I along with many other Americans, was very moved by Michelle Obama's speech. She managed to inspire the country while still sounding like just another mom. This led me to reflect upon the importance of the First Lady. Many Americans value the First Lady and the rest of the President's family. They shin a light on the President's personality and show who he really is outside of his political speeches in front of thousands of people. It is good to know that the President is loved by those closest to them and the person you are voting for really is a good person at heart. Also, many American's really like the idea of a "family man" who loves his wife and children first and foremost because many americans can easily relate to this. Seeing the President as a family man allows them to see themselves in the President, which really can influence a vote, because people are drawn to people that are similar to them.
The First Lady can also have great impacts of their own. During Obama's last four years as President, Michelle Obama has advocation on the behalf of military veterans, planted an organic garden at the white house, and most notably started an initiative called "Let's Move" to try to solve childhood obesity within the next generation. You can read more about that at the Let's Move website here. It's goals are to give "parents helpful information" and foster "environments that support healthy choices." She has done a lot of work for this initiative, even having Beyonce write a song called Move your Body to help get kids moving. Other First Ladies have had major impacts during their husbands' terms and even after. Eleanor Roosevelt, Jacqueline Kennedy, Betty Ford, and Hillary Clinton all majorly impacted America as First Ladies.
Thinking about the impact of the First Ladies, led me to wonder if it would be possible for a single man or woman to become president in this day and age. The only president who has never been married in American History is James Buchanan, who served from 1857 to 1861. Do you think it would be possible to elect an unmarried President?
I believe it is possible to elect an unmarried president, although not highly probable. It appears that most Americans have this idea that being married is part of the pre-requisite for beomcing a president. Being married represents the idea that one is stable and holds American values. This concept is something many Americans live by, and are quite comfortable with. Therefore, if a person running for president was not married it would seem quite strange to Americans because they are just not used to it. Thus, it would make them wonder, why isn't he/she married? Does he/she not get along with others?
ReplyDeleteI agree with Alex that it is possible to elect and unmarried president, it would allow us to judge the Presidential candidate as an individual, and not whether or not he is a family-man. Americans tend to be concerned with one particular issue rather than the full package of the candidate. As Mr. O'Connor said in class, his mom will vote for whichever candidate fits her ONE requirement. We as Americans have the stereotypical view in our head of what a Presidential candidate should be. However, we have become more accepting to change, we have elected an African American president, and have a Mormon man running for office. I believe that with our society becoming more willing and ready for change, the concept of having an unmarried president becomes more likely. An unmarried man would only be elected if people looked beyond the ONE issue of his marital status. But, we would also have to consider who would take over all of the roles of the First Lady? Rachel mentioned many things that Michelle has done to help this country in the past four years, so would an unmarried president be able to create a connection with the women of this society without a woman by his side? I believe he would and it would also eliminate the constant strain on the First Lady to dress in a certain way to please the country. I believe an unmarried man would be able to be President and if anything have a better overall Presidency.
ReplyDeleteI think that this is a very interesting idea of how almost every single president has been married because it is something that I just took for granted and didn't even consider the thought of a single president. I think that one of the reasons why it is such an issue if a candidate was unmarried is because if someone is unmarried in America people tend to think that there is something wrong with them. Americans assume that if someone does not live with their spouse with in marital bliss there is something wrong with the person. It might be that they're violent, unclean, or a plethora of other flaws. Not many Americans just accept the fact that some people are not cut out for the married life.
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