The editorial page editor for the Wall Street Journal defended an op-ed published last week that sparked backlash for calling on Jill Biden to stop referring to herself as “Dr. Biden” because she does not hold a medical degree.
“These pages aren’t going to stop publishing provocative essays merely because they offend the new administration or the political censors in the media and academe. And since it’s a time to heal, we’ll give the Biden crowd a mulligan for their attacks on us,” Paul A. Gigot, the paper’s editorial page editor, wrote in a response opinion piece published Sunday.
Gigot’s response comes after the Friday publication of an op-ed from Joseph Epstein, titled, “Is There a Doctor in the White House? Not if You Need an M.D.” The op-ed has been slammed as “misogynistic” and a “repugnant display of chauvinism” as Biden has earned two master’s degrees and a doctorate in education.
“Madame First Lady — Mrs. Biden — Jill — kiddo,” Epstein began the piece. “Any chance you might drop the ‘Dr.’ before your name? ‘Dr. Jill Biden’ sounds and feels fraudulent, not to say a touch comic.”
However, Gigot defended Epstein’s piece and said it appears the president-elect’s team orchestrated a coordinated response when it was published.
“Why go to such lengths to highlight a single op-ed on a relatively minor issue? My guess is that the Biden team concluded it was a chance to use the big gun of identity politics to send a message to critics as it prepares to take power. There’s nothing like playing the race or gender card to stifle criticism. It’s the left’s version of Donald Trump’s ‘enemy of the people’ tweets,” Gigot wrote.
“Mrs. Biden is now America’s most prominent doctorate holder and is taking a leading role in education policy,” he added. “She can’t be off-limits for commentary.”
Biden responded to Epstein’s piece this weekend, saying on Twitter, “Together, we will build a world where the accomplishments of our daughters will be celebrated, rather than diminished.”
Together, we will build a world where the accomplishments of our daughters will be celebrated, rather than diminished.
— Dr. Jill Biden (@DrBiden) December 14, 2020
