Comments on: Harpy Hall of Fame: Abigail Adams (1744-1818)

By: Mireille

Mireille — Thu, 26 Feb 2009 04:33:54 +0000

I’m not a particularly patriotic person, choked up by the red, white and blue or whatever, but for me “1776″ is my “Christmas Story” of Independence Day. I love that movie. And Abigail Adams was the shiznit. More forward thinking than many of the troglodytic Republican congresscritters of today.

By: BeckySharper

BeckySharper — Wed, 25 Feb 2009 22:19:14 +0000

@blondegrlz, yvanehtnioj: 1776 FTW! I’m a Lee on my mother’s side, so you know what song we used love bellowing out at family gatherings!

By: yvanehtnioj

yvanehtnioj — Wed, 25 Feb 2009 22:13:46 +0000

Dude, I fake tattooed that on my knuckles last 4th of July. I adore that movie!

By: Blondegrlz

Blondegrlz — Wed, 25 Feb 2009 22:10:46 +0000

Yvanehtnioj, YOU WIN. I totally played Mrs. Adams for a high school drama class.

By: yvanehtnioj

yvanehtnioj — Wed, 25 Feb 2009 21:29:38 +0000

“Saltpeter, Abigail.”

“…Pins, John!”

By: sarah.of.a.lesser.god

sarah.of.a.lesser.god — Wed, 25 Feb 2009 21:18:27 +0000

Let me just say that the only reason I would watch HBO’s movie about John Adams is to see Laura Linney play Abigail, who was far more compelling than her husband was.

By: ratinski

ratinski — Wed, 25 Feb 2009 21:12:26 +0000

Yay! Abigail Adams has been my hero since I was a young history geek reading American history in my spare time.

Derided as “Mrs. President” and “Her Majesty”,

This bit makes me think that the whole you’re damned if you do, damned if you don’t thing has been present for First Ladies since the 18th century. I mean:

- Abigail Adams, disliked for her political activity
- Dolley Madison, disliked for, basically, being flirtatious, charming, and gregarious
- Elizabeth Monroe, disliked for being concerned with fashion and for being “too European.”

You can’t win.