Yesterday I began, and finished, the book The Residence: Inside the Private World of the White House by Kate Andersen Brower. As a now upperclassman college student on the brink of obtaining a Business Management undergraduate degree while beginning a Master's Program in International Business, it would only seem fitting that I am completely and utterly obsessed with current events, international history, and the law that governs the land with my heart close to home in the beautiful country I call America. 

So having the opportunity, if only for a day, to peer into the lives of over 10 administrations that left their mark on our nation's capital, I believed the best way to truly learn more about these powerful people would be through those you wouldn't expect to run to as a first source- the Residence Staff of the White House. Humble, loyal, diligent, and characterized by a self-control I could only dream of having define the butlers, maids, ushers, and housekeepers of 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue. Because of the sparse sacred moments they shared, I have been motivated to further explore the lives, impact, and personalities of a number of Presidents and First Ladys. My perception of an individual person is indefinitely finalized when it is brought to light how they treat people when no one is looking. And though I will probably never know the presidents of these administrations personally, this book gave me the ability to peer in through a lens capturing the truly behind-the-scene personalities of the most powerful families in America.

Below are my initial, shallow interpretations that I have adopted as a result of reading this book. 

I have a newfound respect for Hilary Clinton. Enraptured by the relationship she worked so hard to maintain with her daughter, the softer side of a woman characterized by her strength made transparent her heart of a mother. Her silence in knowing about the affairs of her husband before they were made public may come across as a political plot to some, however, I sympathize with the professional aura of personal matters that the first family and politicians in general must commit to in sacrificing their emotions for the good of the reputation they swore to uphold. After all, Why would you give someone the ability to run the country if they can’t keep their emotions from having the power in the public eye. In private, however, I can’t really condemn her actions either. Yelling swearing and throwing books at her cheating husband doesn’t stray to far from my drunken crying swearing 19 year old frame swinging deckers at my ex boyfriend post his cheating escapade. She made strides for the feminist movement before it was socially popular to do so by demanding the equal, quality of treatment for female employees and clearly communicating her appreciation for their work done well. I don’t condemn her for not leaving her husband even in the humiliation of adultery because if her passion and first love is dedicating her heart to America above all else, then a trust-less marriage is no more of an emotional affair than her husbands physical one. The pool privacy she so deeply and genuinely requested before the entire world knew the details of her faltering relationship living in a museum where you are literally never left alone for a minute of at least four years reminds me of my time spent in Austria constantly surrounded by new friends and house members where cordial communication and the silent polite standard were practically inescapable. Privacy is a privilege, a gift, and the self-reflecting, quiet, pure alone time shouldn’t ever be taken for granted. However, the Clintons were paranoid about their privacy and that almost leads me to question exactly what they needed to be so private about. Not trusting staff members that had loved the Bushs’ to the point of firing them, and conjuring up an entire new telephone system to eliminate the secret service between certain rooms is questionable to say the least. Chelsea, the Clintons daughter, was one of the White House children I enjoyed reading about the most. Independent, gracious to the staff, and strong in the tough scandal her family endured were all qualities the book highlighted. Amy Carter was my close second favorite as she also independently and graciously carried herself throughout her introduction to the White House World as a 9 year old child. Never forcing her way as if she was spoiled, she was described by staff as whimsical, making employees her friends and neighborhood without a single complaint of distance from the real world.

The Kennedy’s relationship is one that seems to baffle me. Jackie Kennedy was portrayed as a politely controlling perfectionist who had a deep loving relationship revitalized by the death of her premature son Patrick with a husband that was cheating on her like clockwork in her absence.  I was confused by the contradicting descriptions of their relationship and their time spent in the White House is one I would like to further research. Her devotion to her husband was unwavering, with a pure genuine love for him as she openly stated there was no place she would rather be in his final moments then directly next to him amidst his assassination. Her strong desire to raise her children as a normal family while I saw them as the family regarded to as more of royalty than democracy has definitely intrigued me. I just bought An Unfinished Life: JFK 1917-1963 by Robert Dallek and Profiles in Courage written by JFK himself because Camelot is one thing I do not want to stand in the dark on a minute longer.

The most pleasant family to read about was of course the Bushs’, both sets of them. All throughout the book, both the author and the staff talked of them the most highly. They made the staff feel appreciated, comfortable, and human without making them feel like unnoticed pieces of furniture as some of the other First Families had. Instead of attempting to make pleasantries and conversation through jokes and talking about themselves, the Bushs' made efforts to learn about the staffs’ families, emotional states, and needs. The staff knew every detail of the First Family's personal lives and so in exchange, the Bushs’ made efforts to know important details about the staffs personal lives in a comfortable way they could appreciate. Maitre d’ George Hannie was a favorite of the older Bushs’ and his son and wife established a lasting friendship with butler Ramsey. Their adoption of these staff members as family just goes to show their genuine love and appreciation for the people. Barbara Bush seemed exceptionally well mannered, instilling hope in (sometimes regarded hopeless) staff members like the replacement housekeeper.I would love to read more about this family too, perhaps as a way to teach myself how to be more well-mannered like them.

The Obamas were portrayed in a more unpleasant light. Keeping emotional distance from the staff, though not unpleasant but shallow. They were almost portrayed in an arrogant heir, where they just wanted their needs to be met and their wants to be met even faster (like Obama’s impatience with a basketball court’s construction). This didn't surprise me much at all to be brutally honest. 

That’s not to say other presidents didn’t have ridiculous requests either, most notably Lyndon B Johnsons obsession with his shower and his horribly taxing treatment of the poor plumber. He also wanted every baby to be named after him and never wanted any of the lights on in the White House. 

Nancy Reagan was almost as crazy as LBJ with her OCD placement of her collectiables and unnerveing yelling breakdowns when accidents shattered them. (Which caused me to helplessly compare her condemnable reactions with those of Barbara Bush and Hillary Clinton who remained calm and lighthearted when accidents happened.) But Nancy's intensity extending to the protection of her husband was something I appreciated reading about. President Reagan was portrayed as too friendly, to the point where staff would dodge his normal routes because of long conversations they would get wrapped into with him. Even though too much talking can be a hassle, I still think I'd prefer that to the coldness of other administrations.

Nixon was cast in an innocent light where the negative shadow fell on Ehrlichman and Haldeman (council and assistant of domestic affairs & chief of staff). This surprised me because Nixon was the Watergate scandal and his personal detoriation to depression described made him appear as a victim instead of a criminal which was confusing. However, he did establish close and kind relationships with the staff as did his wife who even flew the pot washer by the mountains of his homeplace Seattle bringing him to tears.  Nixon’s enemy list and Watergate are also things I would like to read more about. Stay tuned.