Daily US Times: The Wall Street Journal has come under a torrent of criticism and denunciation for publishing a “sexist” opinion article that calls the first lady-in-waiting, Jill Biden, “kiddo”, and questions her right to use “Dr” in front of her name.
The article was written by Joseph Epstein, a former adjunct professor at Northwestern University. It purports to offer Biden “a bit of advice”. Opening on the provocative note of calling her “Madame (sic) First Lady – Mrs Biden – Jill – kiddo”, Mr Epstein goes on to recommend that she drop the honorific of “Dr” before her name.
Epstein writes: “‘Dr Jill Biden’ sounds and feels fraudulent, not to say a touch comic.”
The Northwestern University professor justifies his condescension towards her title on grounds that it referred to an “Ed D – a doctor of education, earned at the University of Delaware”.
Jill Biden tweeted on Sunday night: “Together, we will build a world where the accomplishments of our daughters will be celebrated, rather than diminished.”
Elizabeth Alexander, Biden’s director of communications, denounced the piece as “sexist and shameful.” Biden’s spokesperson in the transition team, Michael LaRosa, went further and demanded an apology, saying the Wall Street Journal should be embarrassed by the “sexist attack.”
Over the weekend, a groundswell of criticism built into a tidal wave over the haughtiness of the piece and its racism and sexism, such as where the author suggests as a simile for rarity the phrase: “Rarer than a contemporary university honorary-degree list not containing an African-American woman”.
Former First Lady Hillary Clinton put her reaction most pithily: “Her name is Dr Jill Biden. Get used to it.”
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