NBC's Matt Lauer sat down with new General Motors CEO Mary Barra on Thursday to ask her, among other things, whether her gender earned her a promotion, and whether it would prohibit her from doing a good job.
"You're a mom, I mentioned, two kids, you said in an interview not long ago that your kids said they're going to hold you accountable for one job, and that is being a mom," Lauer said. "Given the pressure at General Motors, can you do both well?"
In fairness to Lauer, he backed in to his questions as if playing devil's advocate, leading with the remark, "there are some people who are speculating that you got this job as a woman." Still, it is incredibly rare for an interviewer to ask a male politician or business leader if he can be a good father despite his stressful job.
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