Elizabeth Kucinich...

...looks like a movie star. Yeah, I was surprised, too. Dennis, dude, you've been holding out on us.

The official Dennis Kucinich 4 President website links to an article sweetly titled How Kucinich Found Love:

Elizabeth's mother [Julia Massey] was a bit concerned about her daughter's plan. An American politician? In England, people mostly hear about America's conservative political figures. She couldn't imagine Elizabeth with such a man.

"But then I went to Dennis's Web site and I realized he was so much like Elizabeth," Massey says. "It just seemed heaven-sent."

She, too, found the age difference - Elizabeth's 27 years to Dennis's 58 - insignificant. "This is about a meeting of souls."

Of course, the age difference has garnered them attention.

"People who see us together understand - they see our connection," Elizabeth says. "And it's not like I'm some ditsy young thing and he's an old fogey. He has the wisdom of an ancient and the energy of youth."

Dennis says, "I've never seen myself as time-bound. When you make a connection on a soul level, age is not important."

As for having a family - Elizabeth says she would like children some day - Dennis says, "There's no problem there."

Maybe it's my age, but I seem to remember that as a young women, I similarly hooted when people would justify their attractions to young, beautiful, famous and/or affluent people with stuff like "We're on the same wavelength," or "We're soul-mates," or some other nonsense. Yes, of course you are, and this person just happens to be half your age, rich and/or drop-dead gorgeous.

My question: Why aren't the old, unattractive and/or poor people ever soul-mate material?

I admit, I was shocked that Dennis, regarded as the mousy nebbish of the Democrats, has gotten himself a trophy wife. I know, I'm way behind the curve; this has been under discussion for some time now. For instance, CNN Political Ticker humorously reported back in August, that Dennis managed to bring up the wife's age while discussing veganism, of all things:

Cedar Rapids, IOWA (CNN) – At the Livestrong Forum Monday, Democratic presidential hopeful Dennis Kucinich, D-Ohio, hit home the message of proper health education and personally shared the benefits he’s experienced since adopting a vegan lifestyle.

“I didn't need as much sleep. I had a lot more energy. I had a lot more clarity. I didn't have the health problems that I had previous to that,” the Ohio congressman said. “And as a result, I had a better quality of life.”

Kucinich added: “People want a president who is healthy because if you’re healthy you can think right.”

The White House hopeful emphasized his commitment to a “full disclosure” health education policy, where Americans are made aware of the nutrition value and health risks of the food they eat.

Referencing the epidemic of American obesity owing to such lack of information, Kucinich pushed for overall “health consciousness” that includes physical fitness, proper nutrition and access to health care.

“There is a direct connection not only between diet and health, but diet and the environment, diet and the economy. And so as president I'm going to be singularly positioned to be able to lead that discussion because I take in my own journey toward health based on my dietary choices,” he said.

While describing a diet free of animal products and an improved quality of life, MSNBC Hardball Host, Chris Matthews, ignited laughter when playfully remarking “And you married a young woman.”

Kucinich joked, “And I did. And my – hello. I mean, I'm 60 years old, I have a – my wife's 29. You draw your own conclusions. Diet helps.”

Draw your own conclusions? Dennis, please.

Karen Heller, in the Philadephia Inquirer, gets to the point:

There are two ways of looking at the field of presidential contenders. On the one hand, there's the novelty of a woman, an African American and a Latino pursuing the White House.

On the other, presumably the left with a sizable rock involved, there are so many trophy wives.

Many candidates traded in their original models for younger, leaner and leggier partners, often producing a second family

of adorable tykes so ideal for photo ops.

I know, a shocking turn of events in Washington.

This does mark progress of some sort.

In the old days, pols rarely married their daughter-aged girlfriends.

That was because they were still wed to their wives, divorce being a greater political liability than adultery.

Fred Thompson's wife, Jeri, is 40, almost a quarter century his junior. Given to plunging necklines and soaring hems, she will never be mistaken for Laura Bush. The couple have two toddlers, making him one of several AARP diaper dads seeking the White House.

Sen. Chris Dodd, 63, who engaged in a 1985 "waitress sandwich" with Ted Kennedy while their dates were in the ladies room, is another. His second wife, Jackie, is a mere 18 years younger.

As is Cindy McCain, the Arizona Republican's second wife of 27 years. Not being one to endure a marital vacancy, McCain began courting his second wife while married to his first.

Dennis Kucinich's third wife, Elizabeth, has late-night pundits, You Tubists and, well, most males salivating. The former "boy mayor" of Cleveland, now 61, has a babe wife less than half his age.

She is car-crackup gorgeous and - for a change from the requisite blondage - a redhead, resembling Julianne Moore, only better and taller.

Should the Ohio Congressman be elected president, Elizabeth Kucinich would become the first first lady with a pierced tongue.

Of course, most political observers think there is no chance Dennis will be elected, especially after admitting that he had seen a UFO (this in reply to a direct question from Tim Russert during the Democratic debate in October). That seemed to finish him off. Nonetheless, the trophy wife issue lingers. Sad to say: I expect a Hollywood actor like Fred Thompson to have a younger wife, but I expect a lot MORE from a progressive candidate like Kucinich. How will menopausal, baby-boomer-aged women (of which I am one) feel about this glut of guys with babe-wives? Are we supposed to ignore what Tom Wolfe memorably dubbed "wife-shucking"? Can we trust a man who ditches his older wife for a younger model?

Does he value older women enough to fight for our rights?

Well, it's time to remind everyone, that one politician never ditched his wife, and right now, his wife is running for president. Let's all just vote for her, as a menopausal-pride thing. :)



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Listening to: Howlin' Wolf - I Ain't Superstitious
via FoxyTunes