Minichan

Last week, during a promotional press conference for The History Channel’s upcoming series “First Ladies in Their Own Words,” series’ host Ron Reagan shared clips of his interviews with all living former First Ladies of the United States. In a brief video clip with his mother Nancy Reagan, she offered her endorsement of Hillary Clinton as President saying, “The time for a woman to serve as our President has come – really, now is the time – and I think the idea of having a former First Lady as the leader of the free world is really quite a marvelous notion. I want Hillary to win. Even though I admire two of the current potential Republican nominees, I have no interest in seeing either of them lead this country.”

“First Ladies in Their Own Words” is the brainchild of Presidential historian Doris Kearns Goodwin and Ron Reagan, son of President Ronald Reagan. Broadcast in chronological order of their husbands’ terms in office, Goodwin and Reagan hope the series will show the importance of our First Ladies as a reflection of the culture of the nation during their years in the White House.

Besides interviews about family life in the White House and the First Lady’s social importance in the nation, “First Ladies in Their Own Words” will focus on four particular issues and how each has evolved over the last 40 years. Those issues – Women’s Rights, Healthcare, Education and LGBT Rights – reveal a dynamic shift in what Americans think about what means to be “American.” As Pulitzer Prize-winner Doris Kearns Goodwin notes in the first episode, “The Founding Mothers of this country knew that women in Colonial America would never get to shape the politics of the country at that time, but they did know that had the more important job of shaping the men who shaped the country.”

Ron Reagan was in his twenties when his father sat in the Oval Office and was clearly aware of what his mother’s job was as First Lady. “Hopefully, this program can show that no matter how divisive the nation was during the Presidency, the First Ladies of this nation knew their job was to soften the rhetoric by loving all Americans equally – just like a mother would.”

Asked about his mother’s endorsement of Hillary Clinton, Reagan thought it showed how little America actually knew about the woman behind the Republican icon. “She wants people to know that the First Ladies are tight. They get together once a year to support each other. In fact, Hillary had no interest in running until both Laura and Barbara Bush cornered her at their get-together in May 2013 and talked her into at least thinking about it! So, in a sense, if Mrs. Clinton does run and win, you can blame the Bush family.”

“First Ladies in Their Own Words” is not yet scheduled on The History Channel, but is expected to begin during the fall television season. Check local listings for dates and times.

Episode 1: Rosalyn Carter – The Farm Perspective

Episode 2: Nancy Reagan – Hollywood East

Episode 3: Barbara Bush – Tough Words

Episode 4: Hillary Clinton – “Stand By Your Man”

Episode 5: Laura Bush – The Learning Curve

Episode 6: Michelle Obama – Camelot Revisited