Word: laura
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...exercise and, of course, her own poor, pitiful plight as a long-suffering spouse. "Ladies and gentlemen, I am a desperate housewife," she deadpanned. "I mean, if those women on that show think they're desperate, they oughta be with George." If the performance turns out to be Laura's most memorable, it was also a reminder that the least outspoken First Lady since Pat Nixon nonetheless plays a crucial role in her husband's presidency, reminding his critics that someone can, if nothing else, bring him down to size. Plus, she's the ultimate character witness. A Republican lobbyist...
...unlikely to get back up. Bush's popularity is sagging again, as gasoline prices have jumped, the economy has struggled to show sustained momentum, and American casualties in Iraq are mounting. Several veteran reporters at the White House correspondents' dinner noted that one reason the comedy routine fell to Laura was that Bush didn't have much to joke about...
...also true that Laura has avoided the dusty cables that have tripped up other contemporary First Ladies. It's not easy in the modern age to find a role that's supportive but not threatening, true to oneself and helpful to the elected spouse. The First Lady--the title itself is a quaint anachronism--is scrutinized like the heroine of an Edith Wharton novel for any flaw, real or perceived. Nancy Reagan got in trouble for ordering high-priced china during a recession. Barbara Bush was poked for being far frostier behind the scenes than her doting public persona suggested...
...Laura can't win over the Bush haters. But a comedy routine that was at times racy is a reminder that Laura is not a founding member of Focus on the Family. Whatever hard-core Democrats may imagine, she has never been a nodding Stepford wife. Her bookshelves contain Gore Vidal and The Da Vinci Code. In Austin, Texas, she had out-there, colorful friends like Kinky Friedman, the writer-musician who toured with his band the Texas Jewboys. She told TIME last year that she had no problem with a gay couple staying at the White House, although...
Besides, there's a long-standing Bush tradition of winking at the country, particularly when the family has to pay homage to the conservative wing of the Republican Party. Laura's earthy jokes--for instance, about Bush knowing so little about animals he once tried to milk a male horse--all but said, "We're not as different from you as you think. So don't be afraid." Laura and her mother-in-law Barbara both have signaled that they are pro choice on abortion, despite what their husbands may think...