March 27th, 2008 — News
WND.com reports:
Those who follow American politics have no doubt noticed a new, high-profile role for first lady Laura Bush in her husband’s second term.She’s taking trips to hotspots such as the Middle East, making risqu? jokes about her husband and even questioning how the Secret Service recently handled President Bush’s protection during a flight scare over Washington.The “New Laura” has some people asking questions if there’s a designed reason for her new outspokenness.
March 17th, 2008 — Why Laura?
Laura Bush has a long record of public service, and is eminently qualified to be Commander-in-Chief on Day One.
Among Mrs. Bush’s impressive accomplishments:
*8 years in the White House, plus 5 years in the Texas Governor’s Mansion.
* Hillary Clinton put it well during the February 21 Texas debates, when she described how, in the White House, she had “lived through some crises and some challenging moments.” The crisis Hillary referred to was her husband’s embarrassing extramarital affair. Laura’s crises include the 9/11 attacks on New York City and Washington, D.C., the Iraq War, and the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina. http://www.cnn.com/2008/PO
*Laura Bush was named the fourth most powerful woman in the world by Forbes magazine in 2004. She beat Hillary Clinton that year, who was number 5. http://www.forbes.com/2004
*Laura Bush has traveled in an official capacity to countries including Israel, Egypt, Kuwait, Saudi Arabia, United Arab Emirates, South Africa, Mali, Ghana, Benin, Tanzania, Liberia, Zambia, Senegal, Jordan, Rwanda, Nigeria, Japan, Korea, China, India, Pakistan, Chile, Colombia, Haiti, Mexico, Afghanistan, Austria, Poland, Belgium, Germany, Iceland, and France.
*In November 2001, she became the first person other than a president to deliver the weekly presidential radio address. She used the opportunity to discuss the plight of women in Afghanistan during the U.S. invasion of Afghanistan, saying, “The brutal oppression of women is a central goal of the terrorists.” Hillary Clinton once lived at a presidential address, but has never actually given one.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wi
* Worked for women’s and children’s causes as the First Lady of Texas from 1995-2000, establishing the Adopt-a-Caseworker Program and the Rainbow Room program. She also focused on literacy and libraries, and established the First Lady’s Family Literacy Initiative. http://en.wikipedia.org/wi
*She has been an outspoken critic of the Burmese government, and has participated in roundtable discussions with reporters on the issue.
http://www.usatoday.com/ne
*In 2005, Laura Bush suggested her husband replace retiring Supreme Court justice Sandra Day O’Connor with another woman. http://en.wikipedia.org/wi
*Honored by the Elie Wiesel Foundation for Humanity in 2002 for her life-long commitment to education. http://en.wikipedia.org/wi
*In 2002, Mrs. Bush was named “Most Fascinating Person of the Year” in the annual Barbara Walters’ special.
*Despite her husband’s low poll ratings, Laura Bush has enjoyed the highest poll ratings of any First Lady in history, with 85% approval. http://www.forbes.com/list