First lady ponders power of her post

When Laura Bush became first lady four years ago she didn’t know just how powerful her position in the White House would be.

“It took me a while to really realize what podium I had, as Lady Bird Johnson says,” Mrs. Bush said, recalling the reaction from women nationwide after she made her first radio address about the women of Afghanistan. “And, I think, you know, you kind of hear and certainly you watch your whole life — I certainly had a very close view of the role of the women in the White House, but it really takes a while to actually realize what a forum I have. It took me a while to realize it.”

As for her role over the next four years, she suggested that America may see a more social and outgoing first lady.

“I have a much deeper understanding of our country. The many, many advantages that Americans have because of our freedoms. … I have a better understanding of the families that live here, much more empathy, really, for the families that have lived here before us because of the challenges we faced.

“But I also have a sense of this country, the big ship America, that might veer a little bit one way or the other way but it is very stable,” she said.

She expects to do “a lot of entertaining. … I think we’ll take advantage of the next four years.” And she finally seems comfortable with her surroundings on Pennsylvania Avenue, despite reports that she is not a fan of Washington.

“Everyone here wants the president to be able to have a normal life. And we’ve done things on purpose, like having pets, and have animals here that make it seem like a home.”

Making final preparations for her husband’s second inauguration, Mrs. Bush spoke for 40 minutes to a handful of reporters in the White House Map Room on topics as diverse as the war, the press, her agenda for the next four years, her two daughters, plans for the Bush presidential library in Texas and her biggest mistake, so far, as first lady — not keeping a diary.

“A huge mistake,” she said, seated on a crimson silk sofa. Asked if she intends to write a book, Mrs. Bush said she didn’t know, but didn’t make any promises.

“Maybe Barney and Beazley will write the first ones,” she joked referring to the Bushes’ pet Scotties. “But that’s what I said last term, and they didn’t ever get around to it.”

Wearing a charcoal gray and white pinstriped suit over a lilac sweater, the first lady was at times spunky and serious, her blue eyes tearing up a bit when she spoke about being married to a wartime president.

“I’m very aware of that all the time — not so much my role in it, but the fact that our country is at war and that military families are bearing a huge burden of worry in that our soldiers are in harm’s way. [It] is literally a constant part of every one of our days and what we think about,” she said.

Having visited Walter Reed Army Medical Center to see wounded soldiers, as well as several bases in the country, Iraq “is certainly the biggest worry” at the end of the day. The decision to go to war, she said, was heartbreaking for the Bushes. “The consequences of that decision we are always aware of.”

She spoke of her desire to visit Afghanistan. “I think American women are interested in, really want the women in the Middle East to succeed. … I hope I’ll be able to go.”

Mrs. Bush added that she has been working to build a teacher-training institute in Kabul, Afghanistan, “where women can come in from the provinces and have a safe place to stay … to be trained, so they can go back and train other teachers.”

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