And I'm deeply disappointed and I'm sure the American people will be too. But it wasn't always used as a bedroom. It refers to the alleged selling of overnight stays in the Lincoln Bedroom in the White House in return for political campaign contributions. First Lady Michelle Obama said, "We don’t allow guests to stay in this room anymore. When the White House was gutted and rebuilt during the Truman administration, this room was rebuilt and rededicated to Abraham Lincoln.

When Abraham Lincoln was president, it was used as his personal office and Cabinet room.

But, in the first sweeping rethink of the Lincoln Bedroom in at least three decades, the timid lemon walls, celery-green curtains and pale floral carpet are being banished in favor of a blast of Victorian bliss. Finally, in 1945, under Harry Truman's direction the Lincoln bed and accompanying furniture were moved in, and the "Lincoln Study" became the Lincoln Bedroom. It too has been sent for gilding. "[2], Fellow Republican and Senate Majority Leader Trent Lott called for the naming of an Independent Counsel to investigate the matter. Named for Abraham Lincoln and used by him as an office, this room is known for alleged ghost sightings. [4], 1996 United States campaign finance controversy, United States House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform, An Invitation to the White House: At Home with History, United States Senate election in New York, 2000, Hillary Clinton presidential campaign, 2016, "Clinton Ok'd Using Lincoln Bedroom for Contributors", "President Had Big Role in Setting Donor Perks", "The Lincoln Bedroom Is Still Paying Dividends", "Cuccinelli overstates McAuliffe's role in Lincoln Bedroom scandal", "AllPolitics - Bedroom Bucks - Feb. 26, 1997", "Worse Than Watergate? In 1868, Elizabeth (Lizzy) Hobbs Keckly (also spelled Keckley) published her memoir Behind the Scenes or Thirty Years a Slave, and... Every administration brings their own personality to the White House, particularly when it comes to the look and feel of... How many weddings have been held at the White House?

It occurred in the context of the larger and somewhat separately focused 1996 United States campaign finance controversy.

[11], The matter came up in the 2000 United States presidential election when the Republican nominee, the Governor of Texas George W. Bush, witicized during a general election debate, "I think they’ve moved that line the buck stops here’ from the Oval Office to … the Lincoln Bedroom. [1], In response, documents were released by the Clinton administration in February 1997.

[5] This investigation concluded that the overnights were "an important means by which the DNC raised funds from contributors. Bush.

The popular reference to it as the "Lincoln bed" is derived not from its use by the Lincolns, but from its acquisition during their occupancy of the White House. "[2][4] A Washington Post report stated that: "Clinton personally authorized a variety of perks for top party contributors, including golf games and morning jogs with him and overnight stays in the Lincoln Bedroom ..."[3] McAuliffe would later refer to this sardonically as "the infamous Lincoln Bedroom Memo". During the Truman renovation, the room was furnished in the Victorian style, incorporating several Lincoln-era pieces of furniture, including a rosewood bed purchased by First Lady Mary Todd Lincoln for placement in a White House guest room. [11], When Hillary Clinton ran for senator in 2000, her opponent, Rick Lazio, used the controversy to rebuke Clinton in a debate, saying "please, no lectures from Motel 1600 on campaign finance reform.

It was again a bedroom under FDR -- where adviser Harry Hopkins and his wartime bride Louise lived -- but the Lincoln bed was not yet in place. Native American Delegations, Diplomacy, and Protests at the…. Two elaborate cornices such as might have topped windows in Lincoln's day have been carved and sent to the gilders. The Lincoln Bedroom in 2007, looking southeast (Newsweek - Gary Fabiano).

The Lincoln Bedroom in 2009, from inside the closet (Christopher Morris), The Lincoln Bedroom in 2007, looking southwest (Newsweek - Gary Fabiano), The Lincoln Bedroom in 2007, looking northwest (Newsweek - Gary Fabiano), The Lincoln Bedroom in 2007 (Joshua Feltman), The Lincoln Bedroom in 2005 (White House Historical Association), The Lincoln Bedroom, circa 2001 (White House), The Lincoln Bedroom, circa 1999 (White House Historical Association), The Lincoln Bedroom, circa 1996 (Howard Tullman), Another view of the Lincoln Bedroom in 1992 (HABS), The Lincoln Bedroom's closet, 1992 (HABS), The Lincoln Bedroom in 1963 (Kennedy Library), The Lincoln Bedroom in 1962, looking north (Kennedy Library - Robert Knudsen), The Lincoln Bedroom in 1962, looking southeast (Kennedy Library - Robert Knudsen), The Lincoln Bedroom in 1960 (Kennedy Library), The Lincoln Bedroom in 1952, after the Truman reconstruction, looking southeast (Truman Library), The Lincoln Bedroom in 1952, after the Truman reconstruction, looking southwest (Truman Library), The Lincoln Bedroom in 1947, before the Truman reconstruction (Truman Library), The Lincoln Bedroom in 1947, before the Truman reconstruction (Truman Library), The room as a study around 1930; note the Washington Monument through the window (NARA), Hoover with French Premier Pierre Laval in the Lincoln Study in 1931 (Time | Erich Salomon), The room as a study around 1930, looking northeast (NARA), The room as a study around 1930, looking west (NARA), The room as the president's study in 1930, after the Hoover refurbishing (White House Historical Association - Hoover Library), The Jackson bed (now in the Queens' Bedroom) in the room when it was first turned into a bedroom by the first Roosevelts, circa 1904, The room as the president's study just before being turned into a bedroom by the first Roosevelts, circa 1903, Secretary of State John Hay with Spanish diplomats at the Resolute desk Lou Hoover turned it into a parlor and filled it with Lincoln furnishings. The massive rosewood bed known as the "Lincoln Bed" is believed to have been purchased by Mrs. Lincoln in 1861 for use in the principal guest bedroom of the White House. Before the construction of the West Wing in 1902, this room was used as either an office or a meeting room for the president's Cabinet.

in President McKinley's office in 1899 (Library of Congress - Frances Benjamin Johnston), President McKinley's office, circa 1898 (Library of Congress), President McKinley at the Resolute desk, around 1897 (The Presidents), The Lincoln Bedroom as Grover Cleveland's office, around 1896 (The Presidents), The room as Harrison's office, after electrifications (with bare fixture hanging over the desk), around 1892 (The Presidents), The Lincoln Bedroom as Benjamin Harrison's office in 1889 (White House Historical Association [Library of Congress]), Newspaper etching of Andrew Johnson being served his impeachment summons in his office in 1868 (New York Public Library), Etching of the room after being redecorated by Mrs. Patterson during the Johnson administration, circa 1867, Abraham Lincoln in his office, circa 1863, Etching of the Lincoln Bedroom as the Lincoln "Council Room," circa 1862 (Library of Congress), An etching of the first reading of the Emancipation Proclamation with the Cabinet in 1862 (Library of Congress), An etching of the room as president's office around 1856.

What is the Resolute Desk and where did it come from? Pulling Back the Curtain on the Executive Mansion, A Reflection of Culture, Values, and Achievements, A History of Activism in Lafayette Square. "[11] However as it happened Bush had engaged in a similar practice with visitors to the Texas Governor's Mansion.