Let's End This Tradition

At one of the televised inaugural parties President Barack Obama gestured to his wife, on stage with him, and asked the audience to agree that she looked great. When Bill Clinton was president he once asked an audience if they agreed that Hillary looked wonderful.

Can we stop this? The First Lady has little choice in these circumstances other than stand there and be examined by everyone in the room. Would anyone enjoy that? It is wonderful when long-married spouses still get a charge out of each other, but those sentiments are better suited for private settings.

A glamorous presidential wife is certainly a plus but Eleanor Roosevelt, admittedly no traditional beauty, accomplished a world of good. The First Lady's husband may rejoice in her physical attributes but the rest of us may have other priorities for the job.

Just my opinion.