Backlash After WSJ Op-Ed Calls Future First Lady 'Kiddo'

Sunday, December 13, 2020

An opinion writer's suggestion that the next US First Lady Jill Biden should stop referring to herself as "Dr" has sparked an angry reaction online. Joseph Epstein called Jill Biden "kiddo", comparing her doctorate in education to an honorary degree. "'Dr Jill Biden' sounds and feels fraudulent, not to say a touch comic," he wrote in the Wall Street Journal. But social media users argued that the article reflected sexist attitudes faced by many women in academia.

Posted by REDIAL at 03:30 PM | 30 COMMENTS | permalink | Comment on This Entry |

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Jill Biden, who uses her academic title on her Twitter profile, received her doctorate in 2007 from the University of Delaware. She wrote her dissertation on student retention in community colleges. She also holds two master's degrees and will be one of the most-educated presidential spouses in US history when her husband takes office in January.

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The only PhDs I've ever met who referred to themselves as doctor were in an academic setting, which I never understood because they're pretty much all PhDs anyway, or quacks in infomercials peddling snake oil.

It seems pompous to me, TBH, like when dentists insist on being called doctor. But whatever...

#1 | Posted by censored at 2020-12-13 02:17 PM | Reply

#1 | Posted by censored

On this subject, you don't know ---- from shinola.

They put in the effort, the hard work, became an educated expert in their chosen field.

They deserve the title and the credit, nothing "pompous" about it.

#2 | Posted by Angrydad at 2020-12-13 03:12 PM | Reply | Newsworthy 3

Darn those uppity first ladies...
I guess they prefer that she keep an astrologer on the payroll like Nanc-eh Reagoon.

#3 | Posted by RightisTrite at 2020-12-13 04:00 PM | Reply | Funny: 1

You seem a little angry Dad... :)

I've never called a PhD doctor in my life. I wouldn't call Rand Paul, MD doctor either. Guess I'm not into that sort of thing.

Anywho, this all smacks of the same outrage over Hillary with the Rodham. Hopefully the Dems remember to focus on the stuff that's actually important to their constituents instead of this nonsense.

#4 | Posted by censored at 2020-12-13 04:07 PM | Reply

F--- that sexist old man. He's the same guy who back in 2016 said if Hillary Clinton was elected she would be an affirmative action president. He's also in the past lamented the loss of power in America of WASP's. He's proof that you can have all of the education in the world and still be dumb as hell.

#5 | Posted by johnny_hotsauce at 2020-12-13 04:14 PM | Reply | Newsworthy 1

It seems pompous to me, TBH, like when dentists insist on being called doctor. But whatever...
#1 | POSTED BY CENSORED

You sound like you have earned zero degrees in your time on this earth, and you're proud of it.
But whatever...

#6 | Posted by snoofy at 2020-12-13 04:16 PM | Reply

Oops, I forgot something:

#7 | Posted by snoofy at 2020-12-13 04:18 PM | Reply

That was one pos editorial.

#8 | Posted by Yodagirl at 2020-12-13 04:51 PM | Reply

This editorial really trolled the libs.

And it also shows us that Trumpism is here to stay.

Trumpism has now been endorsed by America's unofficial spokesman for Capitalism itself, the Wall Street Journal.

#9 | Posted by snoofy at 2020-12-13 05:23 PM | Reply | Newsworthy 1

Good to see the left has learned their lesson about focusing too much on being the word police and scaring away swing voters.

Oh wait nevermind.

Stop whining about words and names and fight for the working class. No one is going move from swing/republican voter to dem voter based on dems constantly whining about what is offensive to who and why.

#10 | Posted by SpeakSoftly at 2020-12-13 06:46 PM | Reply | Newsworthy 4

WSJ PRINTS OP-ED BY CRUSTY OLD GRANDPA WHO SAYS CRUSTY OLD GRANDPA *H**

#11 | Posted by hamburglar at 2020-12-13 07:41 PM | Reply

#10 | Posted by SpeakSoftly at 2020-12-13 06:46 PM | Reply

THIS

#12 | Posted by Alexandrite at 2020-12-13 08:47 PM | Reply

"She also holds two master's degrees and will be one of the most-educated presidential spouses in US history when her husband takes office in January."

#13 | Posted by AMERICANUNITY at 2020-12-13 10:18 PM | Reply | Newsworthy 1

I've got a PhD, believe it or not. I do not and have never insisted that people call me Dr.

Very few fellow PhD scientists do. I only have heard it at conferences or from undergrads addressing me for the first time.

Having said that, belittling someone for using the title of Dr. that they have rightly earned is boorish, as much as flashing my PhD by insisting on the title would feel arrogant to me.

#14 | Posted by dibblda at 2020-12-14 03:45 AM | Reply | Newsworthy 1

Did this guy object to:
Dr. Henry Kissinger?
Dr. Sabastian Gorka?
Dr. Condoleezza Rice?

No?
Wonder why? Curious minds want to know.

#15 | Posted by oldwhiskeysour at 2020-12-14 10:14 AM | Reply

dems constantly whining about what is offensive to who and why.
#10 | POSTED BYSPEAKSOFTLY

This article is not an offended Dem whining.

Is Dem whining why Washington and Cleveland are changing team names?

And you think that's bad? Too much change, too fast, just to appease whiners?

I guess the racist statues should stay up too, since only Dem whiners can tell you why we're offended by them.

#16 | Posted by snoofy at 2020-12-14 10:21 AM | Reply

"Did this guy object to:
Dr. Henry Kissinger?
Dr. Sabastian Gorka?
Dr. Condoleezza Rice?
No?
Wonder why?"

Oh, SpeaksSoftly know the answer to that one:
Because he's not a Dem Whiner.

#17 | Posted by snoofy at 2020-12-14 10:23 AM | Reply

While I agree with Speak about saving our bullets for bigger fights in general, this reeks of Mad Men level sexism. That, along with the anti-intellectualism this op-ed espouses, having an outraged reaction on this particular issue is absolutely justified.

She is Doctor Jill Biden. That is how she calls herself.

It's no worse than pretending not to know how to pronounce Kamala Harris's name. It needs to be nipped in the bud.

#18 | Posted by bocaink at 2020-12-14 12:41 PM | Reply | Newsworthy 1

It's about denying Dr. Biden's identity.

The goal is to deny the identity of arguably one of the most important women in America.

It sends a message to all women in America, that men will decide what you are called.

And maybe, just maybe, SpeaksWithAMouthFullOfOldLimpWhiteD---s would whine about it too, if it happened to him.

#19 | Posted by snoofy at 2020-12-14 12:59 PM | Reply

It's no worse than pretending not to know how to pronounce Kamala Harris's name. It needs to be nipped in the bud.

#18 | Posted by bocaink

Yeah because when dems say repubs are doing something bad, that makes republicans stop doing it. hahahaha

#20 | Posted by SpeakSoftly at 2020-12-14 10:18 PM | Reply

...that makes republicans stop doing it.

No, it just points out that they're --------. Small moves.

#21 | Posted by REDIAL at 2020-12-14 10:28 PM | Reply

No, it just points out that they're --------. Small moves.

#21 | Posted by REDIAL

Right because the electorate has been so good about punishing republicans when they're --------. By electing them.

#22 | Posted by SpeakSoftly at 2020-12-14 11:37 PM | Reply

"Right because the electorate has been so good about punishing republicans when they're --------. By electing them."

Can you just stop whining?

#23 | Posted by snoofy at 2020-12-14 11:40 PM | Reply | Funny: 1

Can you just stop whining?

I doubt it.

#24 | Posted by REDIAL at 2020-12-14 11:41 PM | Reply

"one of the most-educated presidential spouses in US history" and that offends some Rs. Women are supposed to be barefoot, pregnant, and in the kitchen.

#25 | Posted by SomebodyElse at 2020-12-15 11:50 AM | Reply

Re: #25

Hillary Clinton and Michelle Obama being highly educated offended some Rs as well. former WV official called Michelle Obama an ape in heels... jailed, for fraud

#26 | Posted by hamburglar at 2020-12-15 12:00 PM | Reply

"Right because the electorate has been so good about punishing republicans when they're --------. By electing them."

Can you just stop whining?

#23 | Posted by snoofy

As soon as dems decide they want to start winning.

Watching dems say that _____ will show repubs how bad they are and make them change, only proves that dems aren't even living in reality, and will continue to lose because of it.

#27 | Posted by SpeakSoftly at 2020-12-15 12:26 PM | Reply

They put in the effort, the hard work, became an educated expert in their chosen field.
They deserve the title and the credit, nothing "pompous" about it.

#2 | POSTED BY ANGRYDAD

By that logic, my plumber is a Doctor.

#28 | Posted by bogey1355 at 2020-12-15 02:52 PM | Reply

former WV official called Michelle Obama an ape in heels

Doesn't mean she's racist, sheesh!
-Moderate Republicans

By that logic, my plumber is a Doctor.
#28

No, only if your plumber has a doctoral degree would your plumber be a doctor.
Logic fail.

#29 | Posted by schifferbrains at 2020-12-15 03:03 PM | Reply | Newsworthy 1

#27 "As soon as dems decide they want to start winning."

When Dems decide they want to start winning they will find 49 other Stacy Abrams. Dems have won the popular vote in 7 of the last 8 elections at the presidential level. The Republicans have 100s of Stacy Abrams in their ranks doing the grunt work at the local level, and then maneuvering the gears of power towards their side. When Democrats match that effort, that's how they win. It's proven.

Fortunately they have seen the blueprint for pushing turnout and hopefully learned lessons about the "Latino Vote" myth. That's the truth no matter how much you want to believe it to be something else.

It has nothing to do with alienating moderates that you so wish to happen.

#30 | Posted by bocaink at 2020-12-16 09:59 AM | Reply