"I had this odd sibling rivalry with America"

Patti Davis's quote speaks with the complex relationship between her and her dad, former President Ronald Reagan. She was the daughter of an effective and influential man, and as such, she felt a particular pressure to measure up to her dad's expectations. This quote suggests that she felt a sense of competition with her daddy's country, America, as if she remained in a brother or sister competition with it. She felt that she had to prove herself to her dad and to the nation, which she remained in competition with America for her dad's attention and approval. This quote speaks to the unique experience of being the kid of a president, and the pressure that includes it. It likewise talks to the complex relationship between a daddy and daughter, and the battle to discover one's own identity in the shadow of a powerful parent.