8 First Ladies Who Kicked Ass

(continued)

First Lady Pat Nixon (1969 – 1974)

Like Nellie Taft, Nixon was First Lady during a time of revolution for women. She was even fairly progressive and despite her husband being THAT Richard Nixon. First of all, she was the first First Lady to publicly wear pants. Secondly, she was the first Republican First Lady to address the national convention during her husband's 1972 re-election campaign, shaping the way political spouses address their party's conventions. As the country was debating the fate of abortion laws, Nixon was a vocal pro-choice advocate before Roe. v. Wade. And when it came time to appoint a new justice to the Supreme Court, Nixon appealed to her husband -- publicly and privately -- to appoint a woman, years before the first female justice, Sandra Day O'Connor, made the bench.

more on next page...