ABSTRACT
America's first ladies have rarely been a divisive or caustic force in the White House or the nation. Nearly all of them have devoted themselves to benign projects that emphasized the positive side of American life, and they tended to focus on being as supportive of and comforting to their husbands as possible. The exceptions have included Hillary Clinton, who was often on the attack, especially to defend her husband, and Eleanor Roosevelt, who was a lightning rod who attracted criticism for many years extending well beyond her 12 years as first lady.
