Today's Scripture Reading (November 1, 2023): Esther 5
There is a common
belief that there has never been a woman President of the United States. Maybe
a woman will be elected in the next few elections, but as of now, a woman has
not served as the President of the United States. As I have said, that is the
belief. But it might not be the reality. Indeed, there has never been a woman elected
as President, but that isn't the same thing as saying there has never been a woman
President. I would like to put forward the idea that the United States has had
a female President. Her name was Edith Bolling Galt, and she served as
President from October 2, 1919, until March 4, 1921. She was a woman of limited
education but was well-read and informed and extensively influenced the
Presidency even before she ascended to the American Throne. As I have said, she
was never elected, and her term as President might have been informal, but for
a couple of years, she held the real power in the United States.
How did it
happen? Edith Bolling Galt was the second wife of President Woodrow Wilson, and
on October 2, 1919, President Wilson suffered a debilitating stroke and his
health collapsed. Edith Wilson immediately took charge, even to the point of
sharing only the information she felt President Wilson needed to see with the duly
elected President. At first, Wilson's illness was hidden from the public. But
by 1920, the true nature of Woodrow Wilson's health was widely known. Still,
while attempts were made to declare Woodrow Wilson unfit for office, his
vice-president, Thomas R. Marshall, never attempted to take over power from the
President. And so, Edith remained the functional President of the United
States.
I don't
think many of us would be surprised about the amount of influence spouses wield
over their powerful partners. Throughout history, the wife behind the throne
has been a significant force in the nation's direction. The War of the Roses
(1455-1487), known at the time as the "English Civil Wars" or even
more simply as "The Civil Wars," has often been viewed as a fight
between men battling for the English throne. Yet, some recent research also
shows how much of those Civil Wars were influenced by the wives of the men involved
in the conflict.
Haman is
enflamed by his hate for Mordecai and all the Jews of the Empire. But he is not
sure what he can do until his wife and his friends, although I think the
opinion of his wife was critical here, suggest that he build a gallows,
essentially a pole-like structure complete with stairs to reach the top, and
have Mordecai impaled in it. Haman likes the idea, and with the encouragement
of his wife, Zeresh, Haman acts on his wife's advice. And then, as Zeresh had
suggested, he could get rid of Mordecai and go and enjoy the banquet that Queen
Esther had set up.
Tomorrow's
Scripture Reading: Esther 6
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