Jenna Bush Hager, Progeny of Presidents, Is Now a Publishing Kingmaker
Article

Jenna Bush Hager, Progeny of Presidents, Is Now a Publishing Kingmaker

The former first daughter is famous in her own right. Her TV book club is one of the few reliable paths to the best-seller list in a precarious industry.

Matt Flegenheimer
The New York Times, 2022
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8

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The cohost of NBC’s Today Show, Jenna Bush Hager – daughter and granddaughter of former presidents George W. Bush and George H.W. Bush – has emerged as a force in the book publishing world. An author herself, Hager launched her on-air book club in 2019. Since then, the show’s “Read with Jenna” segment has become a phenomenon akin to Oprah’s Book Club. In this engaging New York Times article, journalist Matt Flegenheimer leads readers through Hager’s journey from “the nation’s most scrutinized underage drinker” to media maven and unveils the former first daughter’s plans to expand her influence. 

Summary

During her father George W. Bush’s presidency, the press depicted Jenna Bush Hager as a loose cannon.

Jenna Bush – now Jenna Bush Hager – always wanted to be in show business, recalls her fraternal twin, Barbara. But neither Jenna nor Barbara was prepared for the full glare of the media spotlight that came with the political rise of their father, George W. Bush.

While both girls faced scrutiny, the press was kinder to the more introverted Barbara. Tabloid journalists splashed the headline “George W.’s Wild Daughter” over a photo of Jenna partying during her first year at the University of Texas at Austin, and her citations for underage drinking made national news.

Hager worked hard to prove herself as more than a stunt hire after joining NBC’s Today Show in 2009.   

Given her tense relationship with the media during her younger years, some members of Hager’s family were surprised when she accepted an anchor role on Today&#...

About the Author

Matt Flegenheimer is a reporter for The New York Times, covering national politics. For more information, see #ReadWithJenna and today.com/read-with-jenna.

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