| Second Lady of the United States | |
|---|---|
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| Style | Mrs. Vance Madam Second Lady |
| Abbreviation | SLOTUS |
| Residence | Number One Observatory Circle |
| Inaugural holder | Abigail Adams (as second lady) Douglas Emhoff (as second gentleman) |
| Formation | April 21, 1789 (236 years ago) (1789-04-21) |
| Website | Official website |
Thesecond lady of the United States orsecond gentleman (SLOTUS orSGOTUS) is the informal title held by the spouse of thevice president of the United States, concurrent with the vice president's term of office. Coined in contrast to "first lady" – albeit used less commonly – the title "second lady" was apparently first used byJennie Tuttle Hobart (wife ofGarret Hobart, vice president 1897–1899) to refer to herself. The first second gentleman of the United States wasDoug Emhoff, the husband ofKamala Harris, the vice president from 2021 to 2025.[1]
Twelve second ladies have gone on to become first ladies during their husbands' terms as president. The first wasAbigail Adams, who was married toJohn Adams, the first vice president from 1789 to 1797 and then the second president from 1797 to 1801. The most recent wasJill Biden, married toJoe Biden, the 47th vice president from 2009 to 2017 and then the 46th president from 2021 to 2025.
Since the 1970s, the vice presidential official residence isNumber One Observatory Circle inWashington, D.C.[2]
The second spouse's visibility in the public sphere is a recent development. Although the role of thefirst lady asWhite House hostess dates from the beginning of the republic (and was typically filled by another member of the president's family if the president was unmarried or a widower), it was not until the late 20th and early 21st century that vice-presidential wives took on visible public roles.
One exception wasFloride Calhoun, wife of Vice PresidentJohn C. Calhoun, who was a central figure in thePetticoat Affair, a social-political scandal involving the social ostracism of Secretary of WarJohn H. Eaton and his wifeMargaret O'Neill Eaton.
In 1978,Muriel Humphrey, wife of Vice PresidentHubert Humphrey, became the only former second lady to hold public office; after her husband, who had returned to theU.S. Senate after his term as vice president, died in office, she was appointed byMinnesota governorRudy Perpich to continue her husband's term.
There have been 17 periods of vacancy in the role, the longest of which continued for 16 years between the service of vice presidential spousesAbigail Adams andAnn Gerry when there were three widower vice presidents and a one-year vacancy in the vice presidency. The most recent second lady vacancy was for 132 days in 1974, between the service ofBetty Ford andHappy Rockefeller, when the vice presidency was also vacant.
The role of the second lady or gentleman is unpaid and not formally defined.[3] The wife of the vice president of the United States was traditionally expected to serve as a hostess and appear at society functions.[4][5]Jennie Tuttle Hobart, wife of Vice PresidentGarret Hobart (1897–1899) is often said to be the first woman to style herself as "Second Lady".[6][5] Hobart took over the hostess duties on behalf of First LadyIda Saxton McKinley, who had chronic health issues including epilepsy.[5] Starting in 1917, the wife of the vice president took on the unofficial role of convener of the Red Cross Senate Wives, presiding over their lunches; the organization later became known as the Senate Spouses Club.[5] The question of the second lady's status became a topic of debate in 1929 when Dolly Curtis Gann, the sister of Vice PresidentCharles Curtis (1929–1933), assumed the role of hostess on his behalf, since he was widowed.[7] Gann had waged a public "battle of precedence" againstAlice Roosevelt Longworth, the wife of formerspeaker of the HouseNicholas Longworth.[8]
Over time, the spouse of the vice president started to become more visible as theOffice of the Vice President itself gained power and influence, and assumed additional responsibilities.[5] In 2010,Marie Claire magazine described the role of second ladies as being "relegated to roast-chicken charity dinners and sit-and-smile political functions. They cherry-pick a cause or two...and pretty much stay out of the way."[9] Presidential historianGil Troy noted that during theKennedy administration, one of Second LadyLady Bird Johnson's roles was to replace First LadyJacqueline Kennedy when she withdrew from public appearances, often at the last minute; Johnson replaced Kennedy on more than 50 occasions.[10]
Pat Nixon, wife of Vice PresidentRichard Nixon, was the first second spouse to add a great deal of substance to the role of the vice president's wife. When Nixon assumed the position in 1953, the role's only official function was to preside over the once-annual Senate Ladies Luncheon.[11] Instead, Nixon launched her own initiatives, sensing great opportunities that her role provided. She established a schedule separate from that of her husband, which often consisted of solo activities. As second lady, Nixon traveled more than 125,000 miles around the world to six continents, including a two-month, 42,000-mile journey through Asia in 1953.[11] As she undertook missions of goodwill across the world, she insisted on visiting schools, orphanages, hospitals and village markets rather than attend tea or coffee functions. In this sense, Nixon essentially created the modern role of the second lady; historianKate Andersen Brower wrote, "she helped to define this nebulous role for an entire generation of women who would succeed her."[11] Historian Cormac O'Brien says thatPat Nixon "may have well been the most extraordinary second lady in American history" because of her role in accompanying Vice PresidentRichard Nixon on a tour of the world as a goodwill ambassador.[4] She also traveled independently of the vice president and attended events, including campaign tours, on her own.[7][5] According to O'Brien, Second Lady Nixon proved popular "as a paragon of graciousness, composure, and elegance", and made a conscious effort to travel to locations where local women were banned, to spread a subtle message for equal rights.[4]
During theReagan administration, Second LadyBarbara Bush hosted more than one thousand events and traveled over 1.5 million miles at home and abroad over eight years, and championed literacy, a cause she continued to support when she later became First Lady.[4]
Tipper Gore, former wife of Vice PresidentAl Gore, was active in several campaigns to remove material she found objectionable from popular American entertainment, includingfilms,television shows andmusic, starting when her husband was asenator. She challenged performers over their use of profane lyrics and often debated with her critics, such asDead Kennedys singerJello Biafra.Lynne Cheney, wife of Vice PresidentDick Cheney, championededucation reform, citing specific failures of the Americanpublic education system during her tenure as second lady. She is a particularly outspoken supporter of Americanhistory education, having written fivebestselling books on this topic for children and their families.[12]Jill Biden, wife of PresidentJoe Biden, worked as an English professor atNorthern Virginia Community College, and is thought to be the first second lady to hold a paying job while her husband was vice president.[9][13] She has been involved in various causes, including breast cancer awareness and literacy.
Douglas Emhoff, husband of Vice PresidentKamala Harris, became the first second gentleman of the United States when his wife became the first female vice president in 2021. He is also the firstJewish person to assume this ceremonial role.[14][15] Emhoff is a law professor atGeorgetown University Law Center.[16] His priorities in office were advocating forfood security across the United States, fightingantisemitism on the international stage, addressingclimate change, as well as pushing for equal access to justice. He traveled to several countries representing the United States, including France, Germany, Poland, Japan, South Korea, Philippines, Thailand, Ghana, Tanzania, and Zambia among others, having met with heads of state and attended inaugurations andstate dinners.[citation needed]
In 2025Usha Vance became the first Asian American, Telugu American, andHindu American second lady when her husbandJD Vance became vice president.[17][18][19][20]
Living second ladies and gentlemen (from oldest to youngest):
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| Image | Second Lady or Gentleman | Vice President Marriage date | Tenure | Date of birth | Date of death (age) | Tenure asFirst Lady | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 | Adams, AbigailAbigail Adams (née Abigail Smith) 1st Second Lady | Adams, JohnJohn Adams October 25, 1764 | April 21, 1789 – March 4, 1797 | (1744-11-22)November 22, 1744 | (1818-10-28)(1818-10-28)October 28, 1818 (73 years, 340 days) | 1797–1801 | ||
| 01.1Vacant;Jefferson, ThomasThomas Jefferson was a widower. | March 4, 1797 – March 4, 1801 | |||||||
| 01.2Vacant;Aaron Burr was a widower. | March 4, 1801 – March 4, 1805 | |||||||
| 01.3Vacant;George Clinton was a widower. | March 4, 1805 – April 20, 1812 | |||||||
| 01.4Vacant; no vice president after Clinton's death. | April 20, 1812 – March 4, 1813 | |||||||
 | Gerry, AnnAnn Gerry (née Ann Thompson) 2nd First Lady | Gerry, ElbridgeElbridge Gerry January 12, 1786 | March 4, 1813 – November 23, 1814 | (1763-08-12)August 12, 1763 | (1849-03-17)March 17, 1849(1849-03-17) (aged 85) | |||
| 02.1Vacant; no vice president after Gerry's death. | November 23, 1814 – March 4, 1817 | |||||||
_1951_70.jpeg) | Tompkins, HannahHannah Tompkins (née Hannah Minthorne) 3rd Second Lady | Tompkins, Daniel DDaniel D Tompkins February 20, 1798 | March 4, 1817 – March 4, 1825 | (1781-08-28)August 28, 1781 | (1829-02-18)February 18, 1829(1829-02-18) (aged 47) | |||
 | Calhoun, FlorideFloride Bonneau Calhoun (née Floride Bonneau Colhoun) 4th Second Lady | Calhoun, John C.John C. Calhoun January 8, 1811 | March 4, 1825 – December 28, 1832 | (1792-02-15)February 15, 1792 | (1866-07-25)July 25, 1866(1866-07-25) (aged 74) | |||
| 04.1Vacant; no vice president after Calhoun's resignation. | December 28, 1832 – March 4, 1833 | |||||||
| 04.2Vacant;Buren, Martin VanMartin Van Buren was a widower. | March 4, 1833 – March 4, 1837 | |||||||
| 04.3Vacant;Johnson, Richard MentorRichard M. Johnson was a widower | March 4, 1837 – March 4, 1841 | |||||||
 | Tyler, Letitia ChristianLetitia Tyler (née Letitia Christian) 5th Second Lady | Tyler, JohnJohn Tyler March 29, 1813 | March 4, 1841 – April 4, 1841 | (1790-11-12)November 12, 1790 | (1842-09-12)September 12, 1842(1842-09-12) (aged 51) | 1841–1842 | ||
| 05.1Vacant; no vice president after Tyler assumed presidency. | April 4, 1841 – March 4, 1845 | |||||||
| Dallas, SophiaSophia Dallas (née Sophia Chew Nicklin) 6th Second Lady | Dallas, George M.George M. Dallas May 23, 1816 | March 4, 1845 – March 4, 1849 | (1798-06-24)June 24, 1798 | (1869-01-11)January 11, 1869(1869-01-11) (aged 70) | ||||
 | Fillmore, AbigailAbigail Fillmore (née Abigail Powers) 7th Second Lady | Fillmore, MillardMillard Fillmore February 5, 1826 | March 4, 1849 – July 9, 1850 | (1798-03-13)March 13, 1798 | (1853-03-30)March 30, 1853(1853-03-30) (aged 55) | 1850–1853 | ||
| 07.1Vacant; no vice president after Fillmore assumed presidency. | July 9, 1850 – March 4, 1853 | |||||||
| Vacant;William R. King was unmarried. | March 4, 1853 – April 18, 1853 | |||||||
| 02.1Vacant; no vice president after King’s death. | April 18, 1853 – March 4, 1857 | |||||||
 | Breckinridge, Mary Cyrene BurchMary Cyrene Burch Breckinridge (née Mary Cyrene Burch) 8th Second Lady | Breckinridge, John C.John C. Breckinridge December 12, 1843 | March 4, 1857 – March 4, 1861 | (1826-08-16)August 16, 1826 | (1907-10-08)October 8, 1907(1907-10-08) (aged 81) | |||
 | Hamlin, EllenEllen Hamlin (née Ellen Vesta Emery) 9th Second Lady | Hamlin, HannibalHannibal Hamlin September 25, 1856 | March 4, 1861 – March 4, 1865 | (1835-09-14)September 14, 1835 | (1925-02-01)February 1, 1925(1925-02-01) (aged 89) | |||
 | Johnson, ElizaEliza McCardle Johnson (née Eliza McCardle) 10th Second Lady | Johnson, AndrewAndrew Johnson May 17, 1827 | March 4, 1865 – April 15, 1865 | (1810-10-04)October 4, 1810 | (1876-01-15)January 15, 1876(1876-01-15) (aged 65) | 1865–1869 | ||
| 10.1Vacant; no vice president after Johnson assumed presidency. | April 15, 1865 – March 4, 1869 | |||||||
 | Colfax, Ellen MariaEllen Maria Colfax (née Ellen Maria Wade) 11th Second Lady | Colfax, SchuylerSchuyler Colfax November 18, 1868 | March 4, 1869 – March 4, 1873 | (1836-07-26)July 26, 1836 | (1911-03-04)March 4, 1911(1911-03-04) (aged 74) | |||
| Vacant;Henry Wilson was a widower. | March 4, 1873 – November 22, 1875 | |||||||
| 11.3Vacant;Wheeler, William A.William A. Wheeler was a widower. | March 4, 1877 – March 4, 1881 | |||||||
| 11.4Vacant;Arthur, Chester A.Chester A. Arthur was a widower. | March 4, 1881 – September 19, 1881 | |||||||
| 11.5Vacant; no vice president after Arthur assumed presidency. | September 19, 1881 – March 4, 1885 | |||||||
.jpg) | Hendricks, ElizaEliza Hendricks (née Eliza Carol Morgan) 12th Second Lady | Hendricks, Thomas A.Thomas A. Hendricks September 26, 1845 | March 4, 1885 – November 25, 1885 | (1823-11-23)November 23, 1823 | (1903-01-03)November 3, 1903(1903-11-03) (aged 79) | |||
| 12.1Vacant; no vice president after Hendricks's death. | November 25, 1885 – March 4, 1889 | |||||||
 | Morton, AnnaAnna Morton (née Anna Livingston Reade Street) 13th Second Lady | Morton, Levi P.Levi P. Morton February 12, 1873 | March 4, 1889 – March 4, 1893 | (1846-05-18)May 18, 1846 | (1918-08-14)August 14, 1918(1918-08-14) (aged 72) | |||
 | Stevenson, LetitiaLetitia Stevenson (née Letitia Green) 14th Second Lady | Stevenson, Adlai IAdlai Stevenson I December 22, 1866 | March 4, 1893 – March 4, 1897 | (1843-01-08)January 8, 1843 | (1913-12-25)December 25, 1913(1913-12-25) (aged 70) | |||
 | Hobart, JennieEsther Jane "Jennie" Tuttle Hobart (née Esther Jane Tuttle) 15th Second Lady | Hobart, GarretGarret Hobart July 21, 1869 | March 4, 1897 – November 21, 1899 | (1849-04-30)April 30, 1849 | (1941-01-08)January 8, 1941(1941-01-08) (aged 91) | |||
| 15.1Vacant; no vice president after Hobart's death. | November 21, 1899 – March 4, 1901 | |||||||
 | Roosevelt, EdithEdith Roosevelt (née Edith Kermit Carow) 16th Second Lady | Roosevelt, TheodoreTheodore Roosevelt December 2, 1886 | March 4, 1901 – September 14, 1901 | (1861-08-06)August 6, 1861 | (1948-09-30)September 30, 1948(1948-09-30) (aged 87) | 1901–1909 | ||
| 16.1Vacant; no vice president after Roosevelt assumed presidency. | September 14, 1901 – March 4, 1905 | |||||||
.jpg) | Fairbanks, CorneliaCornelia "Nellie" Cole Fairbanks (née Cornelia Cole) 17th Second Lady | Fairbanks, Charles W.Charles W. Fairbanks October 6, 1874 | March 4, 1905 – March 4, 1909 | (1852-01-14)January 14, 1852 | (1913-10-24)October 24, 1913(1913-10-24) (aged 61) | |||
 | Sherman, CarrieCarrie Babcock Sherman (née Carrie Babcock) 18th Second Lady | Sherman, James S.James S. Sherman January 26, 1881 | March 4, 1909 – October 30, 1912 | (1856-11-16)November 16, 1856 | (1931-10-06)October 6, 1931(1931-10-06) (aged 74) | |||
| 18.1Vacant; no vice president after Sherman's death. | October 30, 1912 – March 4, 1913 | |||||||
 | Marshall, Lois IreneLois Irene Marshall (née Lois Irene Kimsey) 19th Second Lady | Marshall, Thomas R.Thomas R. Marshall October 2, 1895 | March 4, 1913 – March 4, 1921 | (1873-05-09)May 9, 1873 | (1958-01-06)January 6, 1958(1958-01-06) (aged 84) | |||
 | Coolidge, GraceGrace Coolidge (née Grace Anna Goodhue) 20th Second Lady | Coolidge, CalvinCalvin Coolidge October 4, 1905 | March 4, 1921 – August 2, 1923 | (1879-01-03)January 3, 1879 | (1957-07-08)July 8, 1957(1957-07-08) (aged 78) | 1923–1929 | ||
| 20.1Vacant; no vice president after Coolidge assumed presidency. | August 2, 1923 – March 4, 1925 | |||||||
 | Dawes, CaroCaro Dawes (née Caro Dana Blymyer) 21st Second Lady | Dawes, Charles G.Charles G. Dawes January 24, 1889 | March 4, 1925 – March 4, 1929 | (1866-01-06)January 6, 1866 | (1957-10-03)October 3, 1957(1957-10-03) (aged 91) | |||
| 21.1Vacant;Curtis, CharlesCharles Curtis was a widower. | March 4, 1929 – March 4, 1933 | |||||||
 | Garner, MarietteMariette Elizabeth "Ettie" Garner (née Mariette Elizabeth Rheiner) 22nd Second Lady | Garner, John NanceJohn Nance Garner November 25, 1895 | March 4, 1933 – January 20, 1941 | (1869-07-17)July 17, 1869 | (1948-08-17)August 17, 1948(1948-08-17) (aged 79) | |||
 | Wallace, IloIlo Wallace (née Ilo Browne) 23rd Second Lady | Wallace, Henry A.Henry A. Wallace May 20, 1914 | January 20, 1941 – January 20, 1945 | (1888-03-10)March 10, 1888 | (1981-02-22)February 22, 1981(1981-02-22) (aged 92) | |||
 | Truman, BessBess Truman (née Elizabeth Virginia Wallace) 24th Second Lady | Truman, Harry S.Harry S. Truman June 28, 1919 | January 20, 1945 – April 12, 1945 | (1885-02-13)February 13, 1885 | (1982-10-18)October 18, 1982(1982-10-18) (aged 97) | 1945–1953 | ||
| 24.1Vacant; no vice president after Truman assumed presidency. | April 12, 1945 – January 20, 1949 | |||||||
| 24.2Vacant;Barkley, Alben W.Alben W. Barkley was a widower. | January 20, 1949 – November 18, 1949 | |||||||
 | Barkley, Jane HadleyJane Hadley Barkley (née Elizabeth Jane Rucker) 25th Second Lady | Barkley, Alben W.Alben W. Barkley November 18, 1949 | November 18, 1949 – January 20, 1953 | (1911-09-23)September 23, 1911 | (1964-09-06)September 6, 1964(1964-09-06) (aged 52) | |||
 | Nixon, PatPat Nixon (née Thelma Catherine Ryan) 26th Second Lady | Nixon, RichardRichard Nixon June 21, 1940 | January 20, 1953 – January 20, 1961 | (1912-03-16)March 16, 1912 | (1993-06-22)June 22, 1993(1993-06-22) (aged 81) | 1969–1974 | ||
 | Johnson, Lady BirdClaudia "Lady Bird" Johnson (née Claudia Alta Taylor) 27th Second Lady | Johnson, Lyndon B.Lyndon B. Johnson November 17, 1934 | January 20, 1961 – November 22, 1963 | (1912-12-22)December 22, 1912 | (2007-07-11)July 11, 2007(2007-07-11) (aged 94) | 1963–1969 | ||
| 27.1Vacant; no vice president after Johnson assumed presidency. | November 22, 1963 – January 20, 1965 | |||||||
.jpg) | Humphrey, MurielMuriel Humphrey Brown (née Muriel Fay Buck) 28th Second Lady | Humphrey, HubertHubert Humphrey September 3, 1936 | January 20, 1965 – January 20, 1969 | (1912-02-20)February 20, 1912 | (1998-09-20)September 20, 1998(1998-09-20) (aged 86) | |||
 | Agnew, JudyElinor "Judy" Agnew (née Elinor Isabel Judefind) 29th Second Lady | Agnew, SpiroSpiro Agnew May 27, 1942 | January 20, 1969 – October 10, 1973 | (1921-04-23)April 23, 1921 | (2012-06-20)June 20, 2012(2012-06-20) (aged 91) | |||
| 30.1Vacant; no vice president between Agnew's resignation and Ford's confirmation under the25th Amendment. | October 10, 1973 – December 6, 1973 | |||||||
.jpg) | Ford, BettyElizabeth "Betty" Ford (née Elizabeth Anne Bloomer) 30th Second Lady | Ford, GeraldGerald Ford October 15, 1948 | December 6, 1973 – August 9, 1974 | (1918-04-08)April 8, 1918 | (2011-07-08)July 8, 2011(2011-07-08) (aged 93) | 1974–1977 | ||
| 30.1Vacant; no vice president until between Ford assuming the presidency and Rockefeller's confirmation under the25th Amendment. | August 9, 1974 – December 19, 1974 | |||||||
 | Rockefeller, HappyMargaretta "Happy" Rockefeller (née Margaretta Large Fitler) 31st Second Lady | Rockefeller, NelsonNelson Rockefeller May 4, 1963 | December 19, 1974 – January 20, 1977 | (1926-06-09)June 9, 1926 | (2015-05-19)May 19, 2015(2015-05-19) (aged 88) | |||
 | Mondale, JoanJoan Mondale (née Joan Adams) 32nd Second Lady | Mondale, WalterWalter Mondale December 27, 1955 | January 20, 1977 – January 20, 1981 | (1930-08-08)August 8, 1930 | (2014-02-03)February 3, 2014(2014-02-03) (aged 83) | |||
_(cropped).jpg) | Bush, BarbaraBarbara Bush (née Barbara Pierce) 33rd Second Lady | Bush, George H. W.George H. W. Bush January 6, 1945 | January 20, 1981 – January 20, 1989 | (1925-06-08)June 8, 1925 | (2018-04-17)April 17, 2018(2018-04-17) (aged 92) | 1989–1993 | ||
| Quayle, MarilynMarilyn Quayle (née Marilyn Tucker) 34th Second Lady | Quayle, DanDan Quayle November 18, 1972 | January 20, 1989 – January 20, 1993 | (1949-07-29)July 29, 1949 | 2025-11-25 Living 76 years, 119 days | |||
 | Gore, TipperMary Elizabeth "Tipper" Gore (née Mary Elizabeth Aitcheson) 35th Second Lady | Gore, AlAl Gore May 19, 1970 | January 20, 1993 – January 20, 2001 | (1948-08-19)August 19, 1948 | 2025-11-25 Living 77 years, 98 days | |||
 | Cheney, LynneLynne Cheney (née Lynne Ann Vincent) 36th Second Lady | Cheney, DickDick Cheney August 29, 1964 | January 20, 2001 – January 20, 2009 | (1941-08-14)August 14, 1941 | 2025-11-25 Living 84 years, 103 days | |||
.jpg) | Biden, JillJill Biden (née Jill Tracy Jacobs) 37th Second Lady | Biden, JoeJoe Biden June 17, 1977 | January 20, 2009 – January 20, 2017 | (1951-06-03)June 3, 1951 | 2025-11-25 Living 74 years, 175 days | 2021–2025 | ||
| Pence, KarenKaren Pence (née Karen Sue Batten) 38th Second Lady | Pence, MikeMike Pence June 8, 1985 | January 20, 2017 – January 20, 2021 | (1957-01-01)January 1, 1957 | 2025-11-25Living 68 years, 328 days | |||
| Emhoff, DouglasDouglas Craig Emhoff 1st Second Gentleman | Harris, KamalaKamala Harris August 22, 2014 | January 20, 2021 – January 20, 2025 | (1964-10-13)October 13, 1964 | 2025-11-25Living 61 years, 43 days | |||
| Vance, UshaUsha Vance (née Usha Bala Chilukuri) 39th Second Lady | Vance, JDJD Vance June 14, 2014 | January 20, 2025 –present | (1986-01-06)January 6, 1986 | 2025-11-25Living 39 years, 323 days | |||
Various other spouses of vice presidents of the United States are not considered as second ladies of the United States because their marriages were not during the vice presidential terms of their spouses.
Nine U.S. vice presidents were widowed prior to their vice presidencies:
Five U.S. vice presidents were widowed and remarried prior to their vice presidencies:
One U.S. vice president was divorced and remarried prior to his vice presidency:
One U.S. vice president was widowed before his vice presidency and remarried during his vice presidency:
Three U.S. vice presidents remarried after their vice presidencies:
