# Teresa Heinz Kerry implies being a teacher is not a real job ? **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [October 20, 2004, 5:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/teresa-heinz-kerry-implies-being-a-teacher-is-not-a-real-job/270241 "2004-10-20T17:03:57Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Kel\_Varnsen\_Latex\_Division](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/aeb1de/32.png) [@Kel\_Varnsen\_Latex\_Division](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kel_Varnsen_Latex_Division)\ **Post date:** [October 20, 2004, 5:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/teresa-heinz-kerry-implies-being-a-teacher-is-not-a-real-job/270241/1 "2004-10-20T17:03:57Z")
> [@](#): > > 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. > [@](#): > > Laura Bush was born on November 4, 1946, in Midland, Texas, to Harold and Jenna Welch. Inspired by her second grade teacher, she earned a bachelor of science degree in education from Southern Methodist University in 1968. She then taught in public schools in Dallas and Houston. In 1973 she earned a master of library science degree from the University of Texas at Austin and worked as a public school librarian in Austin. In 1977 she met and married George Walker Bush. They are the parents of twin daughters, Barbara and Jenna, who are named for their grandmothers. I guess being a teacher is not a real job to Teresa Heinz Kerry. Maybe someone should tell her about how teachers and school librarians work and how much good they do. [http://usatoday.printthis.clickability.com/pt/cpt?action=cpt&title=USATODAY.com+-+The+real+running+mates&expire=&urlID=12008716&fb=Y&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.usatoday.com%2Fnews%2Fpoliticselections%2F2004-10-19-teresa\_x.htm&partnerID=1660](http://usatoday.printthis.clickability.com/pt/cpt?action=cpt&title=USATODAY.com+-+The+real+running+mates&expire=&urlID=12008716&fb=Y&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.usatoday.com%2Fnews%2Fpoliticselections%2F2004-10-19-teresa_x.htm&partnerID=1660) [http://www.whitehouse.gov/firstlady/flbio.html](http://www.whitehouse.gov/firstlady/flbio.html) ---
**Author:** ![Marley23](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@Marley23](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marley23)\ **Post date:** [October 20, 2004, 5:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/teresa-heinz-kerry-implies-being-a-teacher-is-not-a-real-job/270241/2 "2004-10-20T17:05:21Z")
Kel, she said “I don’t know.” I doubt she actually knows what jobs Laura Bush has had. If you think the comment is dumb, just say so instead of pretending she said something she obviously didn’t. ---
**Author:** ![TellMeI\_mNotCrazy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tellmei_mnotcrazy/32/3419_2.png) [@TellMeI\_mNotCrazy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TellMeI_mNotCrazy)\ **Post date:** [October 20, 2004, 5:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/teresa-heinz-kerry-implies-being-a-teacher-is-not-a-real-job/270241/3 "2004-10-20T17:07:09Z")
I think it’s pretty clear that Theresa Kerry just didn’t _know_ that Laura Bush had been a teacher. Of course, it renders the rest of her statement meaningless, but I don’t see anything that suggests Kerry was dismissing teaching as a non-job. ---
**Author:** ![Contrapuntal](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/e274bd/32.png) [@Contrapuntal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Contrapuntal)\ **Post date:** [October 20, 2004, 5:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/teresa-heinz-kerry-implies-being-a-teacher-is-not-a-real-job/270241/4 "2004-10-20T17:08:01Z")
Actuall what she says is she doesn’t know if Mrs. Bush has had a real job. If she is indeed asserting that librarian and teacher are not real jobs my opinion of her is diminished. ---
**Author:** ![Kel\_Varnsen\_Latex\_Division](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/aeb1de/32.png) [@Kel\_Varnsen\_Latex\_Division](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kel_Varnsen_Latex_Division)\ **Post date:** [October 20, 2004, 5:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/teresa-heinz-kerry-implies-being-a-teacher-is-not-a-real-job/270241/5 "2004-10-20T17:11:07Z")
Do you really think it is possible that she doesn’t know the most basic elements of Laura Bush’s history? Everybody knows she was a teacher. ---
**Author:** ![Bricker](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/977dab/32.png) [@Bricker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bricker)\ **Post date:** [October 20, 2004, 5:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/teresa-heinz-kerry-implies-being-a-teacher-is-not-a-real-job/270241/6 "2004-10-20T17:12:43Z")
I’m not going to vote for Kerry – but I would hardly base my vote on the opinions of a prospective First Lady in any event. This is a non-story. ---
**Author:** ![Skywatcher](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/skywatcher/32/254_2.png) [@Skywatcher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skywatcher)\ **Post date:** [October 20, 2004, 5:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/teresa-heinz-kerry-implies-being-a-teacher-is-not-a-real-job/270241/7 "2004-10-20T17:13:22Z")
> [@Kel Varnsen - Latex Division](#): > > Everybody knows she was a teacher. I didn’t. ---
**Author:** ![iampunha](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/74df32/32.png) [@iampunha](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/iampunha)\ **Post date:** [October 20, 2004, 5:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/teresa-heinz-kerry-implies-being-a-teacher-is-not-a-real-job/270241/8 "2004-10-20T17:13:29Z")
> [@Kel Varnsen - Latex Division](#): > > Do you really think it is possible that she doesn’t know the most basic elements of Laura Bush’s history? Everybody knows she was a teacher. She might currently be giving other things more thought. I don’t think the quotation is particularly useful for the Kerry folks, but this isn’t quite her saying “Laura Bush was a teacher, sure, but has she ever had a real job?” It’s possible (though I don’t necessarily agree with the interpretation) that she just has no specific idea what Laura Bush has done. It’s also possible that at the time she couldn’t recall. ---
**Author:** ![TellMeI\_mNotCrazy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tellmei_mnotcrazy/32/3419_2.png) [@TellMeI\_mNotCrazy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TellMeI_mNotCrazy)\ **Post date:** [October 20, 2004, 5:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/teresa-heinz-kerry-implies-being-a-teacher-is-not-a-real-job/270241/9 "2004-10-20T17:14:01Z")
> [@Kel Varnsen - Latex Division](#): > > Do you really think it is possible that she doesn’t know the most basic elements of Laura Bush’s history? Everybody knows she was a teacher. Maybe Kerry’s definition of “grown-up” indicates after she started her family. ---
**Author:** ![kaylasdad99](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kaylasdad99/32/3398_2.png) [@kaylasdad99](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kaylasdad99)\ **Post date:** [October 20, 2004, 5:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/teresa-heinz-kerry-implies-being-a-teacher-is-not-a-real-job/270241/10 "2004-10-20T17:23:03Z")
> [@Kel Varnsen - Latex Division](#): > > Do you really think it is possible that she doesn’t know the most basic elements of Laura Bush’s history? Everybody knows she was a teacher. I find it quite plausible that she had not been aware of Laura Bush either having a teaching credential, or having held a teaching job in a school. I was not aware of her having been a teacher, either. I did know that she was a librarian, although I know no specifics of her employment history. ---
**Author:** ![Marley23](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@Marley23](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marley23)\ **Post date:** [October 20, 2004, 5:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/teresa-heinz-kerry-implies-being-a-teacher-is-not-a-real-job/270241/11 "2004-10-20T17:28:47Z")
I’m with **kaylasdad99**. Now that I think about it, I may’ve heard that Laura Bush was a teacher, but I forgot about that and only remembered the librarian part. I’ve certainly heard that more often. I’ve got other things on my mind, and I’m willing to bet Teresa Kerry does too. ---
**Author:** ![Ogre](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/ecb155/32.png) [@Ogre](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ogre)\ **Post date:** [October 20, 2004, 5:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/teresa-heinz-kerry-implies-being-a-teacher-is-not-a-real-job/270241/12 "2004-10-20T17:29:16Z")
> [@Kel Varnsen - Latex Division](#): > > Do you really think it is possible that she doesn’t know the most basic elements of Laura Bush’s history? Everybody knows she was a teacher. I didn’t. I thought she had been a librarian. ---
**Author:** ![GorillaMan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/50afbb/32.png) [@GorillaMan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GorillaMan)\ **Post date:** [October 20, 2004, 5:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/teresa-heinz-kerry-implies-being-a-teacher-is-not-a-real-job/270241/13 "2004-10-20T17:29:32Z")
> [@TellMeI'mNotCrazy](#): > > Maybe Kerry’s definition of “grown-up” indicates after she started her family. That’s exactly how I read it. Although that makes it an extremly patronising statement, rather than an offensive or ignorant one. ---
**Author:** ![Ogre](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/ecb155/32.png) [@Ogre](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ogre)\ **Post date:** [October 20, 2004, 5:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/teresa-heinz-kerry-implies-being-a-teacher-is-not-a-real-job/270241/14 "2004-10-20T17:30:18Z")
Whiiiiich I now see was addressed in the little biographical blurb above. Never mind. ---
**Author:** ![catsix](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/e19b73/32.png) [@catsix](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/catsix)\ **Post date:** [October 20, 2004, 5:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/teresa-heinz-kerry-implies-being-a-teacher-is-not-a-real-job/270241/15 "2004-10-20T17:32:58Z")
Either way it doesn’t come across well. It’s been publicized many times that Laura Bush was a teacher, especially when all of the ‘No Child Left Behind’ stuff started. Of course, the way that it also sounds like being a ‘grown up’ only happens when you get married and have a family might make this one something that feminist supporters of Kerry have a problem with. ---
**Author:** ![GaWd](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/f08c70/32.png) [@GaWd](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GaWd)\ **Post date:** [October 20, 2004, 5:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/teresa-heinz-kerry-implies-being-a-teacher-is-not-a-real-job/270241/16 "2004-10-20T17:33:19Z")
> [@Lute Skywatcher](#): > > I didn’t. Me either. I mean, it’s not important. I don’t vote for president by the behaviors/characters/job history of their spouses. Sam ---
**Author:** ![World\_Eater](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/f04885/32.png) [@World\_Eater](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/World_Eater)\ **Post date:** [October 20, 2004, 5:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/teresa-heinz-kerry-implies-being-a-teacher-is-not-a-real-job/270241/17 "2004-10-20T17:38:17Z")
> [@Kel Varnsen - Latex Division](#): > > Everybody knows she was a teacher. I didn’t. ---
**Author:** ![KidCharlemagne](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/ed8c4c/32.png) [@KidCharlemagne](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/KidCharlemagne)\ **Post date:** [October 20, 2004, 5:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/teresa-heinz-kerry-implies-being-a-teacher-is-not-a-real-job/270241/18 "2004-10-20T17:39:05Z")
This post is disingenuous and represents all that is wrong with the SDMB. ---
**Author:** ![Nurobath](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/a88e57/32.png) [@Nurobath](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nurobath)\ **Post date:** [October 20, 2004, 5:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/teresa-heinz-kerry-implies-being-a-teacher-is-not-a-real-job/270241/19 "2004-10-20T17:39:20Z")
Even if she had said what you claim (which she didn’t), who cares? How does this in any way reflect on John Kerry’s ability to be the President? If a roundabout smear of her husband was not your intent then what was your point? As **Bricker** said, this is a non-story. ---
**Author:** ![hajario](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hajario/32/171_2.png) [@hajario](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/hajario)\ **Post date:** [October 20, 2004, 5:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/teresa-heinz-kerry-implies-being-a-teacher-is-not-a-real-job/270241/20 "2004-10-20T17:43:32Z")
**Kel** , keep it up and you will have a great future in talk radio. Haj [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/teresa-heinz-kerry-implies-being-a-teacher-is-not-a-real-job/270241.md?page=2)