January 3, 2012

Styles of the prospective First Ladies.

A nice array of the wives of all the GOP candidates who have wives.

I'll just say I like the Ann Romney short coat/long jacket look, Mary Kaye Huntsman has a lovely figure, Callista is bizarre in her conservatism, Anita Perry needs a little more coverage, Karen Santorum looks most like the women I see around town in Madison, Wisconsin, and Carol Paul looks like the women you see everywhere in America.

51 comments:

Patrick said...

Could not agree more about Ms. Huntsman. Nice looking woman. The normal looking Ms. Santorum is how most attractive women around here look day to day.

LarryK said...

Callista Gingrich is definitely the most avian of the bunch (these birds of an ideological feather don't flock together). That picture of her in the black outfit - I've seen hawks look at me that way.

WV: redsters - remarkably close to 'redstaters'

traditionalguy said...

Nine out of ten men agree that the Yellow Hired fish food are better than the Blue haired fish food.

Bob Ellison said...

Enough with these petty discussions of irrelevant issues! We're electing the POTUS, for goodness sake. The economy, foreign conflicts, and honest governance should dominate our thoughts. Let's put Huntsman in office and be done with it!

Beta Rube said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Lyssa said...

Perry needs a little more coverage

I must admit that the main reason that I clicked through was because I wasn't sure whether this statement meant that she needs to be covered more by the press, or that she needs to wear less revealing clothing. After clicking through, I'm still not entirely sure what you meant. Though I think Ms. Perry's kind of hot.

Ms. Romney is the one that I'd most like to emulate when I start to approach middle-age, though. Ms. Santorum and Ms. Paul are both adorable. What a weird tacking on at the end for Mr. Bachmann.

Beta Rube said...

Maybe Gingrich should have complained about "Meadehouse Boating."

It's not enough to savage him here, now you have to go all Robin Givhan on his bride.

Unfortunate.

Known Unknown said...

Can we just elect Mrs. Huntsman and her fake tits?

kjbe said...

I'll say that I like Ann Romney's style. Mésdames Perry, Paul and Santorum all look like neighbors of mine.

Tank said...

Not that this is important, but ...

Newt's wife looks insane. I mean I'd be nervous being in the same room with her.

Paul's wife looks like a normal 70+ year old human being. I like that. Reminds me of G Bush's wife (actually both Bush Pres' wives, but the 1st even more than the 2nd)

Brian Brown said...

The article starts off with:

And Michelle Obama, hailed by many to be a style queen, poses some formidable competition.


The meme will never die...

knox said...

Newt's wife needs a makeover, badly. She looks almost freakish.

Ann Althouse said...

"Callista Gingrich is definitely the most avian of the bunch (these birds of an ideological feather don't flock together)."

An even more specific adjective is "aquiline" — like an eagle.

Ann Althouse said...

"Newt's wife needs a makeover, badly."

That is the makeover. There are older pics of her looking more normal. What you see now is a deliberate choice, in support of her husband, and it says something about him. It's useful information, and I thank her for providing it.

Triangle Man said...

@Bob Ellison

Thank you for the hearty morning laugh!

Dust Bunny Queen said...

Calista reminds me of this character from Mars Attacks.

Romney's wife looks very attractive and wholesome. Ron Paul's wife....yikes....giant chipmunk.

I would hate to be a political wife. Very unfair to be so scruntinzed.

Freeman Hunt said...

Huntsman's wife is dressed the way young moms dress around here. Except for the ruffled collar and the jewelry, Romney's wife is dressed the way I like to dress when I don't wear jeans. (I guess that makes me square. Accurate.) Santorum's wife is dressed in the alternate look for young moms around here. Paul's wife has the universal friendly, involved, mature lady look. Perry and Gingrich don't bring to mind anyone else.

Not that any of this matters to the race, but there it is.

Freeman Hunt said...

My guess would be that Romney and Paul have the best Political Wife styles, but I could be wrong; people may prefer the trendier Huntsman.

Sprezzatura said...

"My guess would be that Romney and Paul have the best Political Wife styles, but I could be wrong; people may prefer the trendier Huntsman."

The HRC/BarbBush-type style of Romney-Paul isn't the winner, imho.

I prefer the Palinness of Huntsman.

Anonymous said...

Guaranteed they're all completely hairless. God damn it.

Peter

cliff claven said...

Vava-Vooom! I'm voting for Huntsman, twice.

Freeman Hunt said...

Capris need to be over. They are not flattering on anyone. Long pants always look better.

edutcher said...

Callista's had some work done, but Ann and Anita are both good looking women.

Huntsman's wife is a little too good-looking, as if hubbo got her with Dad's money.

rcommal said...

As I am reading this thread and writing this comment, I'm looking at Mrs. Gingrich in a tea room in Muscatine, Iowa. Overall, she looks softer and more personable in the flesh, but her hair is exactly the same, and she is indeed very "consciously mannered."

ricpic said...

No more face lifts, Callista!

Romney's wife is total U.

Ron Paul's wife doesn't look all that different than Babs Bush. Sans the expensive wardrobe.

Dopey said...

A better description of Ms. Gingrich would be "pelosian". A bit too much botox?

Wince said...

Tried and tested: Mrs Perry's dresses are chosen because they flatter her shape, and they are probably favourites that she brings out time and time again.

Really? Mrs. Perry has pretty facial features, but she looks a little mussed-up and bloated, like she's about to get into a cat fight in the courtyard of the trailer park after a few too many midday beers.

Dust Bunny Queen said...

We have a good friend who ran for a fairly significant political office a few years ago. His wife was extremely stressed out about this. She is supportive of her husband and loves him without reservation and would do anything to help him. They have been married for over 30 years. She is a wonderful wife, mother, has a great personality and sense of humor. She is also a career woman on her own.

However, she knows that she is not the most attractive person. Overweight, short, thin hair, ruddy complexion. Dowdy is a good description. As part of the political process she has been put through the mill and subjected to a "make over". Literally, put on a treadmill.

In order to support her husband and be able to appear at his side, she has put herself through this mental and physical torture and pretends that she likes it.

I would never want to be a political wife!!! It could drive a person insane.

LarryK said...

"Aquiline" - nice suggestion Professor.

I don't think Callista looks "Pelosian" at all - N. Pelosi has had her face peeled back so far her eyeballs are popping out; Callista's face is sharp and pointed, and her eyes narrow and focused. If there were Albino eagles, I would almost call it aquiline.

MayBee said...

and it says something about him. It's useful information, and I thank her for providing it.

Urg.
This is the exact opposite of how people should think. Please don't do this.

How people relate to their spouses has nothing to do with how they'll run the country.

NorthOfTheOneOhOne said...

Calista Gingrich looks like something out of a William Faulkner/Tennesse Williams nightmare.

MayBee said...

In order to support her husband and be able to appear at his side, she has put herself through this mental and physical torture and pretends that she likes it.

I would never want to be a political wife!!! It could drive a person insane.


Why do we do this to these women? It's so un-modern.

Titus said...

What woman could identify with Candy Gingrich?

My guess is none.

Jon Huntsman's wife is very hot.


tits.

Sprezzatura said...

Whether intentionally or not, the image she presents is all wife and no mistress.

Joe Schmoe said...

Vava-Vooom! I'm voting for Huntsman, twice.

specific adjectives upon seeing that pic of Mary Kaye Huntsman: cougar, MILF

MayBee said...

Thinking further about Althouse's and DBQ's two posts:

Calista Gingrich tells us less about her husband than it does about us. DBQ's friend isn't changing to please her husband. She is changing to please the people who will judge her husband based on her appearance.

If you think women should just be themselves, you should reject the notion that their looks/relationship tell us something about the governing abilities of their husbands.

traditionalguy said...

We narrowly missed out on Teresa Hines Kerry.

Now there was a trophy wife gone wild.

But that Huntswoman is in a league of her own. She should try running for office without that meek husband of hers.

Dust Bunny Queen said...

DBQ's friend isn't changing to please her husband. She is changing to please the people who will judge her husband based on her appearance.


I know. It is terrible to judge her husband by her appearance or to expect that she change to please other people. People that she doesn't even know.

If she wants to change to please her husband and if she wants to change to please herself, that's one thing. However, I am somewhat disconcerted that her husband is buying into the makeover concept. Her appearance, as we age we all change, was not an issue before.

Who knows about the internal dynamics of a marriage? But I think if it were me in that situation: I wouldn't change unless I wanted to do so....for ME.

Unfortunately, women and men are judged by our appearances. Dress for success isn't just a saying.

Freeman Hunt said...

If you all would quit watching TV, we wouldn't have to live in the TV Age of appearance obsession.

Heh.

MayBee said...

However, I am somewhat disconcerted that her husband is buying into the makeover concept.

It's tough to fight though, because they all do it. Political family lives end up so orchestrated, I guess because they think it's what we want to see. I can't think of that Chelsea holding both parents hands weeks after Bill got busted on Monica picture without feeling queasy. But most people seemed happy to act like that was a nice photo.

Traditionalguy reminds us of what we should be looking out for. Not the spouses who look one way or another, but the spouses who want to use their husbands presidency to foist one of her hobbies on us. To help us better ourselves.

Palladian said...

It's funny, I never even see what many of the candidates look like, because I rarely read news online with images enabled. The only reason I knew what Obama looked like early on is because his followers were weirdly obsessed with representing his campaign using "heroic" Soviet-style portraits.

mccullough said...

I have to say that Romney, Hunstman, and Santorum's wives are especially attractive given the number of kids each has had. Is Calista the only childless one?

Cedarford said...

The two most attractive to me are the Mormon spouses. But prospective "First Ladies" are even less important to getting elected than VPs are.
Otherwise -it would have been no contest in the Cindy McCain vs. Michelle Obama matchup who most voters liked more.


I mean...it could be bad in other matchups...If Romneybot was paired with Callista from "Mars Attacks!" instead of the extremely appealing Ann Romney. Or if Obama was appealing to the black woman's vote - with a white blonde trophy wife instead of his slightly apelike, and scowling mad wife..Being married to a black woman and apparantly happy in that role as a dutiful, "authentically black dude & family man" helped Obama's image. (It went against the usual "powerful black man infatuated with white pussy because black women are now a step below for him...meme).

Props to Perry and Santorum wives for appearing normal and simpatico.

cliff claven said...

mccullough, No Callista is the only motherless one. When her husband smiles he looks like the psychopathic doll, Chuckie.

Martha said...

This morning Imus said Newt looked like Chuckie's grandfather.

Callista looks just plain scary.

carrie said...

Personal attacks on superficial matters are the media's tool for eliminating people as serious candidates. Except for the unfathomable act of having an affair with Gingrich, Callista is a fine person and it is sad to see a discussion like this. It is sad when people go further in life than they should just because of their good looks, and it is equally sad when people are shot down because their nose is too pointed or their hair and makeup is dated.

Peter Hoh said...

Mrs. Santorum wins the contest for the most normal looking woman of the bunch.

Peter Hoh said...

And I see that Rand has his mother's hair.

Lawyer Mom said...

Umm, I would just add that Huntsman's wife could launch a "Let's Move" campaign without uttering a single word. On to New Hampshire for a Huntsman surge. It's his turn.

BAS said...

Why should Anita Perry cover up, because she's fat? She is as uncovered as Huntsman's wife who is slim.

Pragmatist said...

Callista looks soooooo nuts. I guess she would have to be to be married to the presumtive cheater in chief.