Don’t Hate Me Because I’m Beautiful
So says Andrew Sullivan, kind of, on behalf of Mrs. Thompson.
Meanwhile another fellow says my previous message was “vile.” Makes you wonder what he’d have said about my 2004 concept of Bush daughter-Kerry daughter slash fiction . . .
In comments below, Eric the .5B engages in some deconstruction:
What becomes the definition, then [of "trophy wife"]? Any second wife that the commenter wouldn’t mind sleeping with?
Works for me! More seriously, I’ve since acquired the opinions of a couple of women, at least as old as Jeri Kehn, on the subject, both of whom do political-related work. One of the opinions was very easy to get – I shall say no more on the provenance. But that person contrasted Kehn’s dress style unfavorably with Jeri Ryan, who very much played the bombshell on TV, but who dressed completely differently for political functions with her then-husband. Since Thompson was out of politics for several years there are a lot of pictures floating around the web of Mrs. Thompson in gowns that nobody at a Hollywood party would look askance at but would look out of place when hosting a State dinner.
All I know is, multiple actual women seem to react negatively to the Thompson couple. Just as I based my estimate of the strength of Hillary Clinton’s candidacy on how actual women seemed to support her, I’m estimating the negatives of Jeri Thompson likewise. (Fair counterexample: Megan McArdle betrays no animus.)
Comment by Mona —
June 4, 2007 @ 7:45 pm
Jim, how do you parse a woman (me) who cannot abide the principle-less Hillary, but who is also viscerally offended by Thompson’s apparent trophy wife?
Some have said, you know, that fidelity is a feminist issue.
Comment by Beldar —
June 4, 2007 @ 8:50 pm
Thanks, I guess, for the link. What I specifically found “vile” was your reference to half of the American public as “vaginal-Americans.” I can’t think of any woman I’ve ever met, of any age or political persuasion, who I think would much appreciate you classifying her with that term. But maybe I just don’t get around enough.
Comment by SomeCallMeTim —
June 4, 2007 @ 8:56 pm
I’m male, but I feel certain that if I were female, not only would I not mind “vaginal-American,” I would probably have it embossed on my business card. Next Life Female Americans thank you, Mr. Henley!
Comment by midwest wife —
June 4, 2007 @ 9:11 pm
My reaction to Mrs. Thompson is, OK so you caught him, now put a top on. There are lots of stylish dresses out there that don’t show everything to the navel. You caught the guy. Now put your clothes on and both of you pretend your past adolescence until the election is past. You are in Washington not Hollywood now. Your lobbying days are passed so get some clothes on.
Comment by Jim Henley —
June 4, 2007 @ 9:24 pm
Beldar, perhaps on reflection you might agree that that portion of your post was . . . under-argued.
Anyway, it was a yolk. Note that Penile-Americans and Vaginal-Americans are both in relatively common use, at least in cyberspace.
Perhaps I should say, “mention” rather than use.
Comment by Jim Henley —
June 4, 2007 @ 9:29 pm
Mona, you I have always recognized as sui generis!
But, you know, Hillary takes a lot of political positions that you and I don’t like. I think that has something to do with the your not being able to stand her part.
Comment by Beldar —
June 4, 2007 @ 9:30 pm
I knew you intended it to be funny.
And now, it appears that your blog and mine are, respectively and for the moment, the number three- and four-ranked Google returns for the term. Now I have to admit, that’s funny.
Best regards, and thanks again for the dialog.
Comment by John Emerson —
June 4, 2007 @ 9:58 pm
Since Megan McArdle has confessed that her political positions have all been chosen for the purpose of annoying her family, friends, and neighbors, perhaps she’s not a good choice for a sample voter.
Comment by Nell —
June 4, 2007 @ 10:21 pm
I’m betting the Republicans nominate Thompson. I’m betting the Dems won’t nominate Edwards. But if they did, whoa would we see a gender gap in the general election! Eliz. Edwards is someone that women of many kinds find it easy to identify with.
Comment by Eric the .5b —
June 4, 2007 @ 10:41 pm
“Eric the .5B”
Just to nit, the “b” isn’t capitalized.
Oh, fair enough (notwithstanding that she’d presumably dress appropriately for a state dinner), I have no problem with noting that people might react badly. Clearly, some people are reacting with hostility that could come from something other than political opposition. I was just piqued by the linked writer’s angry ranting about Thompson getting divorced and getting himself a “trophy wife”, as well as the defensive sputtering about how he was, you know, single and so therefore getting laid like mad (really, there was gossip!) after his divorce when people pointed out that little 17-year gap.
Though, I was amused when, after the Republicans like mindless bimbos who look good on their arms routine, Spencer says in defense of the personal attack, “Jeri has been involved in the GOP party machine for years and works for the biggest K Street lobbyist. She’s clearly a political player.” So, she’s simultaneously a hot, young bimbo and a 40-year-old political player and veteran of the dirty GOP machine. I wonder whether Spencer have more or less hostility towards their marriage if she opened the box and let Jeri’s wave-function collapse?
Maybe it’s just a case to trying to hard to justify an initial hostility and also wrap it up in a political context. Sure, it could be a factor in the election, but is it right, fair, or reasonable to get worked up over a guy marrying a 35-year-old woman?
Comment by Eric the .5b —
June 4, 2007 @ 10:45 pm
And not to play “the young guy”, but I’m 31. I have a hell of a time taking someone seriously who’s trying to cast a 35-year-old or a 40-year-old woman as a victim of cradle-robbing.
Comment by Jon H —
June 4, 2007 @ 11:24 pm
” Jeri Ryan, who very much played the bombshell on TV, but who dressed completely differently for political functions with her then-husband.”
Much to his chagrin, it seems.
Comment by jlw —
June 5, 2007 @ 9:11 am
“So, she’s simultaneously a hot, young bimbo and a 40-year-old political player and veteran of the dirty GOP machine.”
Well, you see, in Washington, the lobby is the largest erogenous zone.
Comment by Beldar —
June 5, 2007 @ 12:32 pm
“Talk dirty to me, baby.”
“527s, sweetheart.”
“Ahhh —”
“JUNK-ket!”
“Oh, yes, don’t stop!”
“Concealed, artificially delayed, untraceable EAR-marking, sugar, all just for you.”
“Yes, yes, yes!”
Comment by Cernig —
June 5, 2007 @ 2:01 pm
Eric the .5b,
You need to re-read and then notice the differences between myself and my co-blogger Libby. The quote you attribute to her is mine, in an update I clearly marked as authored by me. Just in case it makes a difference to how you read each update…I’m male.
Libby has a new post up today which i think answers to some of your own objcetions to her original. For myself, I found this part most thought-provoking.
Indeed.
Regards, Cernig @ Newshoggers
Comment by Mona —
June 5, 2007 @ 4:12 pm
Well, when Jim used the term “vaginal-Americans” I quoted it in bold in comments, just to see it again, cuz I think it is effing clever and very funny. And I think Libby’s use of the term “trophy wife” is the ultimate non-offense creating an inane p.c. frenzy.
But then, most people on the left, and some ‘tarins like Jim, find my standards for what constitutes “offensive” wanting. Maybe, but I’m pretty tired of all the words and things we mutter around the water cooler requiring a fainting couch when some blogger says it.
Comment by Mona —
June 5, 2007 @ 4:16 pm
Oh, and I also didn’t think Jane Hamsher’s Lieberman-in-blackface was racist — it communicated an intelligent point. (And really, something about her bugs me and I’m not a big Hamsher fan.) But some on the left thought her horrid and insane for doing that, and many on the right had fits of moral indignation they might do better directing at the late Lee Atwater’s party.
Comment by Foghorn Leghorn —
June 6, 2007 @ 11:57 am
Why hasn’t Fred Thompson criticized Joe Scarborough for insinuating his wife is a stripper? Just what kind of man is he anyway?
A Southern man’s dignity has been besmirched and his lady has been dishonored! Either defend your wife sir or suffer the righteous, I say, I say righteous wrath of an angry nation!
Ol’ Fred, pistols at dawn is your only recourse! Teach that scaliwag a lesson with a bullet between the eyes! No Republican appointed judge would convict you! Cuz as we all know – while frowned upon – dueling was still sort of, kind of legal when the constitution was written.
It worked for Aaron Bur and it can work for you!
Comment by Eric the .5b —
June 7, 2007 @ 5:18 pm
I stand corrected on that little detail.
Alright…
Er, OK. That’s absurd, but hey.
Comment by Eric the .5b —
June 7, 2007 @ 5:26 pm
I went to make a post there, but ehn. One thing I’ve learned is that when somebody starts off with “Wow, everyone’s misunderstanding me,” and proceeds to give his or her own peculiar, personal definition of a commonly-accepted term, it’s just unwise to continue the interaction, second-order or not.