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Is Jeri Kehn Thompson too hot for the White House? (Fred's wife)
Slate ^ | July 9, 2007 | Catherine Price

Posted on 07/10/2007 2:15:19 AM PDT by 2ndDivisionVet

Sunday's New York Times contains an article about the 2008 race that poses a different question than most other commentary thus far. It's not asking if America's ready for a woman president, or a Mormon, or an African-American. It's asking whether America's ready for a trophy wife.

The wife in question is Jeri Kehn Thompson, 40, who's married to Fred Thompson, the 64-year-old former "Law and Order" actor and Republican senator from Tennessee who's expected to announce a bid for the presidency. The Times describes her as having "youthfulness, [a] permanent tan and bleached blonde hair" and asks whether "so-called values voters" -- i.e., conservative Republicans -- would "accept this union."

This probably won't come as surprising to Kehn Thompson, whose age and appearance have earned her Internet abuse and a comment by Joe Scarborough asking if she "works the pole," during a segment about striptease workouts. But that doesn't mean it's excusable. (And as the Times put it, "It is hard to imagine a man, however handsome, suffering similar insult.")

Here are my questions: Why should the couple's age difference be blamed on the woman? (Fred was presumably a big part of that decision, too.) What does the appearance of a first lady have to do with her husband's bid for the presidency (or vice versa)? And, as always, why should a woman need to defend herself against accusations that she's a "bimbo" just because she's attractive? Even the Times plays into this, pointing out that Kehn Thompson is a former Senate aide and a spokeswoman for the Republican National Committee -- as if her blondeness needs to be offset by professional accomplishment. And, continues the Times, "she is not a homewrecker." Thanks. What, exactly, does that have to do with her husband's run for president? Even if their marriage had been preceded by an extramarital affair, why should Mrs. Thompson be the one on the defensive? Wouldn't that reflect just as poorly -- if not more so -- on her husband?

What's more, it seems as if people's obsession with Kehn Thompson has less to do with her objective age or attractiveness than the fact that she's with an older man. After all, Michelle Obama is a vibrant 43 -- not too far past Kehn Thompson, and an attractive person to boot. And yet no one's asking whether Michelle's too hot for the White House (perhaps those people are too busy asking whether she's too black for the White House). Yes, a 24-year age difference does turn heads, and yes, any candidate with a "trophy" spouse is going to attract attention. But why must the attention always focus on the woman?

The Times' headline was "Will Her Face Determine His Fortune." Let's hope that if push comes to shove, it's actually his capabilities, not his wife's appearance, that determine whether Thompson's fit for office.


TOPICS: Culture/Society; Editorial; Politics/Elections; US: Tennessee
KEYWORDS: democrats; electionpresident; elections; fredthompson; gop; hillary; jerikehn; joescarborough; mayseptemberromance; obama; republicans; trophywife
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To: Gone_Postal
perfect example Bill Clinton, nuff said there.

It's ok just to screw with interns half your age, but marriage? Much too 'traditional' for the Left.

81 posted on 07/10/2007 9:08:31 AM PDT by nosofar
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To: 2ndDivisionVet
Why should the couple's age difference be blamed on the woman?

So, what's the problem? Why should it be 'blamed' on anyone?

82 posted on 07/10/2007 9:11:55 AM PDT by nosofar
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To: airborne
He's 64. She's 40.

So, actually, she is young enough to be his daughter.

She's 40!!! The way people are writing about this, you'd think Thompson was some kind of creep trolling college campuses fer cryin' out loud.

83 posted on 07/10/2007 9:13:41 AM PDT by MozarkDawg
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To: Stallone
Damn trophy wife - just shut up and look pretty!

I wondered how I would respond. I think I'd say something like, "Yes, she is a prize, and I feel like a winner for marrying her."

84 posted on 07/10/2007 9:13:55 AM PDT by nosofar
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To: MozarkDawg

Honestly, I think the first wife is hotter!


85 posted on 07/10/2007 9:17:57 AM PDT by airborne (COULTER: Actually, my favorite candidate is [Rep.] Duncan Hunter [R-CA], and he is magnificent.)
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To: Beelzebubba
My understanding is that Jeri is pregnant in this photo, thus the ample bosom. Of course, the MSM and gnats love to post an repost this photo from the hundreds available, for its distorted view of the couple.

To their credit, Fred and Jeri have not featured their children in this not-yet-a-campaign, but after he gets the nomination, I would expect stories and photos of Jeri and the kids to be out there. It's an endearing image, and there have not been tykes in the White House since the days of Camelot. Many baby-boomer voters who remember that time as being friendly to their generation will admire Fred and Jeri for their parenthood, and will look kindly on the idea of seeing Fred's kids crawl under his desk in the Oval Office.

Compared to the alternative of a Presidential child who is an adult woman resembling Webster Hubbell, it's an unfair fight!

86 posted on 07/10/2007 9:19:54 AM PDT by hunter112 (Change will happen when very good men are forced to do very bad things.)
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To: Fzob
He is a scary looking little man.But when he speaks he actually makes me even more scared.
87 posted on 07/10/2007 9:27:49 AM PDT by red irish (Gods Children in the womb are to be loved too!)
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To: nyconse

You’re just fine, and I agree ~
Mitt or Rudy won’t beat Hillary.

That’s why she’s trying to pillory
her nemesis’ ~ Fred’s family.


88 posted on 07/10/2007 9:29:29 AM PDT by b9
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To: 2ndDivisionVet

Actually it’s only partially positive. It doesn’t say that Jeri’s NOT a trophy wife, it only says why should the blame always be put on the WOMAN, and not the man in question. Though I do have to say that the derisive comment about the folks who are complaining about Jeri being too young and pretty, would probably also have a problem with Michelle Obama being too black, is just priceless.


89 posted on 07/10/2007 9:30:56 AM PDT by SuziQ
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To: beaversmom
Bill would hit that thing...

shudder

90 posted on 07/10/2007 9:32:48 AM PDT by John123 (Bill barely mentions Hillary in his memoirs... I will now light myself on fire)
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To: 2ndDivisionVet

Her looks are being really overstated by people on both sides of the political aisle. She is a naturally attractive woman, but no more. She doesn’t have the youth or looks of a classic trophy wife at all.

On the 1 to 10 scale I’d say she is about a 6+, or a 7 ‘for her age.’


91 posted on 07/10/2007 9:35:17 AM PDT by HitmanLV ("Lord, give me chastity and temperance, but not now." - St. Augustine)
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To: b9; soccermom

I wonder why photographers aren’t worried about being killed by the women they photograph from this ‘perspective’.


92 posted on 07/10/2007 9:41:10 AM PDT by hellinahandcart
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To: WildcatClan
I do know women, who are half of the electorate aren’t going to be pleased with it, if it in fact does reflect her usual fashion sense.

It's just amazing to me how ONE picture can be so influential. She wears a dress with deep decolletage to a Hollywood event, where, I daresay, it was modest considering some Hollywood fashions, and folks automatically assume she dresses like that all the time?

Other pictures of her which have been posted on FR, including the one at post #27, and another at a soccer game with their daughter, will show that she knows how to dress FOR THE OCCASION. She is a professional woman, yet the NY Times, CBS, and the other major media folks can't seem to find one picture of her when she was working as a lawyer and Republican media consultant for YEARS before she ever met Fred, which would show that she can dress as a professional. They just prefer to fall back on their time honored template of bashing young, lovely Republican women.

93 posted on 07/10/2007 9:41:18 AM PDT by SuziQ
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To: hardback

There sure is a lot of bosom, back, and bustle showing on some of the females in that lithograph. Tsk, tsk...


94 posted on 07/10/2007 9:44:08 AM PDT by hellinahandcart
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To: 2ndDivisionVet

We’re not supposed to talk about this here on FR.


95 posted on 07/10/2007 9:47:04 AM PDT by Saundra Duffy (Romney Rocks!)
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To: Fzob
Compared to him she is a knockout.

She may be lovely, but she's a real moonbat. She was attracted to Kucinich because of his political beliefs. Nuff said.

96 posted on 07/10/2007 9:47:13 AM PDT by SuziQ
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To: M. Dodge Thomas
But wouldn't you draw a distinction between Bill Clinton, who had a wife his own age but was running around on the side with a twenty-something, and Fred Thompson, who is in his sixties and married to a woman who is, I guess, about 40? Seems a big difference to me.

One of the things that jumped out of the article to me was the reference to "bleached" blonde hair. Funny how Mrs. Thompson's hair is "bleached," but when it comes to Hillary her hair no doubt is "artfully highlighted," or something like that...

97 posted on 07/10/2007 9:47:24 AM PDT by GraceCoolidge
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To: MozarkDawg
She's 40!!! The way people are writing about this, you'd think Thompson was some kind of creep trolling college campuses fer cryin' out loud.

That' EXACTLY the impression they want to make on their readers.

98 posted on 07/10/2007 9:48:49 AM PDT by SuziQ
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To: hellinahandcart

No kidding.
Paparazzi nazis.


99 posted on 07/10/2007 10:22:12 AM PDT by b9
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To: hellinahandcart
LOL! Have you seen some of the garbage they put on tabloid covers? It is like the try to find the most unflattering pictures they can.
100 posted on 07/10/2007 10:22:59 AM PDT by soccermom
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