Mary Elizabeth Sutherland Carpenter was born on September 1, 1920 in Salado, Bell
County, TX. She was a feminist, media advisor, speechwriter, reporter, political
humorist, public relations expert, and author of books on politics. Her list of career
firsts is long; a partial description: first woman executive assistant to a President
(Lyndon Baines Johnson), first professional newswoman to be press secretary to a
first lady (Lady Bird Johnson), and founder of the National Women's Political Caucus.
President Gerald Ford appointed her to the International Women's Year Commission.
Jimmy Carter appointed her to serve as Assistant Secretary of Education for Public
Affairs. President Bill Clinton appointed her to serve on the White House Conference
on Aging. She has written at least ten books.
Ruffles and Flourishes: The Warm and Tender Story of a Simple Girl Who Found
Adventure in The White House was published in 1969 and was a national best seller.
It is an account of her experiences in the White House as Lady Bird Johnson's press
secretary. She gives a behind-the-scenes description of the hectic activities that went
on during those years in the 1960s, which involved the whistle-stop campaign,
a whitewater raft trip at a National Park, White House social events, the weddings
of the Johnson's daughters, and some of the questions from the press corps. Kirkusreviews.com
writes that "'Miss Liz' known for her sense of humor, is funniest about herself (she's
given to absent-mindedness and brought the wrong dog home from the vet . . .)."
Wikipedia reported that she was "often called the 'funniest woman in politics', she was
in demand as a public speaker until her death."