Fred Thompson must really have the liberals worried as the mouth piece for lefties throughout the land began their attacks in earnest. This from the vile vaunted NY Times:
As the election of 2008 approaches with its cast of contenders who bring unprecedented diversity to the quest for the White House, the voting public has been called on to ponder several questions: Is America ready for a woman to be president? What about a black man? A Mormon?
Now, with the possible candidacy of Fred D. Thompson, the grandfatherly actor and former Republican senator from Tennessee, whose second wife is almost a quarter-century his junior, comes a less palatable inquiry that is spurring debate in Internet chat rooms, on cable television and on talk radio: Is America ready for a president with a trophy wife?
Aside from the fact that they attack Fred Thompson for his age, what point did it serve to go after his wife? Jeri Kehn Thompson is a wife, mother and a highly successful professional woman. That would seem to meet the criteria set forth by the womens liberation movement the NY Times continually forces down our throats. Democrats still talk with great adoration of Jaqueline Kennedy Onassis. She was the true example of a trophy wife; her husband was fooling around with anyone he could while she took care of the kids and gripped his arm at social functions; did the Times ever mention her as a "trophy wife"?
You may recall that the media was painstakingly restrained in not reporting anything about Chelsea Clinton. They, of course, couldn't wait to report about the drinking habits of the Bush twins but that's a post for another day. Jeri Thompson doesn't seem greatly involved in Thompsons campaign, she doesn't call talk shows and defend her husband from pundits like Elizabeth Edwards has done. Fred's a big boy and can take care of himself. In other words, she should be off limits, but instead she's portrayed as a bimbo for being a buxom woman.
When Bill Clinton was running for office and during his time in the White House, Hillary Clinton was portrayed as a "nineties, liberated woman" who was not only a super mom, but also was a professional in a tough, man-dominated business. They ran glowing articles about this new type of feminism. Juxtapose that with how they are already treating Jeri Thompson and tell me the Times doesn't have a liberal agenda. I suppose if Jeri were to turn $1000 into $100,000 or illegally hide files (or better yet, attempt to join Augusta National), she would be much more respected by the elitist in the Times office.
Reader Comments ( Page 1 of 2)
1. Well to be honest, when i think of conservative, i don't think of an old man with a wife that could be his daughter. That congers up images of Anna Nicole Smith & her old Howard Marshall. I guess its just kind of creepy, doesn't disqualify the man from being president, his policy is enough to do that, it just is creepy. And republicans please don't come on here talking about how unfair this is because yall did the same thing to Hillary, to Elizabeth Edwards, to Obama's wife, so just accept that this is unforunately something that everyone has to deal with in politics.
Patrick at 3:38PM on Jul 9th 2007
2. Hillary is/was fair game because she was in politics. She ran the commission trying to implement socialized medicine and is now a Senator.
I've never read anything written about Obama's wife of Mrs. Edwards. Perhaps you pull a quote and link for me. Good luck with that because it didn't happen. BTW, I love the way old Haircut Johnny got his wife to fight his battle, I'm sure that really makes real Americans want to vote for him.
What's the issue with Thompson and his wife, she's good-looking and they fell in love, age doesn't mean anything once your out of college (or in you case, metal shop).
Scott at 4:23PM on Jul 9th 2007
3. Boy. You just gotta love how folks (journalists or otherwise) take the focus off of what these candidates are bringing to the table by degrading their spouses.
Look, I can safely say I don't care what race or gender the next president is. I don't care the age of the spouses, provided it's legal, of course.
I can add I also don't care if the candidate is Republican or Democrat.
What I care about...is having a PRESIDENT. You know, that person who adequately (red ink would be SO appropriate here) runs the country without pissing off the folks who voted him/her in, that follows the laws of the nation he/she is supposed to be serving. I want someone who doesn't lie and uses hidden agendas. I want someone who is accountable for his/her actions. I want someone that, dammit, cares about this country, the people who live in it, and, if there's time and money left over, who can help countries who truly need it (and do it because it's right,not simply for what said country can do for them).
I'm sure I'm being foolish in wanting all these things (I am 22, not quite jaded but on my way there), but I'm wondering when folks are gonna focus on what these folks are gonna do for the country, instead of, say, how much they pay for a haircut.
But I'm too young for folks to care what I think.
SparklingDiamond at 4:39PM on Jul 9th 2007
4. Not so, Sparkling. 22 is an age where you begin to understand the world and how it works. I like the idealism and hope you never lose it.
Reality dictates that we need a President who says what he means and means what he says, a guy who can instill the great patriotic feeling of being an American. We haven't had one since Reagan.
Scott at 5:02PM on Jul 9th 2007
5. Fred Thompson is old??? He'll be 65 in August. Since when is that old? His wife is 40, hardly a teenager. JFK was 43 when he took office, his wife Jackie was 31. She was 24 when she married him, he was 36. Who's robbing the cradle?
Ronald Reagan was 69 when he became president. Nancy was 10 years younger.
Grover Cleveland was 27 years older than his wife. His wife was 22 years old when she married the President who was 49 at the time.
People making a big deal about the age difference between Fred and Jeri have too much time on their hands.
Bob Barney at 5:12PM on Jul 9th 2007
6. I think the families of elected officials should be generally left alone by the media, unless they go looking for trouble and find it.
Steve Bonomo at 6:30PM on Jul 9th 2007
7. It's laughable how the MSM will use one photo of Thompson's wife in an evening dress to create the notion that she dresses like that on a daily basis. If they want to talk about a true trophy wife they should harp on Kucinich's 6 foot, tongue-pierced, 30 year old wife...but of course, we all know they won't do that.
Blue Zeus at 6:53PM on Jul 9th 2007
8.
The question of the suitability of a person to be first lady/ or first husband is appropriate in an election. Like it or not, they fulfill a role in our system, and represent our country.
They all get scrutiny. Even Ferraro's husband when she ran for VP. Republicans really went after Hilliary during the campaign.
As one poster pointed out, the problem with Fred's wife, is many people find an older man dumping his wife and kids for a younger chick, slimy. It negatively reflects on his character and his "family values". And in photos etc, it really looks like the dirty old man and the bimbo.
BettyBB at 7:42PM on Jul 9th 2007
9. I think Fred's wife should be off limits just like Chelsea was because of her age, and they are about the same age, aren't they.
The bottom line is this, If you put your foot in the water you are going to get wet and if you get in too deep you better know how to swim.
It is also amazing to me how the repuiblican have managed to get elected to the white house 12 years out the last 20 and controlled congress for 15 of the last 16 years with such an overwhelmingly liberal biased press. They need to quit whining, after all they managed to get George W elected twice and what a prise he has been for the Red White an Blue.
Louis
Louis at 9:00PM on Jul 9th 2007
10. Scott,
Fred Thompson is an overexposed boob of the highest order....
His wife's therefore are unimportant. Especially, to all you closet homo Reagan Lovers who still pine for your Bonzo...
I hope to hell he wins your sorry ass GOP nomination.
Vote Edwards !!!
Manfred at 11:02PM on Jul 9th 2007
11. The Right lost all claims to offense when their cabal of draft dodgers went after a man with no legs (Sen. Max Cleland) and a man with a handful of Purple Hearts (Sen. John Kerry). These dreadful excuses for humanity have forever forfeited the right to call "foul!" If someone calls Thompson's deceased grandmother a whore who serviced Mussolini in an Italian circus act, they're only reaping what they've sown.
jocojustaguy at 11:27PM on Jul 9th 2007
12. The Right lost all claims to the high-minded political discourse when they eviscerated a veteran with no legs (Sen. Max Cleland) and a veteran with a handful of Purple Hearts (Sen. John Kerry) - mocking both the medal and the man. This cabal of draft dodgers permanently lowered the bar for crying "Foul!" in political discourse. If someone were to call Thompson's late grandmother a whore who serviced Mussolini in an Italian circus act, I'd be hard pressed to figure out why they'd have a legitimate complaint after the way they've behaved. They say you reap what you sow. Sow on, you soul-less bastards.
Tom at 11:32PM on Jul 9th 2007
13. I'm curious. Does anyone really want an ugly First Lady in The White House? Come on folks, fess up. Are you liberals that scared of Fred that you must attack his character and his wife? I say more power to him and by the way, obviously, he's still fertile. Now, ya' wanna' lower yourselves some more and denigrate his children? I didn't think so.
And Manfred, have you heard some of the rumors about your buttboy, John Edwards. I mean, what other group of men are so vain as to spend $400 for a doo? Now go ahead and waste that vote...
Don Naylor at 12:10AM on Jul 10th 2007
14. equating Thompson wife to John Kerry is a bit of a stretch.....
Rick Dalton at 1:20PM on Jul 10th 2007
15. Yeah Manny, just what I want in the White House, a man who sends his wife to fight his battles, spends hours working on his hair and left the Senate because he knew he'd not be re-elected.
Please, please, please vote for John Edwards. He would be crushed worse than Mondale in the general election. He might not even win North Carolina.
Scott at 7:04AM on Jul 10th 2007