15 Roosevelt, Claudia "Lady Bird" Johnson, Rosalynn Carter, and Hillary Clinton. In her twelve years as First Lady from 1933-1945, Eleanor Roosevelt set a new precedent by which later First Ladies would be judged. While she aided Franklin Roosevelt in tireless campaigning, political networking, and traveling, Eleanor Roosevelt had her own identity and agenda. She used the media as a way to get her ideas to the American people, and encouraged Franklin Roosevelt to employ more female and minority government officials.38 Even after her husband's death, Eleanor Roosevelt continued to be her own person, serving in the United Nations.39

Though Lady Bird Johnson is known for her park and highway beautification program, she also was a great campaigner. She campaigned without Lyndon Johnson, doing a "whistle-stop" train tour of the South in October 1964. Rosalynn Smith Carter also campaigned alone feeling that she, too, could reach out to voters. Like Eleanor

Roosevelt, Rosalynn Carter was criticized for her openly active role in her husband's presidency. Not only did she give speeches, press conferences, and interviews, she sat in cabinet meetings, had working lunches with her husband, spoke with foreign leaders, and began a crusade for national attention to mental health issues."

Following the example of Eleanor Roosevelt, Hillary Rodham Clinton continued in public service. Recollecting her experience as First Lady, the New York senator commented, "It's very hard to fit anyone's preconceived notion of what a First Lady should be. You don't get a training manual ... you don't get any guidance whatsoever.v'" Although criticized for her open partnership with her husband, Clinton merely continued the pattern of power and influence that Abigail Adams, Sarah Polk,

Eleanor Roosevelt, and Rosalynn Carter (to cite a few) established.f Scholar Robert P.