Posted on 10/07/2007 5:29:47 AM PDT by 2ndDivisionVet
Recent months have seen Jeri Thompson painted a variety of ways in the press, from doting mom to trophy wife.
The wife of GOP presidential candidate Fred Thompson says she knew that would happen, but because she has given few interviews, it can be hard to tell who she really is.
The Naperville Sun had an opportunity to get to know the 41-year-old Naperville native. She sat down for an interview before attending a major Chicago fund-raiser.
The former Jeri Kehn lived in one of Naperville's downtown neighborhoods with her mom and stepdad, Vicki and Ron Keller.
She graduated from Naperville North High School in 1984.
She studied English at DePauw University in Indiana, then worked as a media consultant and Republican strategist in Washington. She met her husband in a supermarket checkout line in 1996.
They were married in July 2002 at First Congregational United Church of Christ in Naperville, a few months before Fred Thompson stepped down from the Senate and began portraying District Attorney Arthur Branch on the TV drama "Law & Order."
The couple live near Washington in McLean, Va., with their children, Hayden, 4, and Sammy, who's not yet 1.
Q. Where did you hang out when you were a teen?
A. Well, I was pretty involved in school. I was a Starlette [dance team member]. That's probably not a cool thing to say now. Who knows what's cool, then and now? I don't really know. But I was a Starlette, and that was every day after school, so there really wasn't any hanging out. My parents were pretty strict ... about going out and stuff. But games were Friday nights.
Q. How often do you get back to town?
A. Now that we have kids, we're pretty good about it. We switch back and forth on the holidays.
Q. How are you balancing home life and being mom to small children with the intensity of campaigning?
A. It's shockingly not unlike normal life with small kids. I still wake up in the morning, and hope to get dressed and showered before I get the kids to school. Sometimes that doesn't always happen.
Q. What do you find most admirable about your husband when you look at him as a prospective leader of the free world?
A. That's actually very easy to answer: his integrity. He is someone who you want to be in the ditch with, who you would want in your foxhole. ... He's the one who makes you feel comfortable. He's had ex-girlfriends say, "I would feel better knowing Fred Thompson was president." That is a pretty amazing thing, to have so many people who have known him throughout his life feel the same.
Q. Back in July, the New York Times noted that "trophy wife" isn't really a slur, since it describes someone who made a name for herself before she was given that label. But the same piece asked if traditionally conservative voters are likely to embrace a 60-something candidate with a pretty wife 24 years his junior. What are your thoughts about all the attention that's being given to that?
A. I think conservative voters will vote for the conservative candidate, which he is.
Q. There are indications that the religious conservative arm of the party will be launching an effort to prevent a Rudy Giuliani nomination, in large part based on his liberal stance on social issues, including abortion. What is your position on that issue?
A. There is another quote that you might have heard about me, and that is that there is no space between Fred and me on policy issues. I think that's probably one of the reasons that we get along so well, and probably some of the reason that people are uncomfortable. Fred is 100 percent [anti-abortion] in his voting on that issue, he's very clear where he stands, and I am 100 percent in agreement with him.
I was impressed by her parents' response, or rather NON response to that.
Fred just stayed on point, and after commercial there was another pair of loving arms for her off camera.
I'll never forget a dear little elderly friend from years ago when our first kidlet was a toddler ~ she smiled at us with shiny wise eyes and said, "It makes such a difference when they're raised in Love."
No.
It’s not my invention, and sadly, I cannot remember whose it is. I hope he will step forward.
MamaB, I’m so sorry for the loss of your daughter.
I too was impressed with the non response. The body language of both parents and children showed that this is a position that wasnt new to them or done for photo op.
That little girl was quite comfortable on her Daddys lap and he also showed how at ease he was having her there. That only comes from it being a frequent occurrence.
John boy is cute, especially in that picture of Lurch kissing him on his be-uuyoot-ti-full head of hair.
Sure agree with that. That's one of the things I never liked about Jena Bush's hair. She always has that one piece on the left side that flops down over her eye, and I want to keep brushing it back for her. I noticed, though, that during all her book promotion interviews her hair has been pinned back so you can see her pretty face. Much better.
As far as Jeri goes. I don't know, maybe if it were a little shorter to say shoulder length where it doesn't look quite so casual and school girlish. She could still keep it straight and simple, just perhaps a little more age and status appropriate.
Oh I'm sure that's true, or she would have changed it by now I think. Who knows, he may like it that way also, but she doesn't seem like the type of woman that would style her hair to please a man. We'll see, it'll be interesting to see how she will evolve.
I’m sure the ‘stylings’ of Jeri Thompson will be a popular topic for the next few years. For now, I think she looks exactly appropriate as the mother of little ones, and the wife of a statesman ~ a very individualistic statesman. She’s her own woman, every bit as much as he’s his own man.
Her femininity is a sharp contrast to Hillary, who doesn’t look at all natural in dresses. When Jeri wears pantsuits, it’s because she wants to, not because she HAS to!
I’m so glad Fred has another daughter to love. He has a very nurturing nature.
A toddler needs to be around kids his/her own age? Why? So they can fight over toys and bite each other? BTW: I’m married to a pediatrician: opinions can vary and there are enough of them who are telling parents to give their 11 year old girls the HPV shot: it’s ok to question what they tell you to do.
you say potato ...i say pahtahto.
And all this because Jeri Thompson dares to claim her life is still “normal” despite the rigors of campaigning!
That’s so 2004
Lots and Lots and Lots of MONEY in Naperville. Mitt’s wife also came from money, but she’s a much classier, down to earth woman. She makes Jeri look downright sleazy.
So what did you do to get those women all worked up?
You have a problem, I think.
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