Fred Thompson's Trophy Wife (Estrich bottom feeding alert)

newsmax.com ^ | July 13, 2007 | Susan Estrich

[GhostSoldier]

Fred Thompson's Trophy Wife

Susan Estrich

Friday, July 13, 2007

Fred Thompson, would-be presidential candidate, is 64 years old and looks it. His wife, Jeri, is two years younger than one of his daughters and looks even younger than her 40 years.

They have had two babies together since they married in 2002.

Does it matter?

Imagine if Hillary Clinton were married to a 36-year-old stud. She'd be laughed out of town. Imagine, at 60, if she decided she wanted two more children. Too old, we'd all be screaming.

So, does anyone care when Fred Thompson does it?

There have been pictures of the buxom and beautiful Jeri Thompson circulating on the Web for months. Last weekend, the story broke into the mainstream media when The New York Times asked whether the country was ready for a president with a "trophy wife."

This term is generally used to refer to women who are substantially younger, less wrinkled, and sometimes, but not always, more accomplished than the old model. The old model was there when the guy was nobody, offering him support, cleaning the house, and giving birth to the children who are now older than the new edition.

Thompson supporters, and even some who aren't, went slightly nuts at the audacity of The New York Times for even asking the question.

Imagine, the mainstream media descending to discuss what bloggers have been talking about for months. Are there no standards?

Putting aside that little piece of hypocrisy, as well as the one about how all of us would react if the genders were switched, the question remains whether voters will actually care.

Will men be jealous, or impressed?

Will women say "ick" and be turned off?

The conventional wisdom, which is that because it has been proven true for so long, is that wives matter even less than running mates in determining votes for the presidency. The most likeable candidate may have a determinative advantage, the old "who would you rather have a beer, alcoholic or not, with?" But likeable wives don't move votes.

Betty Ford was widely admired, more so than her husband, and more so than Rosalynn Carter; but that didn't save President Ford from defeat. Nancy Reagan didn't become beloved, if she even is, until long after her husband left the White House and people changed their view of her from astrology aficionado and fan of expensive china to loving caretaker of her sick husband.

Hillary Clinton was not exactly the poster girl for popular first ladies, as opposed to everyone's grandmother Barbara Bush, or the Southern charm and less threatening smarts of Liddy Dole. But that didn't save Bob Dole from ending up selling Viagra instead of running the White House.

Most recently, even Democrats wrung their hands at Teresa Heinz, a different kind of trophy wife (the kind who could afford to buy a whole case of them), and wondered what it said about the senator that he had managed to fall in love with one of the richest women in Washington (love may be blind, but it sure ain't dumb).

Yet, I don't think anyone who studied the race closely would blame Kerry's loss on his wife's perceived arrogance or pronounced accent. And, certainly, Judith Giuliani has a long way to go before shedding the image of the "other woman" and adulterous stepmother, but I'm not the least bit certain Rudy would be faring any differently if the mother of his children, and his children for that matter, were by his side.

There's even greater evidence that running mates don't matter, and if the guy who is a heartbeat away from the presidency doesn't influence votes, why would the woman who is on the other side of the bed?

I will never forget waiting for the returns from our pollster the night Lloyd Bentsen absolutely trumped Dan Quayle in the vice presidential debate ("I knew John Kennedy. He was a friend of mine. And senator, you're no John Kennedy."), only to get the word that while Bentsen's own reputation had soared, support for the Dukakis-Bentsen ticket had barely budged.

You know when you hear those heartbeat ads that desperate candidates ask — who do you want a heartbeat away from the president — it's because the guy at the top of the ticket is in big trouble.

All of this should support the view that Jeri Thompson's assets are irrelevant to her husband's prospects. But I don't buy it for a moment — at least not among women of a certain age, both married and single, who are liable to play a decisive role in this campaign, particularly if Hillary Clinton is the Democratic candidate.

The reaction I hear from every woman I know, those who have gotten sick to their stomachs over seeing middle-aged men cavorting with girls barely beyond their teen years, is a giant "yuck."

What does it say about a man who's busy having babies only two years after being diagnosed with lymphoma? What does it say that he'd rather be with someone who wasn't even alive when JFK was shot, or at least was too young to remember where she was?

What does it say that he doesn't care that she doesn't remember the songs and the history and the fears we grew up with? Where does it leave those of us who do?

Dateless is where. And maybe voting no.

I can't help it. It makes me like Fred Thompson less. And I can't believe I'm the only one.

COPYRIGHT 2007 CREATORS SYNDICATE INC.

[dbacks]

[Young women who marry older men almost always marry RICH older men. The real question to ask would be is Jeri Thompson a gold-digger? Would she be so crazy about this old man if he had little money and no fame? I don’t know the answer but when sweet young hotties mary poor old men as often as they marry rich old men, this question will no longer need to be answered.]

Well, it ain’t nunna our biziness. But if you were Fred, would you rather stick it in Jeri Or Susan?

[chiefqc]

She’ll never ever have to worry about being called a trophy wife, ever.

Looks are skin deep and never last but in her case UGLY is forever.

[TeddyCon]

I gotta hunch that Estrich and Rangel had the same voice teacher.

[Doofer]

[Prophet in the wilderness]

The Liberals hags, MSM hags who are jealous and complaining .
This is nothing but feminism that has run amuck.

[Timbo64]

True, but she seems to REALLY love him.

[Schwaeky]

Hey, nobody can complain about Thompson when Dennis the Menace Kucinich married a 20 y.o.

Although, Jeri Thompson is far hotter.....

[ChildOfThe60s]

Kucinich’s wife is a reincarnated flower child. Which is fine. It’s a free country. Uh, I mean for liberals it’s a free country.

Hillary is married to a serial philanderer [and reputed woman abuser]. For the libs this is a plus on her resume. Kucinich is married to a chick that probably has “Free Love” tattooed on her rear end. Way to go Dennis.

At any rate, Estrich’s hate and vitrol for anyone else’s happiness or success is beyond pathetic, it is visibly sickening. Fred and Jeri and in good company, Estrich hates darn near everyone that is not a card carrying socialist.

[GBA]

"I can't help it. It makes me like Fred Thompson less. And I can't believe I'm the only one."

Of course it will make her like Thompson less. She is another catty middle aged or older woman threatened by a younger woman who married a man her age. It has nothing to do with Jerri Thompson and everything to do with her fear.

There are several women here who offer up the standard insults: "She's a gold digger." or "He's a dirty old man." You petty women who make these comments reveal a lot more about yourselves and your bias, insecurity and fear than you do about someone else's marriage/relationship. Good luck with that.

One reason an older man seeks a younger woman is because her attitude is often better. She's not tainted, damaged, bitter and/or angry. She's actually FUN to be with. Say what you will, but Michael Douglas looks happy. Same for Fred Thompson and Larry King and any of the other names who come up.

I know of several older man/younger woman relationships and trust me, money has nothing to do with them being with each other. Sometimes age really is just a number. The women in these relationships are certainly not Anna Nicole Smith type gold diggers. If that's all you Estrich and Maureen Dowds can see, then you really do have a lot to fear from younger women.

[El Gato]

She reminds me of a catfish, for some odd reason.

The catfish has a nicer smile.

[CottonBall]

I admit I was somewhat concerned but then learned that Thompson had been separated and divorced for some time from his first wife, that she and their kids liked and got along with the second wife, etc.

Well, that's good to know. I'm pretty disgusted with how most politicians run their personal lives and this doesn't bode well. I imagine Thompson will lose a few votes because of it but maybe not enough to matter. If the competition is Hillary with her adulterous husband, both spouses could be a wash in negative influences.

Actually, Edwards is one that is surprising - you would think he would be the one to be shallow based on his concern about his own looks. I don't mean to be knocking his wife, but all I am saying is I am impressed with his lack of shallowness. But back to the topic, Thompson having kids when he knows he won't be around for their high school years is pretty selfish.

[CottonBall]

Of course it will make her like Thompson less. She is another catty middle aged or older woman threatened by a younger woman who married a man her age. It has nothing to do with Jerri Thompson and everything to do with her fear.

There are several women here who offer up the standard insults: "She's a gold digger." or "He's a dirty old man." You petty women who make these comments reveal a lot more about yourselves and your bias, insecurity and fear than you do about someone else's marriage/relationship. Good luck with that.

All the attacks in your post are uncalled for. As are all the insults to Susan, however much deserved they may be. The point is - will this 20 year gap between Thompson and his wife hurt his chances of winning? That's something we need to seriously consider.

Generally, people that marry someone much younger than themselves are viewed as being somehow deficient in being able to maintain a relationship with a similarly-aged person. Whether it's because immaturity, shallowness, selfishness, or greed doesn't matter - the first response is negative. If Thompson gets the candidacy, the Dems and MSM will have a field day with this.

Especially when Republicans start saying that a person's personal life doesn't matter - exactly what the Dems said during Clinton's impeachment hearings. We can't be hypocrits.

[GhostSoldier]

you are SO full of it....

[Mercat]

He’s only 64. I guess 75 is a bit old for the daddy of a teenager but not a reason not to vote for the guy.

[GBA]

"Generally, people that marry someone much younger than themselves are viewed as being somehow deficient in being able to maintain a relationship with a similarly-aged person."

GhostSoldier is right. You are full of it. I will say there is some truth to your point in that people often are quick to make judgments of situations or beliefs that are not a part of their experience. I suppose there is some political calculation there that we should all be worried about.

However, I am speaking from my own experience with family and friends when I say that, after reading your above quote, it is obvious you clearly don't know what you are talking about. Based on your post, my first impression is to put you in the same category as I did with those I previous "attacked", as you put it.

What a shame FDT didn't contact you and the other people who don't approve of his wife's age or think that he is somehow deficient because he loved his wife enough to marry her and have kids with her despite her misfortune of her birth date.

[ColdSteelTalon]

I see nothing in the Bible that places an age limitation on marriage.

Nothing that says a woman is not permitted to marry an older man or vice versa.

So as long as its between a man and a woman its A OK with the Lord.

[LongsforReagan]

First wives matter. Can you imagine Theresa Heinz Kerry in that role?

[CottonBall]

You certainly are defensive about this subject. Are you a Fredbot or have you robbed the cradle yourself?

My post you are responding to wasn’t attacking anyone - I was stating what is generally thought by some/most people. I said nothing that would make you or GS jump into attack mode - unless you are already defensive on the subject for some reason.

I was critical of Thompson in another post - that you didn’t respond to. But not this one. And only about his decision to have kids at an older age. And it wouldn’t matter if he had them with a young wife or old wife. I think having kids very, very late in life is usually not done for the benefit of or with thoughts of the children. This is another issue he will be judged on if he is the candidate. In comparison, his family life may make Hillary’s look pretty stable - and that would not be good.

[CottonBall]

He’s only 64. I guess 75 is a bit old for the daddy of a teenager but not a reason not to vote for the guy.

I wouldn't not vote for him because of it, I just feel sorry for the kids. I've talked to enough people whose parents were quite old when they were growing up and it has some disadvantages other kids can't even fathom. But then again, he may not be raising them anyway, especially if his political career takes off. A president doesn't have much time to be a hands-on dad.

[Mercat]

I’ve known quite a few grandparents raising kids. It is somewhat sad but you’re right, it’s all a compromise.