First ladies in the United States have no constitutional role. The first lady has no official duties. For all we know, she should stick to the household and being nice to visitors. The word "hostess" is perfectly tailored for the real duties of the first lady. Nowhere in the books do we find anything that would allow the first lady to mix in politics, deliver political speeches, and take extra-congressional initiatives that aim at passing legislation.
Practice though has been different. "Liberation" politics has allowed first ladies to storm into the public forum and become "figures" in their own right.
The fact is pregnant with complications. Little tiffs with the husband as they sit, alone, for dinner the night before can explode into administration crises. First ladies with demanding character, a penchant for interference, and a sense of personal mission (a disastrous trait to strike ANY second fiddle) come to believe that they are entitled to real political and executive power.
This is a scandal, to put it lightly. In theory, we vote for president. We do not/do not vote for his/her spouse. We get saddled with the spouse by virtue of the family connection. The fact in no way entitles the spouse to meddle and stir and act behind the scenes.
Food for thought as we approach November.
