Edith Bolling Wilson was a widow when she met Woodrow Wilson, the 28th President of the United States, and he was widowed in during his first term. Wilson's first wife, Ellen Wilson passed away on August 6, 1914. Edith met Woodrow in March 1915 and married him in December 1915. Their whirlwind romance was publicly questionable and rumors that the couple planned the death of Woodrow's first wife was the major topic. Woodrow was willing to back out of the engagement, however, Edith fell in love and suggested they wait the full year of mourning before marriage.

Edith was homeschooled by her grandmother. She had two years of formal education at the age of fifteen at Martha Washington College, a finishing school for girls. Edith had an eidetic memory, however, she never felt she was smart enough and hated her handwriting. She married her first husband, Norman Galt, a young owner of the family jewelry business in 1896. Norman died of a liver infection in January 1908. Edith decided to keep the jewelry business and grow it. She was a hardheaded businesswoman and by the time she was forty, Edith as well-traveled, and in 1918 she sold the business for $80,000.00.

According to the biography, "Woodrow Wilson: A Medicinal and Psychological Biography'" by Weinstein he wrote, "Some of the symptoms of thrombosis of the human brain are violent stomach upsets, insomnia, twitching of the face, difficulty in using a pen, headaches, great weakness and paralysis of one side of the body. In addition, the victim becomes unreasonable, apprehensive, irritable. He may become violently emotional; the most common characteristic is frequent crying spells."

The President's physicians examined Woodrow after he collapsed in the bathroom. His left leg and arm were in paralysis with the lower half side of his face drooping. They suggested to Edith making a statement, however, she would not permit it. Edith knew her husband was ill, yet she wanted him to complete his term as president as well as the goals he promised the country during his term. The doctor's insisted the president cannot be disturbed, and any kind of stress would cause additional damage.

Edith and the doctors agreed that everything that must be addressed by the president goes through Edith first. She agreed to this conspiracy and they enlisted many of the members of his cabinet to go along with it. Vice President Marshall was a willing and able volunteer, as he had no desire to take on the challenges of the presidency. So, the conspirators did their best to get the Treaty of Versailles ratified and make the League of Nations complete.

From October 1919 to March 1921, Edith Bolling Wilson took over the routine duties of the president, answering questions and directing staff seldom allowing visitors in to talk with him. The curtains were drawn and the White House which in most cases worried not only congress and the senate, but the media had a field day with speculations and theories. Woodrow's doctors would quash the speculations as quickly as possible with an explanation of the president being overworked and requiring much-needed rest.

In 1920, Secretary of State Robert Lansing insisted the president resign after a cabinet meeting in the White House that was held with the president in a wheelchair fixed to hold him upright. He was able to shake everyone's hand; however, he never spoke, and Edith stood next to him and took notes. Many feared he might agree to anything they said.

During the time Edith ran the position, most diplomatic appointments were never filled. Many resignations were not accepted and in the end, the Treaty of Versailles was never signed nor did the United States join the League of Nations. In most history books Woodrow Wilson has been described as one of the worse presidents of that century.

In retrospect, last November our current president was rushed to the hospital in November 2019. Not that his erratic behavior isn't any different than before. However, his delusions of the pandemic, his insistence that he is healthy, and the cover-up by his cabinet for the past three years of his term to only be written in tell-all books, leads me to believe, he is not well. However, Melania is not the type of woman that would be second in command, so who is?