I'll list the First Ladies, that have been around in my lifetime by order of likeability

1) Barbara Bush--Seemed down to earth, not afraid to differ with her husband on the abortion issue
2) Lady Bird, made America a more beautiful place
3) Rosalynn...Once again down to earth, sensible
4) Laura Bush...stays in the background a pleasant change from her predecessor
5) Pat Nixon
6) Betty Ford
7) Jackie..never cared much for society snobs
8) Nancy Reagan...like her better today, previously always struck me as being a bit cold
9) Hillary-a woman only a Democrat could love, makes me understand why Bill philanders

Actually, I left out Mamie, I was only 2 when Ike left office.

Hillary CLinton by far - and I'm not a Democrat.

Hilary - she stuck her neck out for something she truly believed in....she failed, and got nailed for it politically, but what it all boils down to is conviction.....which is what Lady Bird got points for in my book too...

Hillary Clinton.

Mostly because, to me at any rate, she seemed to be the only one of them that was actually human...

Barbara Bush

Class and poise, did not seem to let anything ruffle her, never thought she was co-president.

Hillary Clinton: Bright, competent, a leader, never a demure little shadow who recoiled at the suggestion of criticism. A woman who hung in there despite the scandals and public opinions about what she should do after her husband's indiscretions were made public. I think she really got a bad rap from traditionalists who wanted a cardboard stand-up or a Barbie doll to stand and wave at the President's side. A living, breathing woman with GRIT.

My ranking:

1) Hillary Clinton, would have made (and might yet make) a far better president than her husband - and I'm not a Democrat either
2) Betty Ford, did something real and constructive about drug addiction and was the poster girl for breast cancer
3) Rosalynn Carter, definitely down to earth and sensible
4) Jackie Kennedy, I never cared much for society snobs either - especially terminally stupid ones
5) Laura Bush, must have the fortitude of a saint to remain married to Dubya (especially through a decade of alcoholism) - and the only glimmer of compassion in the entire administration
6) Pat Nixon, frigid female canine - but with fortitude rivalling that of Laura Bush
7) Ladybird Johnson, made America a more beautiful place - and put loads of small business owners out of work in the process; plus her name was really Claudia and she consented to be called Ladybird
8) Nancy Reagan, Just Say "Yo!" - responsible for popularizing and legitimizing the lethally counter-productive "war on drugs"
9) Barbara Bush, one of the meanest women ever to have walked the face of the earth - and she spawned hideous children

I was ever-so-slightly older than Hugo when Eisenhower left office, but still have no clear memory of Mamie.

Hey, I read that Franken book too!

And it was Martha Washington who started the war on drugs: "George, you need to do something to prove to me you don't like whiskey anymore."

Hillary broke a lot of stereotypes, whether you like her or not. She will be remembered for breaking through the patriarchal traditions of the First Lady role.

Heh - Franken's a blow-in. I remember (the sorely missed) Spy magazine doing Mean Barbara Bush stories during Bush the Elder's presidency. My favorite item of theirs, though, was when they presented evidence (mostly photographic) that she was actually a Voodoo priestess.


I thought that was Laura Bush's line...

But if it was Martha, well, let's not forget that hemp was one of Washington's major crops. If he have up whiskey, I have a pretty good idea of what he gave it up for...

I'm going to go with Betty Ford. The woman hide her alcoholism like a pro. She gets special props for that. who more than Betty is world reknown for doing anything useful for the poor addicted souls of society. Betty Ford's clinic has probably done more for Americans than any of the first ladies.

Go Betty!

Barbara Bush---She is one tough cookie. She is not afraid to speak her mind to anyone

Nancy Reagan---is a kind person who has done well in taking care of her husband