From Jill and Doug to Mary Todd Lincoln: When political spouses cause problems

Jill Biden recently made a flippant comment that NCAA women’s basketball championship runners-up Iowa should accompany winners LSU to the White House, which has been viewed as a rare misstep by the first lady, but she is not the first political spouse to make a mistake. Historian David Pietrusza cited the example of Lou Hoover, while former first lady Michelle Obama caused some controversy when she told a crowd in Milwaukee that she was “proud” of her country for the first time in her adult life because of her husband’s ascent in politics. However, some first ladies, like Jackie Onassis and Nancy Reagan, are highly revered.

Ronald Reagan’s biographer Craig Shirley criticized Biden’s comment about Iowa, characterizing it as “crass and transparent.” He also wondered whether Biden would have made the same comment if Hawaii had been the runner-up. Shirley then went on to criticize Mary Todd Lincoln, who had a reputation for profligate spending and held pro-slavery views in secret, as well as publicly embarrassing her husband.

Eleanor Roosevelt, on the other hand, was both admired and hated for her work in promoting civil rights, which sometimes led to tension with her husband’s New Deal policies. Historians agree that she accomplished a great deal during her time in the White House.

These days, Doug Emhoff, husband of Vice President Kamala Harris, has raised eyebrows in the White House by complaining about his wife’s complicated portfolio and campaigning for her as a possible future presidential candidate. Emhoff’s actions reportedly annoyed both Harris and President Biden.

Interestingly, former first lady Melania Trump also generated controversy when she wore a cheap Zara jacket with “I Really Don’t Care Do U?” on the back while visiting a border community that was under pressure because of her husband’s migrant family separation crisis.

Michelle Obama caused an international incident when she hugged Queen Elizabeth II, breaking royal protocol. In her memoir, Becoming, Obama described the moment as instinctive and a result of two “tired ladies oppressed by our shoes.”

While political spouses tend to be popular both for their policies and public relations work, they are not immune to mistakes. It remains to be seen how future first and second gentlemen will navigate their roles in the White House.