Daughters of the Revolution?

As most people are still talking about Barack Obama's win and what it means to them, I was struck by something George Bush said yesterday. He came out of the White House to congratulate the winner and to commiserate with the loser. The also-rans were not mentioned! Bush praised Obama and then went on to say "....and their beautiful girls step through the doors of the White House....". Now that got me thinking. Obama has daughters. So for the next eight years (I assume) the White House will have only female support from the Presidential family.

It remains to be seen if the two girls will be of prominence, but given the past, I think they will, at least by 2016, have a few things to say. Guess who the last son in the White House was? It was George himself! He did have Jeb & co in there too, but Dubya was the last.

Does this tell us something. That a man with daughters only is more likely to succeed in becoming president? George Bush has two daughters, before him Bill Clinton was there with Chelsea. Richard Nixon only had daughters, so did Lyndon Johnson. Jimmy Carter had sons, but it was Amy everyone talked about.

In the years since World War II, there have been twelve presidents, from Truman to Obama. Six of them have or had only daughters. If it had not been for Gerald Ford becoming president due to the circumstances of previous resignations, then the boys would have been well outnumbered.

And it is not only the daughters. The wives, mothers, and dare I say it, other women have all been far more newsworthy than the menfolk. Only Billy Carter managed top billing for a few weeks. So as Barack Obama heads for the White House will he really be in charge, or will Michelle and the beautiful girls be running the show?

Posted in: Barack Obama,Presidency 2008