the United States, a job that isn’t mentioned in the constitution, finds some non-partisan project and devotes her energies to it as a way of softening the edges of her husband’s administration. While Ronald Reagan was ballooning America’s deficit, cutting and running from Lebanon, and trading arms for hostages, Nancy Reagan was telling American kids to “Just Say No” to drugs. Laura Bush seemed to be following in those well-worn footsteps with literacy, but recently that has changed. Now, she’s talking about Burma and she’s going to the Middle East right after Condoleezza Rice said it was time for a Palestinian state. It is an understatement to say this is an interesting development.

On the issue of Burma, the Washington Post reports, “The first lady has taken an interest in Burma ever since a family member told her about the Asian nation's plight five years ago, but she has taken a higher-profile leadership role on this in recent weeks than she has on any international issue during nearly seven years in the East Wing. She has lobbied officials and diplomats, issued public statements, given multiple interviews, supported new sanctions against the junta, and written an op-ed column speaking out on behalf of the repressed population in the country . . . .” She even has the head of the UN calling to update her on the situation.

The week of October 20-26, she’s going to be traveling in the United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait and Jordan. Mark Silva of the Baltimore Sun noted that much of the travel will be about breast cancer awareness and meeting with women’s organizations – a rather bold move in that part of the world. He adds, “In Kuwait, Mrs. Bush will meet with women democratic reformers, legal advocates and business leaders, and visit successful Middle East Partnership Initiative programs, including education and scholarship projects.”

Now, she doesn’t have to do any of this, so the question is why? Without ascribing less-than-honorable motives to her, the answer is “because she can.” Unlike the entire cabinet, the general staff and the White House Busheviks, Mrs. Bush remains a figure of credibility. She simply isn’t hated. That means she can say things for her husband and the administration and will get a hearing.

Where this gets interesting is when she says something that someone else doesn’t want to hear. “Mrs. Bush Storms out of Meeting” is not the kind of headline anyone wants to see, but it may well happen. Perhaps as a daughter of Texas, she’s a bit too genteel for that. As First Gentleman, Bill Clinton wouldn’t have that problem, and the precedent for a more political White House spouse has been set. Maybe Senate confirmation is in order before this trend goes any farther.

© Copyright 2007 by The Kensington Review, Jeff Myhre, PhD, Editor. No part of this publication may be reproduced without written consent. Produced using Fedora Linux.

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