Legal News

Canada’s National Post has an article about political wives in the US and Canada. The author leads with the topical nod to Silda Wall Spitzer, the wife of NY governor Eliot Spitzer, then comments on other famous political wives such as Hillary Clinton, Michelle Obama, etc. 

Silda, Hilary and Michelle are all lawyers. I wonder if it is difficult for them to stand to the side while their husbands talk politics and policy. I know I couldn’t handle it. I know that when someone asks for my husband for his political opinions, I’m always trying to jump in too (sorry, honey!)  I suppose it’s like waiting for opposing counsel to finish an argument in court, except for these ladies, it’s rarely their turn.  And when it is their turn to speak, surely they have to pass their opinions through a filter to make sure they don’t contradict their husband’s words on the same issue.  It’s almost like their spouse is their client and they can only ever express their client’s opinions in public. 

In any case, that is all speculation.  Who says that these ladies even want to comment or have political opinions (well, of course, I’m sure Hillary does)? They all have kids and work too.  Chances are that if they are standing next to their husband being ignored by the reporters, they are thinking to themselves ‘I have to remember to schedule a dental appointment for kid X for monday…’ or ‘oh, I should check whether the state laws permit a non-profit to X’.  We all know that women are multi-taskers!