Big Scandals That Will Always Haunt Former First Ladies

Everything and everyone in the White House is scrutinized under the microscope of public opinion. Controversies often appear, whether they have a partisan basis or are more rooted in societal norms. While the president is generally the one who people look at the most, that doesn't mean that the first ladies have been immune to scandal throughout the nearly 250 years of the USA, since there are plenty of things first ladies can't do when they're in the White House.

One thing a first lady should definitely not be doing is running the country for her husband. Edith Wilson, Woodrow Wilson's wife, was apparently doing just that behind the scenes. She spent time as her husband's personal secretary and sat in during meetings, but most people thought there was more to her time in the White House than that. President Wilson had a stroke in 1919, and Edith Wilson took over running the administration, per NPR. She also kept his health problems a secret, earning her widespread criticism and the derogatory title of 'Assistant President.'

Many first ladies didn't have to go anywhere near that extreme to raise the ire of observers, though. Most of the memorable scandals that have plagued former first ladies have been about anything from their choice of clothing to their public speeches, and they have had to deal with those controversies long after they left their political posts.

The definition of a scandal changes over time, and once scandalous things are often laughed over now. Pants became a hot topic for first ladies, with many debating when it was appropriate for women in office to wear them despite them becoming mainstream in the 1970s. In general, wearing pants in private was thought to be okay eventually, however, what private and public meant was up for debate. Some first ladies caused a stir by wearing pants while riding horses on their own time.

Betty Ford was one notable first lady to stir up controversy by wearing pants. On her last day as the first lady, a photo was taken of Ford dancing on the Cabinet table, shoeless and wearing pants. It apparently rubbed a lot of people the wrong way, but it didn't diminish her popularity once she left office. She had been a major influence in women's rights during her time in politics and used her platform as the first lady to push those agendas forward.

Shockingly, pants became a controversy for a first lady in more modern times as well. Hillary Clinton found herself in hot water when she posed for her 2004 portrait wearing a pantsuit instead of a dress. Some believed it was a break in tradition and a slight towards the office she held. They ended up becoming a signature for Clinton for better or worse, serving as a rallying cry for supporters and a meme to laugh at for those against her.

Of all the weird rules the first lady is forced to follow, it's easy to argue that her clothing choices are the least damaging when it comes to their image. But it can still have a major impact on their careers. When Hillary Clinton bucked tradition in her portrait, it opened the door for future first ladies to be more true to themselves. Her popularity didn't take a massive hit either, with her famous pantsuits becoming a banner for her eventual presidential campaign.

Mary Todd Lincoln is one of the earliest first ladies to truly be haunted by her scandalous behavior for her entire life. She was already disliked in government for her erratic behavior, possible bipolar disorder, and the strong opinions she was unafraid to voice, but her constant splurging is what ended up haunting Mary Todd Lincoln.

She often raised eyebrows with her spending habits, going over budget on her wardrobe, decorations, and other purchases to the point that she was notorious for it. She had come from money and didn't care about what she spent. In the White House, she was afforded credit that would eventually come back to bite her after her husband's death as well. This was a bad time for her lavish spending, as the country was struggling through the Civil War. Mary Todd Lincoln racked up debts that were the equivalent of over $500,000 today, and despite getting a widow's pension from the government, her financial problems followed her until she died in 1882.

The Reagan administration had a major secret that was kept hidden for years thanks to Nancy Reagan. As a firm believer in astrology, Nancy kept an astrologist in her employ named Joan Quigley, and Quigley guided many of her decisions. She believed that it was the only way she could help keep her husband safe after a failed assassination attempt almost killed him at the beginning of his presidency. Quigley wrote in her memoir that she was in charge of the timing for every aspect of the presidency, from speeches to the travels of Air Force One.

Essentially, the Reagans scheduled nothing without the approval of Quigley. Donald Regan, who became the chief of staff for Ronald Reagan in his second term, took over and he blew the lid off the conspiracy. He and Nancy feuded often, so after his resignation, he wrote about Quigley's involvement in his memoir. The truth came out in 1988, but despite pointing out no policy decisions were made based on the advice, it became a scandal that sparked headlines and labeled Nancy Reagan as an oddball for years to come.

In 2016, Melania Trump was accused of plagiarizing a speech given by Michelle Obama. Both she and Donald Trump's campaign repeatedly denied that elements of the speech were taken from Mrs. Obama's 2008 speech. They even went so far as to blame the Clinton campaign for bringing up false allegations. Unfortunately, staff writer Meredith McIver did say those elements were plagiarized.

Per NPR, McIver said Melania admired Obama's eloquence and "This was my mistake and I feel terrible for the chaos I have caused Melania and the Trumps, as well as to Mrs. Obama. No harm was meant." Her liking the Obamas seems a bit strange though, as Melania Trump threw the Obamas under the bus for her White House move-in delay. The result was that Melania's reputation took a pretty big hit, the campaign had to do damage control for the closeness to the Obamas, and Melania has largely stayed away from making speeches on behalf of her husband since then.