First Lady of the United States as White House hostess. There are four living former first ladies: Rosalynn Carter, wife of Jimmy Carter; Hillary Clinton, wife of Bill Clinton; Laura Bush, wife of George W. Bush; and Michelle Obama, wife of Barack Obama. , the only former First Lady who has run for or held public office is Hillary Clinton. The use of the title "First Lady" to describe the spouse or hostess of an executive began in the United States. In the early days of the republic, there was not a generally accepted title for the wife of the president. Many early first ladies expressed
First Lady of the United States residency. She resumed her duties as First Lady after winning her senatorial campaign, and retained her duties as both first lady and U.S. Senator for the seventeen-day overlap before Bill Clinton's term came to an end. Despite the significant responsibilities usually handled by the First Lady, the First Lady does not receive a salary. This has been criticized by both Ronald Reagan and Barack Obama. Established in 1912, the First Ladies Collection has been one of the most popular attractions at the Smithsonian Institution. The original exhibition opened in 1914 and was one of the first at the Smithsonian to