Bush's involvement in Afghanistan began in , when she became the first wife of a president ever to deliver the president's weekly radio address. She used the opportunity to call attention to the plight of women suffering under the Taliban. Bush is Honorary Ambassador for the United Nations Literacy Decade, serving as an international spokesperson for efforts to educate people throughout the world, especially women and girls.
Bush is listening to the concerns of young people, parents, and community leaders throughout the country and drawing attention to programs that help children avoid risky behaviors like drug and alcohol use, early sexual activity, and violence. She's highlighting the need of every child to have a caring adult role model in his or her life - whether that adult is a parent, grandparent, teacher, coach, or mentor.
One of Mrs. Prominent scholars and educators shared research on the best ways for parents and caregivers to prepare children for lifelong learning. Because children also need excellent teachers, Mrs. Laura Bush is passionate about the importance and pleasures of reading, and she joined with the Library of Congress to launch the first National Book Festival in Washington, D.
The National Book Festival drew over , book-lovers from across the nation. Occupation after Marriage: Since George W. Bush was planning to begin his campaign for a U.
Congressional seat shortly after his wedding, Laura Bush ended her work as a librarian and went to work full-time on his campaign. After his loss in , she volunteered for local Midland causes and soon enough began working towards the goal of helping her father-in-law George H. Bush in his failed quest for the Republican presidential nomination. Once her daughters were born she focused on raising the two children while her husband struggled in the oil business.
She was the strong but steadying influence that led to his determination to stop his heavy drinking during the time his father was Vice President. She moved to Washington, D. She initially resisted her husband's run for Texas Governor. As First Lady of Texas, Laura Bush successfully lobbied for state funding of early reading, literacy and early childhood development programs, which became the social issues on which she focused.
In the fall of , for example, she held an Early Childhood Development conference much like the one held by Hillary Clinton did in the White House in the spring of that year. As Hillary Clinton was promoting the "Prescription for Reading" program nationally, Laura Bush was doing so simultaneously, on the state level. Laura Bush also began an annual Texas Book Festival that successfully raised large amounts of money for the purchase of books throughout the state public library system.
Presidential Campaign and Inauguration: Through the campaign, Laura Bush avoided any controversy with remarks that were inconsistent with those of her husband, but she broke precedent by becoming the first presidential candidate's wife who was not already First Lady to address the convention that was nominating her husband.
During the campaign, Laura Bush dramatically increased her role, delivering a policy-oriented speech at the Republican National Convention, making hundreds of stump speeches in which she addressed substantive policy accomplishments and goals of the Administration in economics, homeland security and the Iraqi War. At the inaugural she presided over a newly created event honoring American authors. First Lady: , January 20 - , January 20 54 years old With the terrorist attacks of September 11, , less than nine months after assuming the First Lady role, Laura Bush found her visibility much higher and with more demands made upon it than she had initially assumed it would be.
Scheduled that day to become the first incumbent Republican First Lady to deliver Congressional testimony to a Senate Education Committee, in the weeks and months that followed, she frequently spoke in public forums on techniques that adults could use to comfort children who were traumatized by the changes wrought by the attacks.
As the U. She discussed their plight as the topic of her radio address on November 17, She taught second grade for a few years before receiving her master's degree in library science at the University of Texas in Austin, Texas, where she became a public school librarian.
In , on a visit back to Midland, she met George W. Bush at a barbeque that was hosted by mutual friends. Bush was the owner of a fledgling oil business and the son of George H. Bush , a career politician and former Director of the CIA.
There was an immediate attraction, and within three months of their introduction, Bush proposed to Laura. He was considering running for a congressional seat at the time, and she accepted on the condition that she never be asked to deliver a political speech.
However, she soon relented and publically supported her husband's unsuccessful bid for office. After his defeat, Bush returned to his oil business and Laura became a housewife, but soon returned to politics to help her father-in-law's presidential campaign in In , Laura gave birth to twin girls, Jenna and Barbara, named after their grandmothers. Over the ensuing years, Laura began to quietly but steadfastly build a family. She encouraged her husband to attend church and quit drinking and became a major positive influence in his life.
In , her husband was once again inspired to enter politics in a run for the Texas governorship. This time he won and Laura was thrust into the public arena of being the state's first lady. Still a reluctant speaker, Laura developed more confidence and began to take advantage of her elevated position to support causes and projects important to her.
She successfully lobbied for the state funding of early reading, literacy and early childhood development programs. In early , Bush began his campaign for the U. Laura enthusiastically supported her husband, appearing at rallies and avoiding controversy during the campaign. She made her first major national speech at the Republican National Convention in Philadelphia.
Bush went on to win the closest presidential race in U. Although Laura planned to keep a low profile as first lady, national events made that nearly impossible. The September 11, , terrorist attacks riveted attention on the Bush administration, and Laura joined her husband in comforting the nation. In the aftermath of the attacks, she addressed parents' anxiety and fear over how the event affected their children. She frequently spoke about ways parents could comfort their families traumatized by the event.
During her first term as first lady, Laura continued to lend support to education, childhood development and teacher training. In January , she testified before the Senate Committee on Education, calling for higher teachers' salaries and better training for Head Start programs.
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