Jane Muskie
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Jane Frances Muskie (''née'' Gray; February 12, 1927 – December 25, 2004) was an American civic leader and writer who, as the wife of Edmund Muskie, served as First Lady of
Maine Maine () is a state in the New England and Northeastern regions of the United States. It borders New Hampshire to the west, the Gulf of Maine to the southeast, and the Canadian provinces of New Brunswick and Quebec to the northeast and ...
from 1955 to 1959. She was an active campaigner for her husband, supporting his political career on both state and national levels while he served in the Maine House of Representatives, as
Governor of Maine The governor of Maine is the head of government of the U.S. state of Maine. Before Maine was admitted to the Union in 1820, Maine was part of Massachusetts and the governor of Massachusetts was chief executive. The current governor of Maine is J ...
, as a
United States senator The United States Senate is the upper chamber of the United States Congress, with the House of Representatives being the lower chamber. Together they compose the national bicameral legislature of the United States. The composition and powe ...
, and as Secretary of State. During the 1972 United States presidential election, she was accused in the
Canuck letter The Canuck letter was a forged letter to the editor of the '' Manchester Union Leader'', published February 24, 1972, two weeks before the New Hampshire primary of the 1972 United States presidential election. It implied that Senator Edmund Muski ...
, a forged letter reportedly written by
Donald Segretti Donald Henry Segretti (born September 17, 1941, in San Marino, California) is an attorney best known for working as a political operative with then-U.S. President Richard Nixon's Committee to Re-elect the President during the early 1970s. Segret ...
and
Ken W. Clawson Ken Wade Clawson (August 16, 1936 – December 17, 1999) was an American journalist, best known as a spokesman for U.S. President Richard Nixon at the time of the Watergate scandal. He was promoted from Nixon's deputy director of communications to ...
that was published by
William Loeb III William Loeb III (December 26, 1905 – September 14, 1981) was publisher of the '' Manchester Union Leader'' newspaper (later ''The New Hampshire Union Leader'') in Manchester, New Hampshire, for thirty-five years from 1946 until his death. His un ...
in the ''
Manchester Union Leader The ''New Hampshire Union Leader'' is a daily newspaper from Manchester, the largest city in the U.S. state of New Hampshire. On Sundays, it publishes as the ''New Hampshire Sunday News.'' Founded in 1863, the paper was best known for the conse ...
'', of being "racially intolerant", a "drunkard", and using colorful language on the campaign trail. Her husband publicly rebuked the letter, calling Loeb a "gutless coward" in an emotional display that ultimately lost him the 1972 Democratic Presidential Primary. Muskie later spoke about the incident with her husband in an interview with ''
The New York Times ''The New York Times'' (''the Times'', ''NYT'', or the Gray Lady) is a daily newspaper based in New York City with a worldwide readership reported in 2020 to comprise a declining 840,000 paid print subscribers, and a growing 6 million paid d ...
'' in 1986, saying that "now it's quite acceptable for a man to show his emotions.. President
Reagan Ronald Wilson Reagan ( ; February 6, 1911June 5, 2004) was an American politician, actor, and union leader who served as the 40th president of the United States from 1981 to 1989. He also served as the 33rd governor of California from 1967 ...
does it all the time." Inspired by her time in
Washington, D.C. ) , image_skyline = , image_caption = Clockwise from top left: the Washington Monument and Lincoln Memorial on the National Mall, United States Capitol, Logan Circle, Jefferson Memorial, White House, Adams Morgan, ...
, Muskie co-wrote a novel, with
Abigail McCarthy Abigail Quigley McCarthy (April 16, 1915 – February 1, 2001) was an American academic and writer, and the wife of politician and presidential contender Eugene McCarthy. She predeceased her estranged husband by almost five years. Early life ...
, in 1986 about corruption and back-door politics titled ''One Woman Lost''. After her husband's political career ended, they moved to
Bethesda, Maryland Bethesda () is an unincorporated, census-designated place in southern Montgomery County, Maryland. It is located just northwest of Washington, D.C. It takes its name from a local church, the Bethesda Meeting House (1820, rebuilt 1849), which in ...
. Muskie died there in 2004 due to complications from Alzheimer's disease and was buried, next to her husband, in
Arlington National Cemetery Arlington National Cemetery is one of two national cemeteries run by the United States Army. Nearly 400,000 people are buried in its 639 acres (259 ha) in Arlington, Virginia. There are about 30 funerals conducted on weekdays and 7 held on Sa ...
.


Biography

Muskie was born Jane Frances Gray on February 12, 1927, in Waterville, Maine, to Millage Guy Gray, a
Canadian Canadians (french: Canadiens) are people identified with the country of Canada. This connection may be residential, legal, historical or cultural. For most Canadians, many (or all) of these connections exist and are collectively the source of ...
, and Myrtie May Jackson Gray, an American. She was raised in the
Baptist Baptists form a major branch of Protestantism distinguished by baptizing professing Christian believers only ( believer's baptism), and doing so by complete immersion. Baptist churches also generally subscribe to the doctrines of soul compe ...
faith. Her father died when she was ten years old, after which her mother supported the family. During the summers, she would travel to various resorts around Maine with her mother, who worked at them as a cook. Muskie's first job was as a dishwasher at one of the resorts. When she was fifteen years old she began working in a local dress shop. Muskie was voted "prettiest in school" as student at Waterville High School.Witherell (2014), pp. 80–81 When was eighteen years old, after graduating from high school, she was hired as a bookkeeper and saleswoman at an exclusive haute couture boutique in Waterville. While modelling a dress in the boutique window, a local lawyer and military officer, Lieutenant Edmund Muskie, came into the shop and invited her to attend a gala event with him. Soon after, she and Muskie began dating despite their difference in age stirring controversy in the town; she was nineteen and he was thirty-two. After dating for eighteen months, the two were married in a private ceremony in 1948. She converted to
Catholicism The Catholic Church, also known as the Roman Catholic Church, is the largest Christian church, with 1.3 billion baptized Catholics worldwide . It is among the world's oldest and largest international institutions, and has played a ...
and switched over her political affiliation from the Republican Party to the
Democratic Party Democratic Party most often refers to: *Democratic Party (United States) Democratic Party and similar terms may also refer to: Active parties Africa *Botswana Democratic Party *Democratic Party of Equatorial Guinea *Gabonese Democratic Party *Demo ...
shortly before getting married. At the time of their marriage, her husband was serving in the Maine House of Representatives. They had five children: Stephen Muskie (born 1949), Ellen Muskie (born 1950), Melinda Muskie (born 1956), Martha Muskie (born 1958), and Edmund Muskie Jr. (born 1961). The Muskies lived in a yellow cottage at Kennebunk Beach while they lived in Maine. Muskie assumed the role of First Lady of Maine upon her husband's inauguration as
Governor of Maine The governor of Maine is the head of government of the U.S. state of Maine. Before Maine was admitted to the Union in 1820, Maine was part of Massachusetts and the governor of Massachusetts was chief executive. The current governor of Maine is J ...
in 1955. As first lady, she gave luncheons for three-hundred to four-hundred guests, as well as tea socials for wives of appointed officials, at
The Blaine House The Blaine House, also known as James G. Blaine House, is the official residence of the governor of Maine and their family. The executive mansion was officially declared the residence of the governor in 1919 with the name "Blaine House". It is ...
. When the family moved to
Washington, D.C. ) , image_skyline = , image_caption = Clockwise from top left: the Washington Monument and Lincoln Memorial on the National Mall, United States Capitol, Logan Circle, Jefferson Memorial, White House, Adams Morgan, ...
after her husband's election to the
United States Senate The United States Senate is the upper chamber of the United States Congress, with the House of Representatives being the lower chamber. Together they compose the national bicameral legislature of the United States. The composition and pow ...
, Muskie joined an exclusive group of senator's wives. In 1986, inspired by their time in Washington, Muskie and
Abigail McCarthy Abigail Quigley McCarthy (April 16, 1915 – February 1, 2001) was an American academic and writer, and the wife of politician and presidential contender Eugene McCarthy. She predeceased her estranged husband by almost five years. Early life ...
co-wrote a novel about behind-the-scenes power struggles in American politics titled ''One Woman Lost''. Muskie conducted most of the research used for the novel. She campaigned relentlessly for her husband throughout his political career in both state and federal politics. Her husband later served as
United States Secretary of State The United States secretary of state is a member of the executive branch of the federal government of the United States and the head of the U.S. Department of State. The office holder is one of the highest ranking members of the president's Ca ...
under President
Jimmy Carter James Earl Carter Jr. (born October 1, 1924) is an American politician who served as the 39th president of the United States from 1977 to 1981. A member of the Democratic Party, he previously served as the 76th governor of Georgia from 1 ...
. When Muskie's husband ran for president in 1972,
William Loeb III William Loeb III (December 26, 1905 – September 14, 1981) was publisher of the '' Manchester Union Leader'' newspaper (later ''The New Hampshire Union Leader'') in Manchester, New Hampshire, for thirty-five years from 1946 until his death. His un ...
published the ''
Canuck letter The Canuck letter was a forged letter to the editor of the '' Manchester Union Leader'', published February 24, 1972, two weeks before the New Hampshire primary of the 1972 United States presidential election. It implied that Senator Edmund Muski ...
'' in the ''
Manchester Union Leader The ''New Hampshire Union Leader'' is a daily newspaper from Manchester, the largest city in the U.S. state of New Hampshire. On Sundays, it publishes as the ''New Hampshire Sunday News.'' Founded in 1863, the paper was best known for the conse ...
''; a letter reportedly forged by
Donald Segretti Donald Henry Segretti (born September 17, 1941, in San Marino, California) is an attorney best known for working as a political operative with then-U.S. President Richard Nixon's Committee to Re-elect the President during the early 1970s. Segret ...
and
Ken W. Clawson Ken Wade Clawson (August 16, 1936 – December 17, 1999) was an American journalist, best known as a spokesman for U.S. President Richard Nixon at the time of the Watergate scandal. He was promoted from Nixon's deputy director of communications to ...
that falsely accused Senator Muskie of being prejudiced against Americans of French-Canadian descent and called into the question the character of Jane Muskie, accusing her of using colorful language during his campaign and in interviews with the ''
Wall Street Journal ''The Wall Street Journal'' is an American business-focused, international daily newspaper based in New York City, with international editions also available in Chinese and Japanese. The ''Journal'', along with its Asian editions, is published ...
'' and ''
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'', and referring to her as a "drunkard" and as "racially intolerant". On February 26, 1972, Muskie's husband publicly rebuked Loeb, reportedly weeping while denouncing the attacks against her, stating "By attacking me and my wife, he oebhas proved himself to be a gutless coward." The incident derailed Muskie's campaign for the Democratic presidential nomination, due to a supposed display of emotion which was seen unfit for a president at the time. Republicans used the incident to claim that Muskie was emotionally unstable and unfit to serve as president. In 1986, Muskie spoke about the incident with her husband to ''
The New York Times ''The New York Times'' (''the Times'', ''NYT'', or the Gray Lady) is a daily newspaper based in New York City with a worldwide readership reported in 2020 to comprise a declining 840,000 paid print subscribers, and a growing 6 million paid d ...
'' stating, "Now it's quite acceptable for a man to show his emotions.. President
Reagan Ronald Wilson Reagan ( ; February 6, 1911June 5, 2004) was an American politician, actor, and union leader who served as the 40th president of the United States from 1981 to 1989. He also served as the 33rd governor of California from 1967 ...
does it all the time." During the interview she referred to liquor as "booze", called her husband "Big Daddy", and suggested telling "dirty jokes" to pass the time. She died at her home in
Bethesda, Maryland Bethesda () is an unincorporated, census-designated place in southern Montgomery County, Maryland. It is located just northwest of Washington, D.C. It takes its name from a local church, the Bethesda Meeting House (1820, rebuilt 1849), which in ...
, on December 25, 2004, due to complications related to Alzheimer's disease. She is buried next to her husband in Section 25 of
Arlington National Cemetery Arlington National Cemetery is one of two national cemeteries run by the United States Army. Nearly 400,000 people are buried in its 639 acres (259 ha) in Arlington, Virginia. There are about 30 funerals conducted on weekdays and 7 held on Sa ...
in
Arlington, Virginia Arlington County is a county in the Commonwealth of Virginia. The county is situated in Northern Virginia on the southwestern bank of the Potomac River directly across from the District of Columbia, of which it was once a part. The county ...
.


References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Muskie, Jane 1927 births 2004 deaths 20th-century American novelists American people of Canadian descent American women novelists Bookkeepers Burials at Arlington National Cemetery Catholics from Maine Converts to Roman Catholicism from Baptist denominations Deaths from Alzheimer's disease First Ladies and Gentlemen of Maine Maine Democrats Novelists from Maine Spouses of Maine politicians People from Waterville, Maine