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teaching you. media come, along withhese television companies supports c-span2 as a public service. and welcome to this program titled in her own words. this iss a program for a few by flair which stands for thes first lady's association for research and education. my name is mira gooden i'm president of flair and i'm so happy that you joined us for this very interesting look at four different first ladies at some of their rhetorical responses. before we begin this afternoon, i would like to thank floors inaugural institution members american university, writer university, the white house historical association, the massachusetts historical society and our newest lifetime

institutional member the gerald presidential foundation. we're glad to have you with us. in the interest of time, i would like to take the next few minutes to introduce four people who will be part of this afternoon's program we're going to beng starting with nancy keen smith. nancy is former director of the potentialir materials division t the national archives and records administration. she has written lectured and on first ladies. since the 1980s including lady byrd johnson michelle and the records of modern first ladies. a founding member and a lifetime member of flair she serves as our vice president. doctor diana is professor of communication at st. louis university, and a retired professor of communication studies at the university of kansas.

she's researched and taught about first ladies for 30 years and has written chapters on martha washington, lady byrd johnson barbra bush, hillary clinton and michelle obama diana is a founding member and lifetime member of flair and she serves the organization as our treasurer.re doctor ann metina is professor and chair of communication at stone hill college. her research focuses on american women's public activism, spanning from 19th century to current day in addition to presentation on first ladies she's published several rhetorical studies of hilary rodham clinton and is inaugural lifetime member of flair and finally but certainly not least, doctor tammy tammy is associate professor of communication and

the senior associate dean of the college of communication at the university. doctor wroteks books including rhetoric of republican motherhood and the spouses of presidential nominees, 1992-2016 melania and michelle first ladies in new era and connecting with w constituents identificatn building and blocking in the contemporary, national conventionl addresses. tammy is also a lifetime member of flair. it is my pleasure to turn the program over to nancy keegan smith. >> nancy you're muted -- >> it is a pleasure to be here today and to welcome all of our people.

and i think we have a very interesting program lined up weeks of first ladies an their speeches have often tackled issues as leaders of society. lady byrd johnson said while the job had no assigned duty a podium is there if she chooses to use it. from the very rich holdings of the presidential library to national archives in records administration on first ladies, we will report key segments that speeches by barbara bush, hillary clinton lara bush and michelle obama which had a powerful impact after watching these our panel of experts will analyze and discuss them. we can go to the next slide on mrs. bush. mrs. bush's human and attitude

toward what is important in life are clearly shown in this speech she made at the college on june 1st, 1990. she had not been the first choice and her selection caused controversy on the campus. let's see and hear of some of her speech. o diana -- >> now i know your first choice today was alice walker. [laughter] guess how i know -- >> known for the color purplen stead you got me. known for -- the color of my hair. [laughter] and as you set off i hope that many of you will consider making three very special choices. the first is to believe in something larger than yourself.

to get involved in some of the big ideas of our time. i chose literacy because i honestly believe that if more people could read, write and xrengd we would be that much closer to solving so many of the problems that plague our nation. and our society -- and early on, i made another choice which i hope you'll make as well. whether you're talking about education,ki career, or service, you're talking about life. and life really must have joy. it's supposed to be fun. one of the reasons i made the most important decision of my life to marry george bush is because he made me laugh. it's true. sometimes we laugh there through ourur tears but that shared laughter has been one of our strongest bonds. find the joy in life. because as ferris bueller said on his day -- lifees moves pretty fast an you

don't stop and look around once in a while you're going miss it. [applause] not going to tell george you clap more for ferris than you clap for george. the third choice that must not be missed is to cherish your human connections. your relationships with family and friends -- for several years you've had impressed upon you the importance to your career, dedication and hardwork, and, of course, that's true. but as t important as your obligations as a doctor, a lawyer, a business leader will be -- you are a human being first. and those human connections with spouses, with children, with friends are the most important investment you will ever make.

[applause] >> from that powerful speech, we will go to mrs. clinton. mrs. clinton was clearly a first lady with many different public roles. one p of which was to use her platform as first lady to push strongly the world for equal rights for women. let's hear some of her -- [inaudible conversations] >> there's within message that echoes forth from this conference, let it be that human rights are women's rights and women's rights are human rights once and for all. [applause] and among those rights are the rights to speak freely and the right to be heard. women must enjoy the writes to participate fully in the social

and political lives of their countries if we want freedom and democracy to thrive and endure. it is indefensible that many women in nongovernmental organizations who wish to participate in this conference have not been able to attend or been prohibited from fully taking parts. [applause] let me be clear, freedom means the right of people to assemble, organize and debate openly it means respecting the views of those who may disagree with the views of their government. it means not taking citizens away from their loved ones and jailing them mistreating them or denying them their freedom or dignity because of the peaceful expression of their ideas and opinions. [applause]

>> just like mrs. johnson, mrs. bush's rearl role was to define by unexpected national tragedy, 9/11. on november 17th, 2001, laura bush made history while advocating for a worldwide effort to focus on the brutal teammate of afghan women and children by the taliban regime during the weekly press radio address. mrs. bush was the first first lady to deliver the address in its entirety. >> gorng i'm good morning i'm laura bush and focusing on the brutality against women and children by the al qaeda terrorist network and the regime it supports in afghanistan.

the taliban that regime is now in retreat across much of the country and people of afghanistan especially women are rejoicing. afghan women know through hard experience what the rest of the world is discovering. the brutal oppression of women is a central goal of the terrorists. long before the current war began, the taliban in its tears allies were making lives of children and women in afghanistannd miserable. 70 act malnourished within in four won't w live past the age f five because health care is not available. >> in may of 2013, michelle obama in her speech to bowie state university students challenged in the way only mrs. obama can do to make education a priority and to set an example for those who will

follow them. >> when it comes to getting an education, too many of our young people just can't be bothered. today, instead of walking miles every day to school, they're sitting on couches for hours playing video games, watching tv. instead of dreaming of being a teacher or lawyer or business leader, they're fantasizing about being a baller or rammer. rapper -- right now one in three african-american students are dropping outut of high school. only one in five african-americans between ages of 25 and 29 has gotten a college degree. one iniv five. let's be very clear, today getting an education is as important if not more important

than it was back when the university wasas founded. as my husband has said often, please stand up and reject the slander that says black child with ald book is trying to act white. reject that. in short -- be an example of excellence for the next generation and do everything you can to help them understand the power and purpose of a good education. >> we now heard four segments first ladies have effectively used their podium on subjects as different as a role of a woman in society, on the taliban, on human rights, and on the importance of education. i would now like to turn over the panel to my good friend and

colleague diana to start the discussion and analysis of these and other first lady speeches. >> nancy and ann and tammy are joining me here. we're goingoi run this more or less like a panel so you'll see all three of us as nancy said we're going to take speeches in order and -- also we'll probably throw in some examples of some other women -- if it fits that particular speech and i would say please put your questions there's an e-mail address to sending the questions to and you don't have to ask just about these first ladies or questions about any others please do that also. as nancy said when she started -- barbara bush was admired in controversy alice walker was choice of the class and when she turned them down in administration decided to invite barbara bush i did a lot of research on this speech of the bush library. and among the many papers i found related to it were

scheduling papers where they decide they put this invitation in as if it were any other commencement address they were not aware of what had happened to get barbara invitation, and at one point they weren't even sure they were going to include it because they were going to be in town and she had another commitment in boston to dedicate something to watch out for the ducklings of the park so then they decided to do it and when they worked on this speech, they worked on it along with all of commencement addresses soth it wasn't that much different from otherr commencement addresses. one thing nancy didn't mention was that this speech was one of the top sew speeches of the 20th century as was hillary clinton beijing speech. george h.w. bush did not have the speech and to kind of kick this off -- you know commencement speeches aren't usually very memorable. and don't capture first ladies

give tons of these and don't capture a lot of attention except for the city where they happen. and this one got worldwide attention, not just because of the controversy, but also because of the message. and to kind of put this in a little bit more context she was last of the world war ii generation for first ladies and got to the baby boomers of hillary clinton and she was really viewing in general issues. so tammy and ann start first -- why did you think this captured the attention of these women after they were not real excited about having somebody who they believed hadad simply gotten whe she was because of who she married. >> go ahead tammy if you would like to start. >> sure, nobody. >> there's a couple of things about this speech that make it a bunch of things that make it worthwhile but i think one of the reason why is it was so captivating particularly for that audience

was possibly because it was so unexpected. they had sort of come in to as an audience come into the speech with a bit of a chip on their shoulder with those expectations of c what can she possibly say o us and speech itself is really built around the question of diversity and embracing diversity in different kiengsdz of ways. i think couching the conversation thatin she did in couching the conversation the way that she did barbara bush made it so much more relatable to these womenla in the audience and then also the broader audience. and so -- because it was unexpected because they didn't think she was going to deliver much and because she brought so much of her personality into this speech as well -- and demonstrated her ability to be thoughtful, to be -- engaging, to be respectful of who they were and also challenging them to be more than what they thought in ways that not have expected. i think that's all why it

captivated particularhe audience and ways in which she uses metaphor and anecdotes also lots ofha wonderful little last lines some were planned some of them were, you know, spontaneous. i think those moments just made her so enduring and also reenforced overall message what she was trying to get across -- so i think that's why it's a message thatt stilling endures. plus the message itself is enduring and believing in something larger than yourself -- life must have joy -- cherish your human connections, like hard not to really like that message and then the way that she delivered it. >> right. i also was very interested in a fact that one of the things that she does immediately in the speech is recognize the controversy. we heard the little clip at the beginning about i know you wanted alice walker known for color purple she makes joke,

obviously, about color of her hair but there's also a line in the very beginning as well that we didn't see where she -- kind of w gives shoutout to the class president. her new best friends -- that's how she refers to her so you you can only imagine and nancy you probably know the answer to this. they must have had some discussion amongst the platform party prior to them actually arriving on the scene, you know, up on the pod yum to deliver that speech. she clearly had spoken with the class president earlier about this. so what she's trying to do i think in what she does beautifully many this speech is -- shes givings us a subtle, very gentle approach to this class. and it is about women's choices in life. and she does it in that only,

only the way that barbra bush could do it. and in terms of her humor and that self-deprecating humor also a little bit of pop culture in there and i will tell george you've had a ferris bueller higher louder applause line than he did. that kind of thing she's very comfortable and she's very informal i think in a lot of ways. i also think that it's -- very important to point out that she had with her the two first ladies on the stage together was also a very powerful visual for us and in terms of historical memory as well. i would also say to you, she

speaks to -- even though they're generationally different she speaks a lot to things that hillary clinton pickshi up on later as first lady and that is women's choices are women's choices. theych should not be dictated b, you know, whatever, whatever the political whim of the day is and that we're lucky we have these choices so -- i think that is remarkable for all of those reasons. >> now just -- for some background, she and the class president had actually had a phone call -- >> okay. she writes about this in her memoir. >> and they had had a phone call priority her actually arriving and -- began that conversation then. which is why she really talks in the speechn too about we're goig to have kafertion. conversation.

as i said this was when -- they were planning this speech, it was going to be basically the speech she gave at st. louis university where i was. at a community college and when the controversy hit when the students found out she had been invited in 125 and 600 signed a petition complaining and wants it withdrawn, and she also invited ask the president if she could invite before all of the controversy started. so it wasn't like she did that as a way of deflecting the controversy. she actually had done that ahead of time. and so then when all of this hit, they pulled in some of george bush's speech writers -- that we have to do something a have theen though we basic message and she said that she didn't want to complain, explain or apologize. in anyny way for any of this and one other thing she did at the beginning that you t didn't seei wish you could already just go watch theus whole speech it is n

youtube and president after the bush library site. but she talked about the fact that she had been invited along with her husband -- when they came back from china. and, you know, her husband was the -- wasn't, ambassador yet but went to china after nixon opened it and that the two of them jointly spoke and she talked about how open the students were and how they embraced diversities to tammy's point she really set this up to say this is a place where you accept diverse people you accept diverse ideas, and she even went on to say you know i'm at the different era. and i followed the path of my era you're following yours. you don't necessarily understand mine. i don't understand yours and then there was that final incredible line now tammy you want to give it? >> i was loving your buildup. go ahead i don't to step -- >> you know, then she says that

the conversation doesn't end here, and ann i think you're absolutely right. this was a bigger conversation than about her being married to somebodyll famous it was really about women's choices and the struggles that women have. and she talked about how the hoop race had originally been whoeverwh won would be the first one to get married. irr think about the -- julia roberts movie with julia stiles some of those, you know -- it was similar -- they were getting married that's what they were there to get their mr cringes and then who was the ceo or first on the company so now you know it is which of you willso achieve your dream but nt societies and your dream but one day in this audience one day you may be listening to another presidential spouse and i wish him well. and w that, of course, just got the standing ovation.

that you know -- everything i think everybody said it was fantastic. so that brings -- go ahead tammy. >> going to say and kind of just a couple of quick notes. that when she finishes it says may your future be worthy of yourur dreams. to reenforce that idea of not society's dreams but your own personal dreams that was nice closing but one thing i enjoyed about this speech and every time i watch or read it i find other things that bubble out of it each and every time it is a wonderful experience to have. but one of the thing i couldn't help bsh interesting thing to have happen in a speech in 1990 as a sort of preview of what happened in 1992 when we had -- barbara bush and hilary rodham clinton as two potential first ladies in that campaign. and so some of the conversation that came up with barbara bush and the speech came up over and

over and over again in the 1992 campaign and so i think this as a preview to that and -- as a sort of earlier than happened response to it was also kind of an interesting historical moment. >> other thing i always about this when i hear this speech i don't know if any of you remember an article that ann who was working for secretary of state hillary clinton at the time. i believe in the atlantic -- of that and she left the state department because she had i think -- child inn middle school and one in high school and she was commuting from boston she finally said we can't have it all. women cannot have it all. and i always think of this barbra bush speech here's a woman who was at harvard who was at state department. and she, you know, like 20 years later was saying basically that to make choices. and that they have to be your choices and comfortable so -- choices then were get to hillary

clinton. and this also got rave reviews worldwide and several opinion writers really believed that it was a speech that is not her working on health care which didn't go very well but this was a speech that set her on the path for her own independent career her independent thinking and her own stage on world scene.en so -- what are your reactions to this speech?rt ann start withh you. >> sure. well one of the things that i discovered a long time ago about hilary is she had a much -- more sympathetic i guess you would seance internationally thanay she did domestically. she did spend an awful lot of time out of the country after

the health care, the so-called health care debacle. we can go into that. at some other point whole panel on that. but after that, people, you know, lots of pundits referring to the fact sha that she wasn't making herself veabl as the time before the health care -- as health care fell apart. but, in fact, she had started with madeleine albright something known as by the voices and by the voices won of the main things that by the voices did was -- call attention to women seeking ways out of poverty worldwide. ♪..... education and also through small

business loans and madeline albright and she made a terrific team mrs. clinton would would go into a country and give a speech and get a lot of people very very excited about this. they set up this program to give micro loans to women even micro loans is small as a hundred dollars to perhaps by a cow if that's what a particular woman and a particular place needed or access to a bank account. she did that for several years, i think close to four all to do that for several years close to for all told between the two terms, her husband was in office. an absolute minimal coverage of this.

no one was paying attention to her and what she was doing internationally. yes, china her signature speech for women's rights and for human rights and international relations. she set out to accomplish a couple of things. on her way there one wants to wl attention to china's miserable record on human rights. her husband could not do as president he did not have that freedom that she had. but she had an audience that is extremely sympathetic. and she delivered one of the top 100 speeches of the 20th century on that occasion. quick to jump in on this bad

idea one thing that that was interesting as i looked up some covid of his speech. there are several reports that had n said what clinton said wht many people said she could not say because the rocky relationship going on between the u.s. and china at the time. i thought that was really -- it's interesting and ironic she was enacting the right she was coming for everyone for all women. women should be able to speak up. the line is they shut the right to speak freely in the right to be heard. for her to say that when she was not supposed to be able to say it was even more moving. the weight she said it is a clear statement assertive and direct sonic assertive but not aggressive. the tone she struck was just about perfect i couldn't imagine she could deliver it any better

in terms of reinforcing the notion of what seems like it should be the common notion of human rights or women's rights or women's rights or human rights because women are human. that's basically to say women are human. that has to be frustrating. to get to say it when you are not supposed to be able to get to say it has to be so liberating. that isnd part of why this particular line in this particular speech really resonated beyond that particular moment. i'm sorry, i was wondering if you noticed in your review of the coverage of the speech how little there actually was in the united states. it was just not covered. it's not until later that it becomes such a defining rhetorical moment for her.

>> baby after the fact. on the 20th anniversary of your article cnn the variousft stories on major networks about 20 years after beijing. thente at 25 years after beijing there t were more. this deserves to be wanted top 100. it should be obvious. i also studied the 19th amendment one of suffrage going back to the 17th century. everybody thought this was about women. this is something women wanted. that obvious declaration has never been said but that kind of a worldwide audience. let me ask a couple of other questions. one of the things first ladies can do is speak about something

cannot speak about. historical examples were first ladies use their podium to talk about something theirbi husbands would not have had the same for? >> i'm not sure if the same level of credibility i certainly know old laura bush, especially toward the end of her husband's a second term we struck out on her own. spoke about issues that were not traditionally affiliated with her. such as a woman's right to choose. i don't think she came right out and asked for that. certainly her work with women

going on there. she definitely push the boundaries that george was not able too. the other thing about laura bush and having disability and a lot of her credibility it may have come into play to was the fact she is the mother of two young women, experiencing a lot of things for the first time. you know barbara bush junior who enjoyed that's our time in college regina was a little more serious. she is with a mom and she had that experience as well. she can talk about young women and their choices. that is one example i can think of. >> i would adds that barbara

bush in the 1992 campaign people start to talk about her finally finding her voice. she had been reserved about sharing her political opinion. the 1992 campaign she started to do things like for example reframing the notion of family values. her husband could only stick to the traditional family values that is what the republican party was talking about at the time fred barker barbara bush started reframing family ads whatever kind of family you are part of. and so she expanded the notion of what family could possibly mean and expanded the idea of what traditional family values should meet outside of hitraditional boundaries. as a place where barbara bush had more credibility that her husband couldn't. i exhaled we could do some things her husband couldn't do.

lady bird johnson was an excellent example how she promoted head start in the great society program. what about the relationship of this particular speech and how it might have helped with foreign policy? >> i think hilary was an asset to bill. especially in the second term. the lease which was foreign policy. he has never been shy about speaking of his admiration. for how short she is politically and intellectually. i think a decision was made and obviously have to spend more

time researching this. i think a decision was made and she may have made it herself. she talks a little bit about this in her first book. if people at home domestically are not appreciative of the intellect, or political power, political will and all of that. then she would go elsewhere. a lot more sympathy and more understanding outside of the united states than she did within. especially in her second term. and again we know the second term is where president clinton

credibility as it related to monica and the rest of it. and the impeachment would fall apart. meanwhile hilary is off creating this wonderful for herself and touring the country a lot. >> setting herself up to be a really effective secretary of state eventually. she was developing relationships. she was learning more about more cultural and governmental norms. not that she did not know a lot of it already purchased cultivating her own future position. even though she may not have thought about it as secretary of state. helping him out but helping her self out. it works is has gotten attention

until just a few years ago. i'm sure people thought about it given what's happening in afghanistan which brings us to laura bush in that speech. the first thing i thought when i listened as she could get that today. selector to give this speech? it was done a week before thanksgiving.ec actually in the latter part of the speech she talks about that. i was veryy maternal and how she pulls us back to our er post 911 after it. why do you think they selected her to the presidential radio address? >> laura bush was a well-liked first lady. she was a very relatable person. some academic jargon she filled bridges bite -- she came down to she was very relatable and that

she was one of the keys it to her husband's campaign. for each election cycle for people like her. people felt her compassion both are after 911 and also before that. she came across as sincere and genuine forgiveness particular speech she had the credibility of being the maternal figure for the nation. should the credibility of establishing herself as the consoler in chief if you a will. free personal to her she has very strong personal interest in this. and this speech and other instances about the situation. that was a great decision at

space and who she was particularly the fact that work time but the first major quote family holiday" that we were facing as americans at that time. but had pretty much stepped into the background while george bush got us through those first few weeks. after the attacks of 9/11. 911.but then when she stepped forward again, she stepped forward as her partner and spouse. it was a persona she had already established. it was a good choice on bush administration's part to help her do that particular address

at that time. >> one of the other things about first ladies is they don't since they left office. in that sense is given to the credibility to speak out since thwe have had the withdrawal and the human rights issues going on there. that has been true of so many other first ladies who have almost done more because they establish those connections for that credibility appeared they had that platform i continue to use it. before i t do that my tech persn checks to seen the chat function is not working on youtube for some reason. he set up an e-mail address. if you have a question or a comment please send it to fl flare questions all one word. at gmail.com.

fla re@gmail.com. we will monitor those questions i want to leave some time. this brings us to the last speaker you talk about the maternal peace laura bush used very effectively as consoler in chief. when michelle obama she's princeton, harvard educated with that major law firm. a hospital administrator this is a woman who had power positions. she said she was going to be chief. a lot said wait a minute. you have a chance is a first african-american the first lady to move some things forward. what she chose her emphasized education, military families and healthy children. what about this particular speech why was it only michelle

obama could given the o speech? joints or comment on that or did you disagree with me? quick snow, i think it was a very powerful speech to a very specific audience. already recognizing that obviously she recognizes that it is going to be a speech that is broadcasted. if it will be able to look up on youtubee later. certainly an enormous amount of speaking to that's our time as first lady and after as you just mentioned, diana. she was speaking to newly minted black college grads. i think it wasas really importat for her. it was only a speech that she could give was the first black

first lady. because again, as i mentioned with barbara bush i think it's stronger in michelle it's almost as if she is chiding them somewhat, her audience. we cannot equate a black child with a book to acting white bird got to throw that out. we have got to move forward. i do not think a white first lady could have delivered those remarks in that way. again, i think she recognized her audience and adapted to it accordingly. in a very powerful way. >> it is an interesting speech. i understand what ana sang about chiding the audience. i think she was chiding the

broader audience that the specific audience in. when she says to reject the idea a black kid with a book is trying to act white she is not talking at the audience and just graduated from college. giving them a sense of empowerment, you have a space i' this world a very dense of the importance and good. she sang at a chiding voice kind of saying don't listen to the critique. you are beingng an example of excellence for the next generation. she says to be it but she showing them that they are. i think the speech is really interesting. i was rooting for some that youtube responses to the speech. one of the things i thought was kind of fun speaks to the idea of michelle obama thing the one who is able to give this speech is the part we saw the clip we saw around 11:30 four mark on the actual actual speech itself

people kept commenting on that mark is where it got real. likeds it really got real. those kind of comments she is getting real at this point, fast forward to this spot they could feel the authenticity parade the genuineness of what she was saying' and the passion behind it. i think that is one of the things michelle obama was and is a very, very good at saying what sheet feels in a way that let's everyone feel what she feels as well and that was being shown in this particular speech the kind of frustration. the kind of hope the reassurance for the specific audience the chiding of the broader audience that's effectively done we all know michelle obama is quite an effective speaker. >> i'm sure members of that audience i've been accused when they were reading books, going to college or getting a degree. sue talked about being able to

identify, they could deathly definitelyidentify with what shs saying. one of the other common stories she told in her commencement address was if she went into a high school which was dominantly an african-american high school was her own story of a counselor telling her that she was not good enough to get into princeton. that she couldnt not get intono princeton. and she really makes a point don't let anyone do that to you. that's another one of the common messages she certainly does not mince words and she does not shy away from the controversy and she did it very effectively. i'm looking at the time we don't have any questions yet but please do flare questions@gmail.com. i guess before we bring them

back i could throw out some more questions until we get some from the audience. but in general what's interesting about michelle obama as she did not rely on traditional media to get her story out. nancy reagan started showing up on different strokes in cameo. she was doing cameos on multiple joining forces. she was on nashville. she was on sesame street how many times. there's a wonderful video of her sending out earth tweets. twitter, interest into graham pinterest she was everywhere. any reaction to the fact she sidestepped and was able to sell her story and create her narrative?

>> i have found that it is interesting you bring that up. and the most recent thing i published on hilary was looking at her relationship with her to press secretaries. her directors of communication and the different term. early on in the first term her press secretary at the time really wanted her to do exactly those kinds of things like nancy reagan. one of things she wanted hilary to do i think it was on, i want to say tool time i think that was the name. tool time with tim taylor it was a very popular sitcom at the time. there is a whole it's a fascinating document in the clinton library you can see a

whole media strategy for using popular culture at the time. of course there was an instagram, facebook or twitter at the time when hilary was first lady. but the idea of going around the main stream media to create a more likable image was something i think both presidents and first ladies have done and other elected officials have done. >> the question danny asks are living first ladies affordeddi appropriate coverage by the media? >> both the incumbent and many of the others. >> i think it depends on the first lady. i think itau really depends on e first lady put some first ladies go back to the private life. remember first ladies don't always choose this position. they choose how they enacted but the women who have been in this

position so far have had it hoisted on them. some w of them do not actually want to be in the limelight in the same way after words. some will take some time away you know what cameras interface l a time for on the other hand you see some first ladies who embrace the attention they are able to garner and use it for a lot of different kinds of activities and events a that wod draw attention to issues michelle obama actually she gained more attention during melania trump's first lady than melania trumpeted. she doesn't have any problem gaining attention after leaving the white house but some people might argue that melania trump did not receive enough attention but that's a whole different argument we can save another conversation. nancy?

>> i think it's also interesting that even today in terms of coverage of a first lady it is not the same the white house communication does not cover consistently first ladies speeches or public appearances. so a lot of us when we are looking for staff are wondering why isn't there an official record of this and were picking it up from news media instead of from the official. i think that is interesting in that over time their speeches have had very powerful effects in the panel has pointed out. it would be nice to have it more formal process of what was

covered in the papers of first ladies. there's no real easy way of giving the speech is part of asf that is coverage. is coverage or lack of. >> i'm thinking we have another possible program here, how first ladies have used media. you think about these informal events and then she would make some comments they were not formal speeches or formal notice they were photo ops and she created that. we had hoover made the first radio address by a first lady and did several of them. then of course what eleanor roosevelt did. that's another program out there. [laughter] we have that we have about four minutes. i need it did have a comment. this is anita mcbride for those of you watching was laura bush's

chief t of staff in the second term.ge anita said it was george bush's suggestion that laura give the address on the topic of afghan women so president bush was the one whoan thought this was something laura should do. we also select fromho bonnie who asked for us to talk a little bit about michelle obama's speech in new hampshire in response to the hollywood access tape. going to pull that from memory and comment on that one? >> when they go low legal high speech? i had an incredible opportunity to watch that speech at a communication and gender conference. everyone was talking about it but we did not want to live it. we wash it later on a group of us watch it in a hotel ballroom later that night.

we had a free-for-all edit. that is some people started talking about michelle obama running for the presidency. i don't't know, he probably nevr that. i think that's the only speech michelle obama could have given at that time a too. >> during the 2008 campaign the way she was used. she was the main person who talked to african americans in the south while he covered more groups. really used her for a specific reason and that campaign. >> we have about two minutes anyone have any last thoughts about either of these speeches i

want to make a three quick points. i interviewed mrs. a bush, that's barbara burrows for the biography i wrote of her. i asked her is she ever considered not going because of the controversy. and she said no, absently not. that never went throughas my mi. i was a little nervous but no, never. by the way these things speech was also given at the university of pennsylvania during their commencement. there really wasn't the level of interest at that point. that was one. second, had a teaching colleague in the audience in beijing when hilary clinton gave this speech. and she said and you folks may remember this. the location of the speech was moved. the day of the speech.

the news media couldn't cover it. this is immediate being shunted away from the secondary location. my third point to is because of my work on betty ford. betty ford also ended up saying some things her husband never could have said. i think she is a good example two. i've been enjoying all of your comments. they are spot on. i would welcome certainly a panel on the first lady and her press coverage the media coverage. >> myrick and i ask who decided to move hilary's location in beijing? >> according to my colleague that was an official decision by some level of government bureaucrat.

this colleague of mine said there is absolutely no mention of mrs. clinton'ssp speech on te next days coverage in china. nothing. it was official. >> we have reached the point and we promise to let you outdated hour. thank you again to everybody who has joined us. this will be on our youtube channel if you go to youtube and type it first lady dissociation for research and education you should be able to find it. it's easier to find is by going to our website that is flair-net. dot or fla re.org. on the lower right-hand corner we o have that youtube icon preview click on that i will take you and all of our programs will be on there.

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