Former first daughter Jenna Bush (now Jenna Bush Hager) has been hired as an on-air correspondent for Today. Her duties will include covering educational duties, and she’s expected to make a few appearances a month. Jenna graduated from the University of Texas – Austin in 2004. After graduation, she went to work as a teacher at Elsie Whitlow Stokes Community Freedom Public Charter School and took an internship with UNICEF’s Educational Policy Department in Panama. She published a book loosely based on her experiences in Panama called Ana’s Story – A Journey of Hope, published in 2007. Jenna was married last year at her parents’ Crawford ranch, and she and her husband moved to Baltimore. There is no word yet as to whether Jenna and her husband will be moving, or if Jenna plans to be a correspondent from Baltimore, or how all of that is going to work:

In what is surely not a case of stunt casting, the Today Show has decided the person most appropriate to be a correspondent on education issues is a daughter of former U.S. President George W. Bush.

The NBC morning chatfest announced over the weekend that it had hired Jenna Hager, better known to most people by her maiden name of Jenna Bush, to contribute on a monthly basis.

“It wasn’t something I’d always dreamed to do,” Jenna, 27, said of the announcement. “But I think one of the most important things in life is to be open-minded and to be open-minded for change.”

The former First Daughter, who now teaches at a Baltimore school, isn’t a complete stranger to the show, having made two previous appearances. She even co-hosted an hour of Today with her mother, Laura Bush, last year.

Says the show’s executive producer, Jim Bell, “I think she can handle it… she knows something about pressure and being under some scrutiny. When she came here for a handful of appearances, she knocked it out of the park.”

Jenna, who plans to make her first contribution early this fall, says her focus will be, “on what I’m passionate about because I think I’d do the best job on them – education, urban education, women and children’s issues and literacy.”

[From OK! Magazine]

For the first few years of her dad’s presidency, Jenna was known mostly as a good-time party girl, more interested in keggers than education. She did a lot of growing up over the course of the past few years, and I think she seems like a very well-adjusted, thoughtful young woman. While I doubt she would have gotten the Today job if her maiden name wasn’t Bush, I don’t think she’s a bad choice for the position. She’ll probably do very well.

President Bush’s twin daughters Jenna and Barbara, 27, wrote a letter to the Washington Post giving advice to President Obama’s young daughters Sasha, 7, and Malia, 10. They talked about the wonder of spending time exploring the great mansion and witnessing balls and events starting at Sasha’s age when their grandfather, George H.W. Bush, was first sworn in. Jenna and Barbara didn’t live at the White House during their grandfather’s Presidency, but were there for holidays and vacations. From their perspective, it was a magical time and they wouldn’t have missed it for anything. They were able to return to live in the White House at the age of 18 when their father was elected to office, but their article focused on being in that magnificent house as children like Obama’s daughters and soaking it all in:

We also first saw the White House through the innocent, optimistic eyes of children. We stood on the North Lawn gazing with wonder at her grand portico. The White House was alive with devoted and loving people, many of whom had worked in her halls for decades. Three of the White House ushers, Buddy, Ramsey, and “Smiley”, greeted us when we stepped into her intimidating hallway. Their laughter and embraces made us feel welcome right away. Sasha and Malia, here is some advice to you from two sisters who have stood where you will stand and who have lived where you will live:

– Surround yourself with loyal friends. They’ll protect and calm you and join in on some of the fun, and appreciate the history.

– If you’re traveling with your parents over Halloween, don’t let it stop you from doing what you would normally do. Dress up in some imaginative, elaborate costume (if you are like us a pack of Juicy Fruit and a Vampiress) and trick-or-treat down the plane aisle.

– If you ever need a hug, go find Ramsey. If you want to talk football, look for Buddy. And, if you just need a smile, look for “Smiley.”

– And, a note on White House puppies–our sweet puppy Spot was nursed on the lawn of the White House. And then of course, there’s Barney, who most recently bit a reporter. Cherish your animals because sometimes you’ll need the quiet comfort that only animals can provide.

– Slide down the banister of the solarium, go to T-ball games, have swimming parties, and play Sardines on the White House lawn. Have fun and enjoy your childhood in such a magical place to live and play.

– When your dad throws out the first pitch for the Yankees, go to the game.

– In fact, go to anything and everything you possibly can: the Kennedy Center for theater, State Dinners, Christmas parties (the White House staff party is our favorite!), museum openings, arrival ceremonies, and walks around the monuments. Just go. Four years goes by so fast, so absorb it all, enjoy it all!

For four years, we spent our childhood holidays and vacations in the historic house. We could almost feel the presence of all the great men and women who had lived here before us. When we played house, we sat behind the East sitting room’s massive curtains as the light poured in illuminating her yellow walls. Our seven-year-old imaginations soared as we played in the enormous, beautiful rooms; our dreams, our games, as romantic as her surroundings. At night, the house sang us quiet songs through the chimneys as we fell asleep.

[From The Washington Post via People]

Jenna has a degree in English from the University of Texas and works as a school teacher in Washington, DC. She was married this summer to Henry Hager, and the couple resides in a two bedroom townhouse in Baltimore, Maryland. Jenna’s twin Barbara graduated from Yale in 2004, lives in Greenwich Village, and works for a nonprofit organization, Global Health Corps. These two had a rough time in 2001 when they were busted drinking underage, but apart from that they’ve kept under the radar and both finished college and did charity work overseas. Jenna even published two books.

Sasha and Malia will be growing up in the White House and depending on how long their father is in office we may see them go through some awkward stages. Hopefully the press will respect their privacy as much as possible. It’s hard not to pay attention to those two lovely little girls. Along with the pitfalls of growing up in the public eye there are also plenty of advantages and memorable moments, as Jenna and Barbara mention.

Jenna Bush, Henry Hager, Barbara Bush, and their mom Laura’s personal assistant, Lindsey Knutson, are shown on the White House lawn on 1/10/09. Jenna and Barbara are also shown at the Republican National Convention in 2004, where their speech was widely panned. Sasha and Malia Obama are shown at their dad’s inauguration yesterday. All photos credit: Newscom

The White House has released official photos of Jenna Bush’s wedding ceremony and reception. She looks beautiful and her special day seems like a perfect mix of elegant touches with a down home celebration. Jenna, 26, and her new husband, Henry Hager, 30, are thought to be heading off to a European honeymoon. The new couple will return home to a two bedroom townhouse in Baltimore, Maryland. Jenna has a job as a schoolteacher in Washington, DC, and Henry will work for an energy company in Maryland. Best wishes to the new couple.

We posted full details of their wedding ceremony and reception earlier today.

All photos thanks to WhiteHouse.gov. Jenna and Henry are shown with their parents including Mr. and Mrs. John Hager, and with the reverend who officiated their ceremony, Kirbyjon Caldwell of Houston’s Windsor Village United Methodist Church.

Update: The photos have been released of Jenna’s special day and it looks incredible.

---

Jenna Bush, 26, married her boyfriend of nearly four years, former White House aid and MBA graduate student Henry Hager, 30, on Saturday. The event was held at Bush’s ranch in Crawford, Texas, and was attended by around 200 guests. Jenna certainly could have chosen to have an elegant affair at the White House, but that’s not her style and she didn’t want to draw too much attention to herself.

There was a very good editorial by Diane Roberts on NPR today about how Jenna missed a chance at a wedding that would have been as close to a royal occasion as is possible in America. Roberts cited some Presidents’ daughters who chose to have White House weddings that were attended by the press and followed closely by millions of Americans. If Jenna would have had that type of wedding it might have provided her lame duck President father a brief blip in his terrible ratings, but it also would have made her a target.

As it is, we only have one old pre-released photo of Henry and Jenna and the details about their wedding. They chose to go the Beyoncé and Jay-Z route and haven’t even released a wedding portrait yet. (Update: Here’s a link to the photos of Jenna’s wedding)

Here are some details from People and an NPR story.

• A rehearsal dinner was hosted by Hager’s parents for around 100 people in Salado, Texas on Friday, and all the wedding guests were invited.
  

• The wedding and reception were outdoors.
  

• Jenna wore “an embroidered organza Oscar de la Renta gown” that’s described as simple and elegant. She did not wear a veil.
  

• Her twin sister Barbara was the maid of honor and wore a de la Renta dress that was cut low in the back and was “moonstone blue shimmer with a silver sash.”
  

• There were 14 other attendants in her “house” party, which sounds less formal than a standard wedding party.
  

• The men wore suits, not tuxes, with Henry in a dark blue suit and powder blue tie. His brother was his best man.
  

• He had 14 ushers in his party also. They are said to have walked the women to their seats but not to have been involved in the ceremony.
  

• The bride and groom stood at a special beige limestone cross made for them of the same stone used on the ranch home on the estate.
  

• The wedding was officiated by Rev. Kirbyjon Caldwell of Windsor Village United Methodist Church in Houston.
  

• Wedding singer Tyrone Smith or “Super T” and his 10-piece band provided the music for the reception. He is described by People as “a favorite at Southern frat parties.”
  

• The first dance was “Lovin’ in My Baby’s Eyes” by Taj Mahal, and the father-daughter dance was “You Are So Beautiful.”
  

• Jenna and Henry are thought to be honeymooning in Europe. They will live in a two bedroom, two bath house on Baltimore’s south side. Jenna will return to her job teaching at a public school in Washington, DC and Henry has a position with energy company Constellation Energy. He will graduate with his MBA from the University of Virginia next month.

[Many bulleted details nearly word for word from NPR report.]

Other weddings of sitting presidents’ daughters
NPR reminds us that the most extravagant White House wedding in recent history was President Nixon’s daughter Tricia’s live wedding broadcast from the Rose Garden. Tricia Nixon married liberal Harvard law student Edward Finch Cox on June 12, 1971, when the Vietnam War was still in full force. Cox was featured on the cover of Life Magazine twice after her wedding, which Life called “akin to American royalty.”

In contrast, Dorothy Bush, Jenna’s aunt, got married in a super secret ceremony in 1992 at Camp David when Jenna’s grandfather was President.

An aid to President HW Bush explains in part why Jenna chose a more low-key event: “If they’d have gone on TV, the wedding would have been shown all over the world and Jenna Bush would have been an international celebrity — and she would have been a target. They’re preparing the transition to private life and they’re not particularly interested in seeing Jenna Bush become a huge celebrity.”

You understand why they didn’t have a wedding at the White House and it seems like a wise decision for them. The whole world would have made fun of Jenna instead of her dad for once.

Best wishes to Jenna and Henry for a normal family life. They’re a very cute couple and they seem to be off to a good start, all things considered.

Here’s Tricia Nixon and President Nixon at her 1971 wedding in the Rose Garden, the only wedding held there in history.

Recently engaged author and first daughter Jenna Bush is getting some flak from the Writer’s Guild for crossing picket lines to film a promotional appearance with Ellen DeGeneres. Bush Junior junior is still plugging her book “Ana’s Story: A Journey of Hope” about a young woman she met in Latin America who was born with HIV and got pregnant. Touching premise. **Cough cough ghostwriter cough cough** [JayBird looks around nervously]. Remember Jenna is the less-intelligent/harder-partying twin who couldn’t get into Yale even though her dad-the-current-president and her grandfather-the-former-president and twin sister all attended. I know Yale requires the absolute best of the best, but how bad must your grades be if they have to say, “I’m sorry Mr. President, we can only take one twin.” Alright I’m done with the Bush bashing. Jenna’s being called a scab for crossing the picket lines and going on “Ellen” yesterday (airing today). It was ironically pointed out that it’s the President’s job to prevent labor strife. Whoops.

Jenna actually filmed a pretty cute sounding interview. We, the naïve and trusting viewers, are meant to believe that Ellen talks Jenna into an unplanned phone call to her parents, live on the air. It comes off pretty well, which means there’s no way in hell W was surprised. That man can barely string three rudimentary words together with a Speak & Spell; there’s no way he could sound like a semi-normal human being when he’s “surprised” by his daughter calling from a TV show. But let’s play dumb and pretend to think it’s adorable.

Pleasantly prodding the First Daughter during a taping of her show… DeGeneres inquired if Bush could get her high-powered papa on the phone any time she wants. “I usually call him in the evening or in the morning, when I know they’ll both be at home,” said the 26-year-old. “Could you just pick up the phone like right now and call him?” wondered a wide-eyed Ellen. “Sure,” replies Bush. “He’s going to kill me, though.

DeGeneres, meanwhile, says that if Jenna’s parents don’t answer, she’ll get Jenna’s grandfather, former President George Herbert Walker Bush, on the phone, and observes: “We’re not barging in while they’re in their pajamas or something.” Once Bush gets through to First Lady Laura Bush, she says, “Hi, Mom.” Asking how the show is going, Mom says, “I’m not watching you because you’re taping right now.” She also tells her daughter, “I’m just sitting here with Daddy.”

Pipes up Ellen: “I wanted to say hi to Daddy.” And so, the President of the United States comes to the phone, and is told by his offspring, “This is the Ellen DeGeneres Show. Are You Mad?’

“Well, that’s great!” says the surprised Chief Executive, who asks DeGeneres, “How’s my little girl doing?” “Oh, she’s great,” answers the host. “She’s scared she’s going to get in trouble [and] not going to get any Christmas presents.” Pause. “Dad?” asks Jenna. “Yes, baby,” he replies. “Are you mad?” she inquires. “No, not at all,” says President Bush. “I’m excited to talk to you. I’m glad to talk to Ellen.”

[From People]

Yeah it made me feel annoyingly warm and fuzzy too. I’m hoping once it actually airs I’ll find that it’s trite, hackneyed, and cold. Or other negative adjectives. I feel like I’ve been duped, as to read it, it came off as mildly adorable. Now I feel cheap and used. Ahh, now that’s the feeling I’m used to from the Bushes.

One of President Bush’s twin daughters, Jenna, 24, got engaged on Wednesday. Her boyfriend of nearly two years, Henry Hager, 28, popped the question. Hager is a former White House aide and worked for Bush’s re-election campaign under Karl Rove. Good to see they’re keeping the conservatism in the family. Jenna is the less pretty/more drinking/less intelligent/ of Bush’s twins. She is said to take after her father.

“Jenna Bush, one of President Bush’s twin daughters, is engaged to be married to her long-time boyfriend, Henry Hager, the White House announced Thursday.

“No wedding date has been set for Jenna’s wedding to Hager, said Sally McDonough, press secretary for first lady Laura Bush. The two were engaged on Wednesday.

“Hager, who is attending the University of Virginia School of Business, has been a White House aide and worked on Bush’s re-election campaign. He is the son of Mr. and Mrs. John H. Hager of Richmond, Va. The groom-to-be’s father is a former lieutenant governor in Virginia and former director of Virginia’s Office of Commonwealth Preparedness.

“The younger Hager has been dating Jenna, 25, for several years, and is often seen with her at family Bush functions and formal events, such as a White House dinner in November 2005 in honor of Britain’s Prince Charles and his wife, Camilla, Duchess of Cornwall.”

[From the Associated Press]

Shunning the family’s long preference for Ivy League schools, Jenna attended the University of Texas at Austin – supposedly because, even as a president’s daughter, she couldn’t get in to his alma matter. Jenna also takes after her father, having two arrests related to underage drinking in April 2001 and trying to use a fake ID to buy alcohol in May of 2001. She pleaded no contest to both. Jenna has reformed a bit since graduating from college. She’s worked in the Washington DC public school system, written a book (I would assume it’s ghostwritten, but who knows) and worked for UNICEF. According to Wikipedia “She is currently teaching at a shelter several days a week as part of an internship for UNICEF’s Educational Policy Department in Latin America, specifically in Panama.”

Jenna came in at a respectable 17th in FHM’s “Most eligible Bachelorette” competition. The criteria included wealth and looks. I would have found this all a lot more interesting if she was marrying someone with a little more kick to him than Karl Rove’s former employee. I know the Bush twins have rebelled a bit in their own way, but wouldn’t that have been a lot better?

Picture note by JayBird: Header image is Jenna Bush at Book Expo 2007 in February. Image thanks to WENN.