Joni Ernst, Farm Girl and Soldier
November 6, 2014
Joni Ernst, middle
FRED OWENS writes:
Her motto was “Soldier, Mother, Conservative.” She changed that slogan to “Soldier, Mother, Independent Leader,” on the advice of her pollsters.
She often mentions her farm background, especially the castration of pigs. To me she seems to be the perfect image of the castrating female, stridently astride her motorcycle. I will not be so unkind as to use the B word, but how else to describe her?
Some of her views might coincide with what you advocate, but I doubt that you approve of her presentation.
Laura writes:
I wouldn’t use the B word to describe Ernst, the GOP candidate who will be the first woman to represent Iowa in Congress. She was an aggressive campaigner, but not vicious, as far as I know. She is physically attractive, energetic, smart and personable, all of which made her an appealing candidate. Her famous commercial about castrating pigs was not a joke on castrating men.
She has said some great things about states’ rights and eliminating federal agencies. In comparison to the Democrats, she is sensible and extremely conservative in her views. But she is a good indication of how liberal one can be and still call oneself conservative. Ernst boasts of being a mother, but left her daughter, who is her only child, when the girl was under five to serve in Kuwait for 14 months and has clearly not been home much. I don’t know if anyone has ever questioned her about the propriety of that, but I doubt it, so low are the public standards of motherhood today. She supports “traditional marriage,” but she is married to a divorced man, whom she apparently met, and may have been involved with, while he was still married and had daughters close to her in age. She complained of sexism at least twice during her campaign. The complaints were extremely trivial and showed that she is willing to play the feminist card. She also said she was “appalled” by embarrassing comments her husband, Gail, made on Facebook. (They were indeed crude and embarrassing.) I don’t ever recall a political candidate so strongly criticizing a spouse in public. I assume her husband supported it, but still it seemed inappropriate and I can’t imagine a male candidate speaking that way about a spouse.
Her opposition to abortion is tepid — and she possibly wouldn’t have won if it been stronger. She joined the Iowa National Guard via the ROTC and has served in logistical support. She drives a motorcycle but can also come across in her publicity photos as the image of the caring Iowa farm wife. Women naturally appear more empathetic than male candidates. That is their strength. But beneath the projected sensitivity lies raw ambition. That’s the only way one gets to the top. Women can only become major political figures by suppressing their feminine qualities — and encouraging by example other women to be less feminine too. While we see the smiling, caring faces of beautiful candidates or congresswomen, we don’t see the indifference to family, friends and private life in general that was necessary to achieve that image. The world is drained of life and depersonalized by female ambition and sensitive politicians can never supply through government services what is missing.
— Comments —
James P. writes:
That photo of Ernst is a case study in the absurdity of women in combat. I have no idea how tall she actually is, but she looks quite petite next to the tall and burly men on either side of her.
If the soldier on the right was wounded, could Joni carry him to the first aid station?
Laura writes:
Don’t you love the contrast between that photo and the one of Ernst posing in front of a church as the modest farm wife? I mean, these are not the same person; they could not be the same person. The second woman wouldn’t be caught dead in fatigues.
Ah well, the world’s a stage. You can be whatever you want in a political ad.
Terry Morris writes:
“The second woman wouldn’t be caught dead in fatigues.”
I know what you’re saying (judging by the cover, the book is filled with feminie virtue), but I wouldn’t bet on it anyway. No doubt she will be caught again … alive in fatigues when she starts making the “support our troops” circuit in the weeks and months to come. The old Joni will come forth again, and she’ll look as ridiculous as she ever once did. Speaking of which, the Marine Corps Ball is upcoming at our local Ammunition plant. “Women in our America’s military” are to be particularly honored according to the radio promotional spots. Well isn’t that special.
Laura writes:
My wording was unclear.
I did not mean Ernst herself would not be caught dead in fatigues. I meant that the type of woman she was portraying in the second photo would not be caught dead in fatigues.
