Daddy Dearest
by digby
This article about Ivanka being first lady is …. wrong:
Like so many other aspects of the looming Trump presidency, this feels like an historically unprecedented and telling scenario. Ivanka’s proto-first-ladydom seems particular to a man whose actual wife, Melania, has seemed ill at ease with and unprepared for the speeches, policy hobbyhorses, and general diplomatic responsibilities of the modern role. And by adopting his daughter as a professional consort, Trump, who has shown a knack for ushering out his wives in favor of younger models, has in a weird way now done it again.
In this one dimension, however, Trump is actually harking back to a long tradition. Many first daughters and daughters-in-law have in fact served as formal hostesses, advisors, and confidantes in the White House. According to the National First Ladies’ Library, a project that produced a series of articles on “other women” of the White House a few years ago, about two dozen women relatives other than wives have served as first lady in some capacity. Eliza Monroe Hay served as unofficial spokeswoman for her father, James Monroe, for example. Angelica Van Buren lived at the White House and received guests on behalf of her widower father-in-law, Martin. The daughters of Benjamin Harrison and Woodrow Wilson assumed the role when their mothers died in the White House. The term “first lady” itself was popularized during the presidency of James Buchanan, a lifelong bachelor—if you know what I mean—who enlisted his niece to handle the duties of first lady.
It is unprecedented for a president with a wife who clearly could perform the duties of First lady being usurped by his daughter. That has never happened before and it is weird I don’t care what anyone says.
There’s nothing wrong with a daughter being close to her father, of course. But installing her as First Lady is creepy, particularly since it just raises more questions about her relationship to the family business and her own brand. The whole thing makes no sense. Trump has a perfectly good wife. There’s no reason his daughter should assume the role.
Happy Hollandaise everyone.
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