As reported by The Washington Post and elsewhere, "Teresa Heinz Kerry told a newspaper she doesn’t know if Laura Bush has ever had ‘a real job.’ She apologized Wednesday for having forgotten about the first lady’s 10-year stint as a schoolteacher and librarian." This gaffe reminds me of the former-page’s claim of “I was a librarian” in his election ad.
Update: 10/21 12:53 EST by B:Laura Bush says, “No apology needed” AP.
A favour…
Would someone do me a favour and remind Terry Kerry (I bet she hates being called that.) that it’s her husband running for president and not her? For once in her life, this actually isn’t about her this time around. It kinda reminds me of something my grandpa used to say, he used to say “Will you shut the hell up, dammit!”
Keep in mind this is coming from a Kerry supporter. I support John, not his wife. After all, his wife isn’t running for anything.
Re:A favour…
You say that as if she had a choice. Dr. Dean–the other Dr. Dean, Judy Dean, tried to opt out of her husband’s campaign and got trashed in thenews media for it. Actually treating patients in her long-standing medical practice wasn’t a good enough reason to explain her unnatural behavior in not taking an active part in her husband’s political career instead.
First Ladies and prospective First Ladies get worked over badly no matter what they do, but if they don’t participate in the campaign, it’s treated as proof of a bad marriage and thus probably serious character weakness on the part of their husbands. Staying out of it isn’t an option; trying to put forward a different personality for the campaign wouldn’t help her.
Oh, and the question and _complete_ quote from Heinz Kerry in the USA Today interview:
Q: You’d be different from Laura Bush?
A: Well, you know, I don’t know Laura Bush. But she seems to be calm, and she has a sparkle in her eye, which is good. But I don’t know that she’s ever had a real job — I mean, since she’s been grown up. So her experience and her validation comes from important things, but different things. And I’m older, and my validation of what I do and what I believe and my experience is a little bit bigger — because I’m older, and I’ve had different experiences. And it’s not a criticism of her. It’s just, you know, what life is about.