Second ladies and gentlemen of the United States
Second Gentleman of the United States | |
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Style |
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Abbreviation |
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Residence | Number One Observatory Circle |
Inaugural holder | Abigail Adams (as second lady) Doug Emhoff (as second gentleman) |
Formation | April 21, 1789 |
Website | whitehouse.gov |
The second lady of the United States or second gentleman is the title held by the hostess of the Number One Observatory Circle. This is usually the wife or husband of the vice president of the United States, during the vice president's term in office.
Doug Emhoff is the current second gentleman of the United States, in role since January 2021 as the husband of Vice President Kamala Harris.[1][2]
Origins and Role
[change | change source]The second lady or second gentleman is not elected by the people of the United States. There are no official jobs he or she is officially required to perform and they are not paid for being the second spouse.
They are often involved in political campaigns and managements of the Number One Observatory Circle. They are involved in participating in social causes and representing the vice president at official and ceremonial occasions. They also accompany the vice president on foreign summits and events.
List of second ladies and gentlemen
[change | change source]Abigail Adams · Ann Gerry · Hannah Minthorne Tompkins · Floride Calhoun · Letitia Christian Tyler · Sophia Dallas · Abigail Fillmore · Mary Cyrene Burch Breckinridge · Ellen Vesta Emery Hamlin · Eliza Johnson · Ellen Maria Colfax · Eliza Hendricks · Anna Morton · Letitia Stevenson · Jennie Tuttle Hobart · Edith Roosevelt · Cornelia Cole Fairbanks · Carrie Babcock Sherman · Lois Irene Marshall · Grace Coolidge · Caro Dawes · Mariette Rheiner Garner · Ilo Wallace · Bess Truman · Jane Hadley Barkley · Pat Nixon · Lady Bird Johnson · Muriel Humphrey Brown · Judy Agnew · Betty Ford · Happy Rockefeller · Joan Mondale · Barbara Bush · Marilyn Quayle · Tipper Gore · Lynne Cheney · Jill Biden · Karen Pence · Doug Emhoff
List of living former second spouses
[change | change source]As of 2024, there are five living former second spouses
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Marilyn Quayle
1989–1993 – wife of Dan Quayle -
Tipper Gore
1993–2001 – wife of Al Gore -
Lynne Cheney
2001–2009 – wife of Dick Cheney -
Jill Biden
2009–2017 – wife of Joe Biden -
Karen Pence
2017–2021 – wife of Mike Pence
References
[change | change source]- ↑ "Douglas Emhoff: Second Gentleman". The White House. Retrieved 2023-02-21.
- ↑ "Kamala Harris' husband will be the second gentleman. She'll still call him 'honey'". TODAY.com. Retrieved 2020-12-05.