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Jane Hampton Cook discusses the top three first lady inauguration moments that changed traditions and exceeded our expectations.
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I told -- -- talk about first ladies -- get to JD Hamilton cocos a presidential historian.
And all -- all the American Phoenix James website is www.
-- -- dot com.
And you can tweet Jane -- to -- to great to see -- Great to see no -- just talking about how the have a First Lady is sort of blossomed if you -- grown into the role which at it must be such an extraordinary.
Position.
To take all not -- that happen.
You know you.
You know you mean you've studied first ladies -- president stands really does piracy rank in terms of the way she carries herself as First Lady would you say.
I think she ranks very well she's a great First Lady cheese and a fashion icon and not all first ladies attain that status.
But she's also taking -- -- causes that mean a lot to her childhood obesity things like that -- I eat I think that makes her.
I'm just -- she's doing a really great job you know Grace Coolidge said.
When she became first -- generalize that her interest in a lot of her thinks we're gonna have to go to the wayside because she is now the First Lady.
And that the nation's interest really came first and so that's opened a lot of first ladies have to grapple with than.
He come to terms -- And -- others often just because.
They are who -- off first ladies can steal the show sometimes and he sort of -- -- and they certainly steal a show.
The evening copies I would say what are the what are some of your memorable moments of the first ladies in previous inaugurations.
I think there's some magical moments with First Lady and I think topping that list is Dolly Madison.
She was the first First Lady to preside over the inaugural ball was the first inaugural ball.
Knew John Quincy Adams was Gary said it was stuffy and hot.
The entertainment was bad but Dolly was the one he's still the show -- she wore this beautiful buff.
Velvet gallon.
But she wore pearls queens more diamonds and she decided -- an American first ladies more current us.
And -- that was -- that was a fashion statement and she really helps set the tone.
The first fifty years of our country first ladies were doing everything they could not to look like a -- -- -- and that was what was kind of the big challenge that they face Dolly NASA was also the first First Lady to take a much costs.
She and opened -- charity for war orphans she's the first First Lady -- get out while her husband was president so.
That that that's and Dolly Madison I think.
Tops the list for inaugural moments -- Who comes second.
Yeah I've -- Helen Taft comes segment she she if she could run for president herself she would have.
But at her cousin William Howard Taft became president in nineteen L nine he didn't want to be president he wanted to -- -- Chief Justice of the Supreme Court.
But -- The tradition at that point was that both presidents rode back from the capitol to the White House together.
Theodore Roosevelt and I don't wanna do that so Helen -- -- -- with my husband.
She later wrote that she had a secret elation in doing something no other woman.
Has done before and of course every First -- sense has joined there has been enough because it Helen Taft before women had the -- -- she set -- -- left.
How interesting and and it won't -- that he -- -- three magical moments from those ladies.
Out Jacqueline Kennedy rounds out the top three no doubt she set the stage for the modern era of first ladies as we know them today.
Jackie Kennedy warned this -- -- Light colored suits she said she didn't wanna look like the Burberry animal and a lot of women negative fifteen -- those first -- and her designer Oleg Cassini who had worked in the film business say he need to Wear a light color.
Because everyone else is gonna look dark on TV does dark suit says those fur coats ensuring that she stood out.
I'm with her suit on inaugural day -- of course she chose ceremonial white.
For both of her inaugural gowns.
Which which she thought was that -- -- -- of what it meant to be a First Lady.
She set the stage scene you know a few years later pat Nixon's wearing red on color television -- he Reagan did the same day said.
Jackie Kennedy really deserves that honor of a magical and non.
Don't know me and -- the that we.
Sometimes look at these innovations particularly a second -- one.
And they really want to win all the why we spend all this money a -- all have all this pomp and circumstance.
When really we just continuing it as we will why all the -- -- in a second term.
Well that's true do you there is that sentiments that we have to remember that we're not the only ones watching our inauguration.
The world is watching in for the world to see.
A packed the mall.
Cheering on that the president isn't.
Bold statement that we are represented government and United States were not based on royalty.
Where we'd have people and it never went can support you know the constitution on inauguration day so it's definitely something this important and I didn't.
You know think that the obamas have done.
The Smart thing by reducing the number of.
-- they will attend that does say hey we recognize that the economy's in bad shape or -- and as much money.
You know ten is the average number for president to attend inaugural balls and they're only doing two tonight went all right JD -- -- presidential historian.
And all of their all of the Americans think -- going to told TJ thanks for sharing -- wonderful glimpses of history with us.
Great to be here thank you and.
And Jane has that -- easy right Derek foxnews.com.
Monitoring the question I guess not why would follow that inauguration even for a second term president so.
Go read that at foxnews.com fascinating piece that -- him to go.
Thank you so much.
