Bill Clinton is preparing to be “first dude,” and that includes the quadrennial tradition of presidential candidate spouses submitting cookie recipes.
The former president of the United States, along with Melania Trump, Donald Trump’s wife, submitted cookie recipes for Family Circle magazine’s Presidential Cookie Poll, where readers pick between the two cookie recipes.
The poll, which has been held during the fall of every general election year since 1992, is the latest sign in Clinton’s historic candidacy, where the traditional responsibilities of the first lady could fall to a man for the first time.
Clinton submitted the family’s chocolate chip cookies made with old-fashioned oats, which won during the 1992 and 1996 polls.
Clinton’s recipe is not vegan, however. Bill Clinton went vegan in 2010 and has said the diet has kept him alive.
Trump, a first time entrant, submitted star cookies made with egg yolks and sour cream.
The contest started shortly after Clinton, whose position as a political spouse in 1992 with her own ambition and career, was at the time viewed by some as an oddity and an issue in the Democratic primary.
When reporters asked about her career and ambition, she responded with a line that is now famous: “You know, I suppose I could have stayed home and baked cookies and had teas, but what I decided to do was to fulfill my profession, which I entered before my husband was in public life.”
After that comment, Family Circle magazine unveiled what was first going to be a bake off but turned into a poll, asking Clinton and then-first lady Barbara Bush to submit recipes. Since then, the magazine says, the spouses of presidential hopefuls have submitted recipes for the poll.
“These cookies give us a small window into the lives of the potential first families, and we’re excited to hear whether readers prefer the classic Clinton confection or the Trumps’ star-shaped treat,” said Regina Ragone, Family Circle food director.
The poll, according to the magazine, has correctly predicted the White House winner five out of the past six election cycles.
Hillary Clinton is frequently asked about what role Bill Clinton would play in her White House and what people would call him because he would not be a “first lady.”
“President Clinton, would he be the first man? The first gentleman? First mate? Who decides that,” Jimmy Kimmell asked Hillary Clinton in 2015.
“Well, he said that other day that it was fine for all this talk of me running for me to break the big hard glass ceiling and become president,” Clinton responded. “But he was running to break the iron grip that women have had about being spouse of the president.”
She added, “First dude. First mate. First gentleman. I am just not sure about it.”
The refrain has become a staple on the campaign trail. Bill Clinton is frequently presented with signs that say “Bill Clinton for First Lady” and t-shirt vendors outside Hillary Clinton events regularly sell shirts with similar slogans.
During an interview with Rachel Ray in 2015, Bill Clinton joked that instead of calling him “first man,” people should just call him “Adam,” a reference to the biblical story of the first man.
Clinton continued, “You know, if the president is a man, you call the president’s spouse ‘the first lady,’ so we’ll have to cross this bridge if a gay couple (is elected).”
