To say Elizabeth Edwards has had a tumultuous last couple of years is an understatement. Even saying she's had a tumultuous life is borderline inaccurate. Elizabeth Edwards has gone through almost every painful experience imaginable to get her to everything she accomplished in her life.
1. Elizabeth Edwards
Her quiet yet firm submission to cancer is remarkable considering the other personal dramas going on in her life, including husband and presidential hopeful John Edward's infidelity, that she's had to battle with.
In 1996, her first born son Wade Edwards was killed in a car accident at the age of 16.
Edwards then created the Wade Edwards Foundation which focuses on the academic and overall excellence of young people. In 2004, she went on the campaign trail with Jon Edwards and his running mate Senator John Kerry and was diagnosed with invasive ductal cancer the same day Edwards and Kerry conceded the presidential race to George Bush. Not until Elizabeth Edwards finished stumping for her husband though did she see a specialist.
In 2007, believed to be in remission, Elizabeth once again stood by her husband's side as he started his campaign as a presidential candidate. When the cancer came back, Elizabeth said at a press conference: "I'm absolutely ready for this. I don't look sickly, I don't feel sickly. I'm ready as any person can be for this."
True to her word, she blazed ahead, working the campaign trail and raising two young children.
Then, the affair.
The ubiquitous affair between Jon Edwards and a former video campaign aide, Rielle Hunter, which also produced a hidden pregnancy rattled Elizabeth and the Edwards family. Through the entire episode, Elizabeth remained respectable, only saying that "John's conduct through this whole thing was terrible."
When the news hit that the cancer had spread to her liver and that further treatment would be ineffective, Elizabeth responded in her characteristically good nature, going on Facebook and posting to her fans and supporters a hopeful message: "I have been sustained throughout my life by three saving graces--my family, my friends, and a faith in the power of resilience and hope."
This inspiring view of life in spite of hardships make Elizabeth Edwards shine much brighter than her one-time U.S. Senator, long-time cheating husband John Edwards.
Her legacy lies in a woman with enough respect, restraint
2.Eleanor Roosevelt
As the saying goes, "Behind every great man is a great woman."
Franklin D. Roosevelt and Eleanor Roosevelt definitely fit the bill of that statement. In fact, some may argue that Eleanor Roosevelt is actually a greater woman for seeing him through everything, as well as accomplishing everything she did.
Even long after the death of her husband, Eleanor Roosevelt continued to work in politics, even being appointed a delegate to the General Assembly in 1945 by President Harry S. Truman.
She championed many civil rights, working to enhance the status of working women and overseeing the committee that drafted the Universal Declaration of Human Rights.
Even during her time as First Lady of the United States, Eleanor was very vocal in her support of the African-American civil rights movement. She also made a significant mark in racial progression when she appointed Mary McLeod Bethune, an African American, as head of the Division of Negro Affairs.
Eleanor received 48 honorary degrees throughout her life and at news of her death on November 7, 1962, UN Ambassador Adlai Stevenson said, "The United States, the United Nations, the world, has lost one of its great citizens. Mrs. Eleanor Roosevelt is dead, and a cherished friend of all mankind is gone."
Now if that doesn't say great, it definitely says greater.
3. Hillary Rodham Clinton
If there's anything that describes Hillary Clinton, it that she's got grit, strength and--dare we say all it--balls.
After her husband Bill Clinton completed his run as the 42nd President of the United States, Hillary set out with an agenda of her own. And wished to prove that she could do it better than Bill himself.
In fact, after being elected as a U.S. Senator in 2000 and re-elected in 2006, Hillary went for the big leagues and set out to run in the 2008 presidential race like her hubby. Even Bill admitted that she would be a better president than him because: "I think she wouldn't make as many mistakes. She is far more experienced now in all the relevant ways than I was when I took office."
He has a point. Hillary was a second-term U.S. senator serving on the Senate Armed Services Committee; Bill never served in Congress. In addition, Hillary was staff attorney for the Children's Defense Fund, served on the board of directors of the Legal Services Corporation and co-founded Arkansas Advocates for Children and Families.
Even though Hilary lost by a close margin in the presidential race to Barack Obama, she now serves as 67th Secretary of State in the administration. She is the first former First Lady to serve in a president's cabinet and that in itself is an incredible feat that no MAN has ever been able to do.
4.Eva Perón
Eva Peron was the First Lady of Argentina from 1946 until her death in 1952. She is widely and affectionately remembered throughout history as Evita; the remembrance stemmed from just her first name alone shows how much of an impact she has made on the collective public consciousness of Argentina and the world.
Despite the fact that she never was an elected head of state, Evita received a state funeral after she died from cancer.
During her life, she became popular with pro-Peronist trade unions, often speaking on behalf of labor rights. She also ran the Ministries of Labor and Health, insisting on providing free health care to the country. During her husband's presidency, she created the charitable Eva Peron foundation and became a international symbol for helping others in need. Eventually, she founded the first large scale feminist political party in Argentina: the female Peronist Party.
Despite opposition from the military and the upper-class, her popularity was so great that her own party rallied for her to campaign for the Vice-President of Argentina in 1951. She declined, even though there was great political support from the bulk of Argentinian citizens.
Remembered for her compassion and her dedication to providing the best of health and fair rights to all citizens of Argentina, Evita has always been a major force in Argentinian culture, many years after her death.
5. Arianna Huffington
In this media and technology driven world we all live in, it's hard to find a more commanding presence than Arianna Huffington.
As the founder of The Huffington Post, Arianna created an active Internet community where anybody can share and comment upon issues and stories in a respectful manner. The Post also draws upon many topics and offers comprehensive coverage about society from many of society's key figures.
Arianna also has countless proven she can stake her own way in the world. Married to conservative Michael Huffington during his time as a Republican representative, Arianna supported the Republican party, involved in causes like Bob Dole's campaign and Newt Gingrich's "Republican Revolution."
When the Republicans moved on and could not satisfy her own views, she began to lean to the Democratic party, culminating with her endorsement for John Kerry. However, she proved her strength and independence by running as an independent candidate in the California recall election, proving that she will always use her own voice to stand by what she believes in, no matter which party it becomes affiliated with.
Eventually, Arianna found a way to take her own voice and allow it to breathe and interact with others in ways that were never done before. While all politicians command serious influence over the lives of Americans, Arianna found ways to personally connect and allow other Americans to have their say and encourage invigorating discussion.
Arianna clearly knows the world of the future and how to inspire the people to speak as the people.
6. Rosalynn Carter
Here's another political wife that did not have huge political shoulders to match. President Jimmy Carter suffered through his one-term as Presidency due to a combination of inexperience and indecision.
Rosalynn Carter, however, was incredibly active and successful within her means in politics.
At times she was Jimmy's sounding board and advisor, and other times she was a co-president of sorts.
She would often sit in on cabinet meetings, testify before Congress and travel abroad to discuss issues with foreign officials. She was also the leading advocate for mental health research and created The Carter Center Mental Health Task Force.
Currently, she serves on the board of advisors for Habitat for Humanity and is involved in other charitable organizations as well. Sure she wasn't the official leader of the nation in 1977, but she carried out all the acts that it practically made her one.
7.Barbara Bush
Barbara Bush was often referred to as "everybody's grandmother," and for good reason too. Her entire demeanor just exudes comfort and warmth, something that her husband George H.W. Bush was not natural in doing during his time as 43rd President of the United States.
Having devoted sixty-five years of her life to her husband and her career, Barbara is an example of a woman doing something not because she's told to, but because she loves to. She's blatantly said: "I'm fair and I like children and I adore my husband."
Her qualities as a loving mother and devoted wife also helped shape her projects and work in politics. She took on literacy as a cause from the experience of her son Neil's dyslexia and founded the Barbara Bush Foundation for Family Literacy.
She's also devoted energy to finding a cure for cancer after Robin, her second child, was diagnosed with leukemia. George H.W. Bush might've had the political smarts in the family (though many claimed he lacked a unified and compelling vision), but Barbara had the heart. And both her family and the nation felt it.
8.Laura Bush
Now, now, before you recoil and show disgust for anyone even remotely related to Mr. George W. Bush, it must be known Laura Bush is nothing like her husband (not really, at least).
In fact, Laura Bush is really pretty liberal.
She was a Democrat before she was married, holds to strong Democratic issues at heart and hangs out with liberal friends she's had since grade school.
She's even told Katie Couric in 2001 that she does not believe Roe v. Wade should be overturned despite then President George W. Bush's pro-life stance, carving out political independence for herself. This is a bigger move than you might imagine given her husband's stance on the issue and what it could have meant for him politically.
Also, she refused to give in to the luxuries of being First Lady (she actually despises that title and prefers to be called Mrs. Bush or Laura Bush), and instead prefers to be "ordinary". She's said that she's "indifferent" to clothes, finds interviews "boring" and that her ideal restaurant is a cheap Mexican place.
Though it's not hard to surpass George W. Bush's achievements as President, Laura Bush is still a well-deserved candidate in this list because along with her work in early childhood cognitive development, teacher preparation and recruitment and women's heart disease, she also proves that no woman is defined by the person she marries.
A individual's view is always one's own, and Laura Bush owns it with both humility and strength. The fact that she stuck by her political guns, even in the most polarizing presidency in decades, is a mark of an enormously strong woman whose achievements in paving the ways for First Lady overshadow some of her husband's legacy.
9.Queen of Great Britain Victoria
The woman who is single-handedly responsible for having an entire era named after her, Her Majesty ruled the British Empire when it was at its highest powers.
For 63 years (1837-1901), the longest ruling British monarch of all time time, Victoria commanded an empire so large that all times, the sun was up somewhere over its lands. Extremely popular with the people, she became the symbol of the British Empire and the standard of strict morality and decency.
She also was fair with politics. Proving that she wasn't a tyrannical Queen, she founded the Liberal and Conservative parties and broadened suffrage throughout her reign.
She also was a loving wife and was devastated when her husband Prince Albert died in 1862. However, after a period of deep mourning, she recomposed herself and became the idol of many Britons once again.
Her reign is associated for being a period of peace despite massive expansion of the empire. She also is associated with industrial and cultural progress. There isn't much from the 19th century that can't be defined by Her Majesty.