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40 ¦ SEPTEMBER 7, 2020 EXPERT OPINION

¦ From KELLYANNE on PAGE 39 card for a quick, clean exit.
But let’s get to my main After all, it’d be a loud slap
point: Kellyanne shouldn’t be at Trump’s face if she simply
quitting. I mean, she’s at the walked out at this juncture.
top of her game. If she can’t But who can criticize a wom-
handle the heat, what hope do an who quits for the sake of
the rest of us have? the family?
While she might not have Indeed, as Politico reports,
been the most honest appoin- White House chief of staff
tee in the administration (pop Mark Meadows said: “We cer-
quiz: who is?), she served her tainly will miss her here at the
boss like an unflappable pro. White House. But listen, this
Unlike scores of other high is all about making a prior-
Trump officials and affiliates, ity for family. That’s what this
she didn’t get fired or ousted. Or indicted! And president’s about, and that’s what Kellyanne Con-
let’s not forget her cultural contributions: She in- way’s about.”
spired Kate McKinnon’s brilliant impersonation All about “making a priority for family.” How
and introduced the term “alternative facts” into rich for this administration.
our lexicon. What a winner on so many levels! But I digress. Back to the mommy stuff. So
We thought she’d go down with the ship. Yet maybe Kellyanne is deploying the mommy card
she’s bailing out. Which brings up this larger for another career move—like taking a hiatus
point: Have you noticed how often high-perform- to work on a tell-all memoir about her Trump
ing women pick family over job when things are years—a guaranteed best-seller. Though the
bubbling at home? (You might recall Anne Marie Trump administration reportedly has nondis-
Slaughter sort of did the same thing when she left closure agreements with employees, I’m going to
her State Department position under Secretary assume that Kellyanne will have top-flight legal
of State Hillary Clinton because of demands at help to get around such obstacles. (Remember,
home.) hubby George was a partner at Wachtell, Lipton,
The sad truth is that when push comes to shove, Rosen & Katz.)
women resort to traditional roles. Part of that, In any case, I don’t think anyone really buys
I think, is that no woman wants to be labeled a that she’s leaving her job to hover over the chil-
“bad” mom. We can forgive high-achieving men dren at the kitchen table to help them navigate the
for being lousy dads, but an accomplished woman frontiers of remote learning. (In a nod to equal-
who neglected her kids? She’s a failure, a crummy ity, George is also taking time off from the Lincoln
human being and probably a slut. Project to devote time to the family.)
So perhaps it got to Kellyanne when Claudia Besides, more parental time could drive Claudia
tweeted: “my mother’s job ruined my life to begin even crazier.
with. heartbreaking that she continues to go down [email protected]
that path after years of watching her children suf- Twitter: @lawcareerist
fer. selfish. it’s all about money and fame, ladies ¦

and gentlemen.” Vivia Chen is a senior columnist at The Ameri-
Of course, we all wonder if Kellyanne just want- can Lawyer and the creator of The Careerist
ed off a sinking ship and pulled out the mommy blog.

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