Jill Biden and the Doctoring of Doctoral Degrees for Nondoctors

[mystery-ak]

Jill Biden and the Doctoring of Doctoral Degrees for Nondoctors
Feb 17, 2021 Terry Stoops

“I’m hoping Dr. Jill becomes the surgeon general, his wife. Joe Biden’s wife. She would never do it, but, yeah, she’s a hell of a doctor. She’s an amazing doctor,” proclaimed actress and co-host of The View Whoopi Goldberg last March.

After someone alerted Whoopi to the fact that “Dr. Jill” has a doctor of education (EdD) degree from the University of Delaware and not a medical degree, Goldberg apologized. “I was wrong about his wife. I was wrong, before you start texting and emailing,” she said.

Starting with Goldberg’s slip-up in March and ending with Joseph Epstein’s Wall Street Journal op-ed asking Biden to “drop the doc” in December, Jill Biden’s ubiquitous presence on the national stage during the 2020 presidential election revived long-standing debates about the use of the “Dr.” honorific and the academic degrees that underlie it.

What does the honorific mean in an era of mass credentialing and low academic standards?

In a syrupy profile published in the spring 2007 issue of Wilmington, Delaware lifestyle magazine Brandywine Signature, Jill Biden recounts her delight after returning home from defending her dissertation and finding two signs in the yard waiting for her: “Congratulations Dr. Jacobs-Biden” and “Dr. and Senator Biden Live Here.”

Everywhere the Bidens traveled, the titles went with them. Presumably, Senator Biden’s team considered Dr. Jill’s honorific to be so politically expedient that it became a prominent feature of every one of his campaigns, starting with his unsuccessful attempt to obtain the Democratic nomination for president in 2008. Until recently, only one writer dared to question their comically excessive use of the title.

In early 2009, Los Angeles Times opinion columnist Robin Abcarian noticed that campaign news releases and subsequent White House announcements persistently referred to her as “Dr. Jill Biden.” She asked fellow journalists and academics to weigh in.

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https://www.jamesgmartin.center/2021/02/jill-biden-and-the-doctoring-of-doctoral-degrees-for-nondoctors/

[Victoria33]

The first doctors in the world were Ph.D. doctors, called "Dr."; there were no medical doctors at that time.  Later, medical doctors came about and they were called "Dr."

So she has the rightful use of "Dr."  If you went to a university, you had "Drs." instructing your classes.  They are not being trashed for being called "Dr.", so why is Jill being attacked?

[Cyber Liberty]

The first doctors in the world were Ph.D. doctors, called "Dr."; there were no medical doctors at that time.  Later, medical doctors came about and they were called "Dr."

So she has the rightful use of "Dr."  If you went to a university, you had "Drs." instructing your classes.  They are not being trashed for being called "Dr.", so why is Jill being attacked?

Leftists have been declaring her a "Medical Doctor" (see the Whoopi quotes above).  Since we are not contemporary to when there were no medical doctors, it's improper to use the honorific for an Educational decree today.

Sugar coating it won't work.

[Sled Dog]

The first doctors in the world were Ph.D. doctors, called "Dr."; there were no medical doctors at that time.  Later, medical doctors came about and they were called "Dr."

So she has the rightful use of "Dr."  If you went to a university, you had "Drs." instructing your classes.  They are not being trashed for being called "Dr.", so why is Jill being attacked?

Because she has a doctorate in education, which is not much different than getting a PhD in basket weaving.

She's pretending to be something special, and clearly that's just not so, ask Joe.

American's aren't impressed with empty degrees, really.

[Wingnut]

The first doctors in the world were Ph.D. doctors, called "Dr."; there were no medical doctors at that time.  Later, medical doctors came about and they were called "Dr."

So she has the rightful use of "Dr."  If you went to a university, you had "Drs." instructing your classes.  They are not being trashed for being called "Dr.", so why is Jill being attacked?

The Scarecrow received an advanced degree. A ThD – Doctor of Thinkology.  A degree more important than the sheepskin Jill baby talks about. 

[IsailedawayfromFR]

The first doctors in the world were Ph.D. doctors, called "Dr."; there were no medical doctors at that time.  Later, medical doctors came about and they were called "Dr."

So she has the rightful use of "Dr."  If you went to a university, you had "Drs." instructing your classes.  They are not being trashed for being called "Dr.", so why is Jill being attacked?

Are you speaking of witch doctors?

I seem to recall they began somewhere on the African plains, so your history is likely correct.

[mountaineer]

When my newspaper reporting job began many years ago, my editor instructed me that only medical doctors (including dentists and veterinarians) were to be referred to as "Dr." For example, I'd write "Dr. Joe Smith, medical director at Whatsit Hospital ..."

Writing about a person with a Ph.D. or Ed.D., it was simply, "Joe Smith, biology professor."

I understand Jill got her Ed.D. via online classes. Is that true? Or did she really get it in a box of Cracker Jack?

[Cyber Liberty]

When my newspaper reporting job began many years ago, my editor instructed me that only medical doctors (including dentists and veterinarians) were to be referred to as "Dr." For example, I'd write "Dr. Joe Smith, medical director at Whatsit Hospital ..."

Writing about a person with a Ph.D. or Ed.D., it was simply, "Joe Smith, biology professor."

I understand Jill got her Ed.D. via online classes. Is that true? Or did she really get it in a box of Cracker Jack?

Judging from the illiterate Doctoral Thesis, I'd say Cracker Jack.

Back in my working life, I was surrounded by PhD folks, in Electrical Engineering.  About 10X more difficult to earn than Mrs. Biteme's degree.  None of them liked the title "Doctor," even though their business cards had the title before their names.

While they preferred to be called "Engineers," they were classified as "Scientists" by HR.

[catfish1957]

The first doctors in the world were Ph.D. doctors, called "Dr."; there were no medical doctors at that time.  Later, medical doctors came about and they were called "Dr."

So she has the rightful use of "Dr."  If you went to a university, you had "Drs." instructing your classes.  They are not being trashed for being called "Dr.", so why is Jill being attacked?

I avoided getting a phD and joining academica, because a good chunk of non-MD Dr.'s have complexes where they have to self absorb for a little extra bit of respect and prestige.  I just didn't want that lot as coworkers.  Normal professors prefer leaving the "Dr." designation on campus. It's the one's who bask and relish the "Dr." label out of the work area like Jill Biden who are the problem.  Sadly, 90% don't realize that they are being laughed at.

[mountaineer]

I earned a Juris Doctor degree. First person to call me "Dr." gets a poke in the eye. 

[PeteS in CA]

Addressing folks with non-medical PhDs as "Dr." is common in academia, but much less so among normal people. At my very first employer (summer job while in high school) the R & D guy was referred to as "Dr." ("Dr. Smith", believe it or not, but no Will Robinson among the staff).

[Sled Dog]

Judging from the illiterate Doctoral Thesis, I'd say Cracker Jack.

Back in my working life, I was surrounded by PhD folks, in Electrical Engineering.  About 10X more difficult to earn than Mrs. Biteme's degree.  None of them liked the title "Doctor," even though their business cards had the title before their names.

While they preferred to be called "Engineers," they were classified as "Scientists" by HR.

Engineers don't like the "doctor" nonsense.   

We had one dynamicist, named Ray, who came in one day with his hair dyed purple.  He was Ultra-Violet Ray that day.   His office was littered with toys, and an imaginary kid would spell out naughty words with the blocks.   He was a good guy, always donating money to those international children's funds.

And engineers are not scientists.

Scientists seek out what's there in nature to be found.

Engineers build what has never existed before.

[Cyber Liberty]

Engineers don't like the "doctor" nonsense.   

We had one dynamicist, named Ray, who came in one day with his hair dyed purple.  He was Ultra-Violet Ray that day.   His office was littered with toys, and an imaginary kid would spell out naughty words with the blocks.   He was a good guy, always donating money to those international children's funds.

And engineers are not scientists.

Scientists seek out what's there in nature to be found.

Engineers build what has never existed before.

The folks I worked with in R&D worked with the Physics (and Chemistry) of Semiconductors.  That's a lot of both, and I considered it a pleasure to be at that edge of the technology with them.

[sneakypete]

The first doctors in the world were Ph.D. doctors, called "Dr."; there were no medical doctors at that time.  Later, medical doctors came about and they were called "Dr."

So she has the rightful use of "Dr."  If you went to a university, you had "Drs." instructing your classes.  They are not being trashed for being called "Dr.", so why is Jill being attacked?

@Victoria33

Because she is a pompous ass who has been implying she is a REAL doctor,and since she has never taught college,she shouldn't even be telling people she is an academic doctor.

The few academic doctors I have met or known never tried to push their "Dr credentials". They identified themselves as professors unless they were authoring a formal research paper of some sort,or responding to one.

[sneakypete]

Leftists have been declaring her a "Medical Doctor" (see the Whoopi quotes above).  Since we are not contemporary to when there were no medical doctors, it's improper to use the honorific for an Educational decree today.

Sugar coating it won't work.

@Cyber Liberty

Whoopie made her mark in Show Biz by implying she was Jewish so comedy clubs would hire her. I watched and listened to her explain how she got her career kick-started by doing this on teebee one day. Said she was having no luck at all getting comedy club owners/managers to hire her as Karen Johnson,her real name,and since according to her "most comedy club owners are Jewish,I changed my name to Whoopie Goldberg,and started getting gigs after writing comedy club mangers about employment. When I got there they usually tried to get out of paying me because I was black and not Jewish,but I told them they agreed to pay Whoopie Goldberg to show up at their clubs and do comedy skits,and I WAS Whoopie Goldberg and that if they didn't want me to perform that was fine,but they WERE going to pay me. Suddenly they decided I COULD get up on stage and do my act after all. Eventually I gathered a following,and my not being Jewish wasn't that big of a deal anymore."

[Cyber Liberty]

@Victoria33

Because she is a pompous ass who has been implying she is a REAL doctor,and since she has never taught college,she shouldn't even be telling people she is an academic doctor.

The few academic doctors I have met or known never tried to push their "Dr credentials". They identified themselves as professors unless they were authoring a formal research paper of some sort,or responding to one.

In college I had exactly one professor who insisted on being called "Dr."  He was the most insufferable and incompetent prof in the University.  He earned the laughingstock label.

[Cyber Liberty]

@Cyber Liberty

Whoopie made her mark in Show Biz by implying she was Jewish so comedy clubs would hire her. I watched and listened to her explain how she got her career kick-started by doing this on teebee one day. Said she was having no luck at all getting comedy club owners/managers to hire her as Karen Johnson,her real name,and since according to her "most comedy club owners are Jewish,I changed my name to Whoopie Goldberg,and started getting gigs after writing comedy club mangers about employment. When I got there they usually tried to get out of paying me because I was black and not Jewish,but I told them they agreed to pay Whoopie Goldberg to show up at their clubs and do comedy skits,and I WAS Whoopie Goldberg and that if they didn't want me to perform that was fine,but they WERE going to pay me. Suddenly they decided I COULD get up on stage and do my act after all. Eventually I gathered a following,and my not being Jewish wasn't that big of a deal anymore."

I'll give her this one thing:  When she hit it big, she repaid all the welfare she received back to the state.  With interest.  I don't know what it was that happened to her after that, because she shows no sign of a conscience now....

[mountaineer]

Because she is a pompous ass who has been implying she is a REAL doctor,and since she has never taught college,she shouldn't even be telling people she is an academic doctor.

[Victoria33]

@Victoria33
Because she is a pompous ass who has been implying she is a REAL doctor,and since she has never taught college,she shouldn't even be telling people she is an academic doctor.
The few academic doctors I have met or known never tried to push their "Dr credentials". They identified themselves as professors unless they were authoring a formal research paper of some sort,or responding to one.

@sneakypete

She teaches at a Jr. College.  Professors at a Jr. College mainly have their Ph.D.

[sneakypete]

@sneakypete

She teaches at a Jr. College.  Professors at a Jr. College mainly have their Ph.D.

@Victoria33

Big freaking deal. *I* am qualified to teach at a Jr College,and was qualified even before I got my GED.

[Wingnut]

@sneakypete

She teaches at a Jr. College.  Professors at a Jr. College mainly have their Ph.D.

People who teach at JUCO's are people who couldn't get a job at Wally World.

[libertybele]

I could care less about Jill Biden. To let your husband who clearly has dementia continue to make a fool out of himself in public for your own self ambitions is shameful.  She is even more despicable then her husband, Sloe Joe Biteme. 

Her title means nothing to me; big freakin' deal.  All that matters to her is she is now considered the FLOTUS because of a stolen election.  Isn't that just grand? Neither she nor SJB (Sloe Joe Biteme) have any moral character.

[libertybele]

People who teach at JUCO's are people who couldn't get a job at Wally World.

No worries, they can still get part time jobs at Mickey D's. 

[Wingnut]

No worries, they can still get part time jobs at Mickey D's. 

Not unless they can repair the automated burger flipping machines and order kiosks!!

[sneakypete]

No worries, they can still get part time jobs at Mickey D's. 

f

@libertybele

Don't knock the Mickey D jobs. They will soon be paying people (well,registered voters from the Dim Plantation,anyway) 20 bucks an hour to sit around picking their noses because no potential customer will be able to afford to pay what a Big Mac will cost.