Republican and Conservative political analysis and commentary

Nashville newspaper The Tennessean answers the question "Who is Jeri Thompson?" with a nice and rather revealing profile of Fred Thompson's wife. And - guess what - the portrayal of Jeri Thompson by the New York Times and other elite national media as a "trophy wife" is completely off the mark.

Excerpt:

U.S. Rep. Marsha Blackburn, R-Tenn., says Jeri Thompson has encouraged her husband to be his own person and to think beyond normal political constraints.

"In the typical campaign, you do TV ads, mailers and events," Blackburn said. "She is the one that encouraged him to challenge (filmmaker) Michael Moore and to blog and to use the Internet."

In May, Fred Thompson released a YouTube video answering the filmmaker's challenge to debate any U.S. politician about America's health-care system. In the video, a cigar-chomping Fred Thompson declines the invitation to debate, but suggests that Moore could benefit from a stay in a mental institution.

More subtle evidence of her influence in the campaign, Blackburn says, is Fred Thompson's spark of vitality and increasing openness about discussing his feelings and personal life while campaigning. "That openness is very becoming."

For her part, Jeri Thompson gives the impression that she's still very much in the process of figuring out exactly what her role in the campaign is, and should be.

"I would say, like any other spouse, I am a friend, I am an adviser," she said.

There's also a sidebar.

For the answer to the question "Who is Fred Thompson?" please get a copy of my new book. (News media: email me at bill-at-billhobbs.com for a PDF-file review copy.)