Susan Grace Coolidge was enormously popular as first lady, and influenced the taste of american women by becoming a style icon. Married to a man known as silent cal, she never spoke to the press, but she did use her office to bring attention to issues she cared about. Good evening, and welcome to cspan series, first ladies influence and image. Tonight, well be telling you the story of first lady Grace Coolidge who came into office with her husband, the president , in 1923 after the sudden death of president harding. Here to set the stage for us as we learn about the fiveplus years of their time in the white house is amity shlaes, who is a coolidge biographer, syndicated columnist, author of other books on that period. Welcome to the program. Lets have you just tell us about of the arrival of Calvin Coolidge into the white house. How prepare was he for the job . Amity actually, quite prepared because hed been a politician all his life. President coolidge was one of those men who started
Married to a man known as silent cal, she never spoke to the press, but she did use her office to bring attention to issues she cared about. Good evening, and welcome to cspan series, first ladies influence and image. Tonight, well be telling you the story of first lady Grace Coolidge who came into office with her husband, the president , in 1923 after the sudden death of president harding. Here to set the stage for us as we learn about the fiveplus years of their time in the white house is amity shlaes, who is a coolidge biographer, syndicated columnist, author of other books on that period. Welcome to the program. Lets have you just tell us about of the arrival of Calvin Coolidge into the white house. How prepare was he for the job . Amity actually, quite prepared because hed been a politician all his life. President coolidge was one of those men who started small in city council, a City Solicitor in massachusetts where the coolidges lived, and went all the way up the ladder of the s
Brian amity shlaes, why do we spend so much time in this country, and on our network, and in your life, talking about president s . Ms. Shlaes thank you, brian. Im glad to be with you and with harold. We talk about president s because people understand People Better than ideas. And we eventually want to get to ideas, but we get at those ideas through people, our president s. Brian dr. Holzer, im often i often want to call you even though youre not a doctor. Mr. Holzer thank you for that mixed introduction. Thank you for having me on the show, and welcome to Franklin Roosevelts home, from which we are broadcasting tonight. Why . I think amity has it right. I also think that we were blessed to have a first president who was a National Hero before he became president , and was a touchstone and an icon and created a presidency that was centered on both personality and ideas, but in large measure, personality. Everyone since has been measured against George Washington. And we look for extra
Through people, our president s. Brian dr. Holzer, im often i want to call you you even though youre not a doctor. Harold thank you for that mixed introduction. And thank you for having me on the show and welcome to Franklin Roosevelts home from which we are broadcasting tonight. Why . I think amity has it right. I also think that we were blessed to have a first president who was a National Hero before he became president , and was a touchstone and an icon and created a presidency that was centered on both personality and ideas, but in large measure, personality. Everyone since has been measured against george washington. And we look for extraordinary guidance, leadership, and inspiration from these, so far, men. Brian talk about this house in a second, but i want to ask amity, is there a house anywhere for Calvin Coolidge . Amity there is a house for Calvin Coolidge in Plymouth Notch, vermont. Thats near killington. Its near woodstock, vermont, if those are important points for you. A
The sudden death of president harding. Is ato set the stage coolidge biographer, syndicated columnist, and author of other books. Welcome to the program. Arrival ofut the Calvin Coolidge into the white house. How prepared was he for the job . Why prepared, because he had been a politician all his life. President coolidge is one of those men who started small on the city council as City Solicitor in massachusetts, and went all the way up the ladder in the state of massachusetts, and then to Vice President. One can never be prepared for a shock like the death of a president , but he was quite prepared professionally. Raise coolidge was at his side all along that way in public life. How ready was she for the white house . She didnt think she was. She wrote to her Sorority Sisters and pray for me, friends. Wifead been a politicians and she had quite a realistic view of politics and that particular job. She called this kind of marriage a double harness. That is not a phrase we would use now