--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: ...but there isn't going to be any First…" description: "\"...but there isn't going to be any First Lady. There is just to be plain, ordinary Mrs. Roosevelt...I never wanted to be the president's wife, and don'..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c51/eleanor-roosevelt-381_believe_but-there-isn-t-going-to-be-any-first-la_2422450.jpg" --- # ...but there isn't going to be any First Lady. There is… ![“...but there isn't going to be any First Lady. There is just to be plain, ordinary Mrs. Roosevelt...I never wanted to be the president's wife, and don't want it now. You don't quite believe me, do you? Very likely no one would-except possibly some woman who had had the job.” quote by Eleanor Roosevelt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c51/eleanor-roosevelt-381_believe_but-there-isn-t-going-to-be-any-first-la_2422450.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c51/eleanor-roosevelt-381_believe_but-there-isn-t-going-to-be-any-first-la_2422450.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c51/eleanor-roosevelt-381_believe_but-there-isn-t-going-to-be-any-first-la_2422450.jpg) > “...but there isn't going to be any First Lady. There is just to be plain, ordinary Mrs. Roosevelt...I never wanted to be the president's wife, and don't want it now. You don't quite believe me, do you? Very likely no one would-except possibly some woman who had had the job.” [Eleanor Roosevelt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eleanor-roosevelt/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. She rejects the traditional role of First Lady, preferring an ordinary identity over political partnership. **In simple terms:** She doesn't want to be a president's wife. Key Takeaway Define your own identity beyond imposed roles. Themes gender roles politics identity public expectation Mood defiant thoughtful historical Type philosophical inspirational When to use this quote - political families - public scrutiny - career choices - media portrayal Key Concepts feminism personal autonomy social norms Questions to Reflect On - How can individuals reshape public expectations? - What does “ordinary” mean to you? A Different Perspective Societal pressure may limit personal freedom. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [First lady](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/first-lady/) [Jobs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/jobs/) [Marriage](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/marriage/) [President](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/president/) [Wife](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/wife/) ## Related quotes > [“The president and his wife were visiting a commercial chicken farm in the 1920s. During the tour, the first lady asked the farmer how…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-ryan/the-president-and-his-wife-were-visiting-a-commercial-chicken-farm-in/) [Christopher Ryan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-ryan/) > [First lady has been a thankless position. Eleanor Roosevelt was brilliant and had strong views. She was criticized for her politics and for her…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karen-decrow/first-lady-has-been-a-thankless-position-eleanor-roosevelt-was/) [Karen DeCrow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karen-decrow/) > [I think I lived those years very impersonally. It was almost as though I had erected someone outside myself who was the president's wife.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eleanor-roosevelt/i-think-i-lived-those-years-very-impersonally-it-was-almost-as-though/) [Eleanor Roosevelt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eleanor-roosevelt/) > [“The Republican Roosevelt wanted to fight plutocrats as well as anarchists. Their plunder of oil, coal, minerals, and timber on federal lands appalled him,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tim-weiner/the-republican-roosevelt-wanted-to-fight-plutocrats-as-well-as/) [Tim Weiner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tim-weiner/) > [Why am I running for president? Well, my wife, Cindy, says it is because I sustainedseveral severe blows to the head in prison camp.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-mccain/why-am-i-running-for-president-well-my-wife-cindy-says-it-is-because/) [John McCain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-mccain/) > [“I had erected someone outside myself who was the President’s wife. I was lost somewhere deep down inside myself. That is the way I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laura-shapiro/i-had-erected-someone-outside-myself-who-was-the-president-s-wife-i/) [Laura Shapiro](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laura-shapiro/) > [I have learned something about the job of being the President's wife. She is not chosen by anyone except her husband and she really…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lady-bird-johnson/i-have-learned-something-about-the-job-of-being-the-president-s-wife/) [Lady Bird Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lady-bird-johnson/) > [I wasn't the president. And my first wife thinks I'm great. And my second wife and my - and I have a great marriage.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-trump/i-wasn-t-the-president-and-my-first-wife-thinks-i-m-great-and-my/) [Donald Trump](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-trump/) > [“I regretted what a serious teenager I'd been: There were no posters of pop stars or favorite movies, no girlish collection of photos or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gillian-flynn/i-regretted-what-a-serious-teenager-i-d-been-there-were-no-posters-of/) [Gillian Flynn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gillian-flynn/) > [I had often joked in my speeches that I had imaginary conversations with Mrs. Roosevelt to solicit her advice on a range of subjects.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hillary-clinton/i-had-often-joked-in-my-speeches-that-i-had-imaginary-conversations/) [Hillary Clinton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hillary-clinton/) > [I go back to what Mrs. Roosevelt taught me: 'Always compromise, but compromise upwards.'](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/esther-peterson/i-go-back-to-what-mrs-roosevelt-taught-me-always-compromise-but/) [Esther Peterson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/esther-peterson/) > [“Mrs. Roosevelt felt, was the fault of society; “a civilization which does not provide young people with a way to earn a living is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-a-caro/mrs-roosevelt-felt-was-the-fault-of-society-a-civilization-which-does/) [Robert A. Caro](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-a-caro/) > [...following Mrs. Roosevelt in search of irrationality was like following a burning fuse in search of an explosive.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-f-buckley-jr/following-mrs-roosevelt-in-search-of-irrationality-was-like-following/) [William F. Buckley, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-f-buckley-jr/) > [I told them I belong to the same organizations and clubs Mrs. Roosevelt belongs to, but with a few brave exceptions, I was still…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lena-horne/i-told-them-i-belong-to-the-same-organizations-and-clubs-mrs/) [Lena Horne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lena-horne/) > [When you look fear in the face, you are able to say to yourself, 'I lived through this horror. I can take the next…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eleanor-roosevelt/when-you-look-fear-in-the-face-you-are-able-to-say-to-yourself-i/) [Eleanor Roosevelt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eleanor-roosevelt/) ## More by Eleanor Roosevelt > [My experience has been that work is almost the best way to pull oneself out of the depths.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eleanor-roosevelt/my-experience-has-been-that-work-is-almost-the-best-way-to-pull/) [Eleanor Roosevelt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eleanor-roosevelt/) > [experience should teach us that it is always the unexpected that does occur.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eleanor-roosevelt/experience-should-teach-us-that-it-is-always-the-unexpected-that-does/) [Eleanor Roosevelt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eleanor-roosevelt/) > [To be mature you have to realize what you value most... Not to arrive at a clear understanding of one's own values is a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eleanor-roosevelt/to-be-mature-you-have-to-realize-what-you-value-most-not-to-arrive-at/) [Eleanor Roosevelt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eleanor-roosevelt/) > [I'm enormously interested in freedom and retaining the right to have whatever economy we want and to shape it as we want and a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eleanor-roosevelt/i-m-enormously-interested-in-freedom-and-retaining-the-right-to-have/) [Eleanor Roosevelt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eleanor-roosevelt/) > [When you look fear in the face, you are able to say to yourself, 'I lived through this horror. I can take the next…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eleanor-roosevelt/when-you-look-fear-in-the-face-you-are-able-to-say-to-yourself-i/) [Eleanor Roosevelt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eleanor-roosevelt/) > [The destiny of human rights is in the hands of all our citizens in all our communities.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eleanor-roosevelt/the-destiny-of-human-rights-is-in-the-hands-of-all-our-citizens-in/) [Eleanor Roosevelt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eleanor-roosevelt/) > [You can never really live anyone else's life, not even your child's. The influence you exert is through your own life, and what you've…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eleanor-roosevelt/you-can-never-really-live-anyone-else-s-life-not-even-your-child-s/) [Eleanor Roosevelt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eleanor-roosevelt/) > [“One of the things I believe most intensely is that every child’s why should be answered with care—and with respect. If you do not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eleanor-roosevelt/one-of-the-things-i-believe-most-intensely-is-that-every-child-s-why/) [Eleanor Roosevelt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eleanor-roosevelt/) > [What we must learn to do is to create unbreakable bonds between the sciences and the humanities. We cannot procrastinate. The world of the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eleanor-roosevelt/what-we-must-learn-to-do-is-to-create-unbreakable-bonds-between-the/) [Eleanor Roosevelt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eleanor-roosevelt/) > [Never allow a person to tell you no who doesn't have the power to say yes.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eleanor-roosevelt/never-allow-a-person-to-tell-you-no-who-doesn-t-have-the-power-to-say/) [Eleanor Roosevelt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eleanor-roosevelt/) > [Do not stop thinking of life as an adventure. You have no security unless you can live bravely, excitingly, imaginatively; unless you can choose…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eleanor-roosevelt/do-not-stop-thinking-of-life-as-an-adventure-you-have-no-security/) [Eleanor Roosevelt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eleanor-roosevelt/) > [We stand today at the threshold of a great event both in the life of the United Nations and in the life of mankind,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eleanor-roosevelt/we-stand-today-at-the-threshold-of-a-great-event-both-in-the-life-of/) [Eleanor Roosevelt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eleanor-roosevelt/) > [All of us ... should remember that no amount of flag-waving, pledging allegiance, or fervent singing of the national anthem is evidence that we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eleanor-roosevelt/all-of-us-should-remember-that-no-amount-of-flag-waving-pledging/) [Eleanor Roosevelt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eleanor-roosevelt/) > [Some friends leave footprints in your heart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eleanor-roosevelt/some-friends-leave-footprints-in-your-heart/) [Eleanor Roosevelt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eleanor-roosevelt/) > [If we want a free and peaceful world, if we want to make the deserts bloom and man grow to greater dignity as a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eleanor-roosevelt/if-we-want-a-free-and-peaceful-world-if-we-want-to-make-the-deserts/) [Eleanor Roosevelt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eleanor-roosevelt/) [Explore all 612 Eleanor Roosevelt quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eleanor-roosevelt/) ## More Believe quotes > [I actually think acting is a form of self-hypnosis. 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He said today he believes life begins at conception and ends…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jay-leno/bush-reiterated-his-stand-to-conservatives-opposing-his-decision-on/) [Jay Leno](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jay-leno/) > [Never underestimate the power of the human mind to believe what it wants to believe, no matter the conflicting evidence.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-herbert/never-underestimate-the-power-of-the-human-mind-to-believe-what-it/) [Brian Herbert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-herbert/) > [To believe in love, to be ready to give up anything for it, to be willing to risk your life for it, is the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leonardo-dicaprio/to-believe-in-love-to-be-ready-to-give-up-anything-for-it-to-be/) [Leonardo DiCaprio](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leonardo-dicaprio/) > [That's why I don't generally talk about endorsements because I don't believe we have to tell people who to vote for.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-luther-king-iii/that-s-why-i-don-t-generally-talk-about-endorsements-because-i-don-t/) [Martin Luther King III](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-luther-king-iii/) > [Mankind have been slow to believe that order reigns in the universe-that the world is a cosmos and a chaos.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-a-garfield/mankind-have-been-slow-to-believe-that-order-reigns-in-the-universe/) [James A. Garfield](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-a-garfield/) > [We instantly believe everything we think. Isn't that insane? It's good for us to explore the depravity of our minds, so we know we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/krishna-das/we-instantly-believe-everything-we-think-isn-t-that-insane-it-s-good/) [Krishna Das](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/krishna-das/) Browse all 47,704 Believe quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "...but there isn't going to be any First Lady. There is just to be plain, ordinary Mrs. Roosevelt...I never wanted to be the president's wife, and don't want it now. You don't quite believe me, do you? 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