June 7, 2011

 
     Democratic Cong. Shirley Chisholm ran for president in 1968.  Republican Elizabeth Dole ran in 2000 and Democrat Hillary Clinton mounted a strong challenge to Barack Obama in 2008.  They all lost, of course, but no trend lasts forever.
 
     This time the Democrats seem certain to renominate Obama, but the Republicans have two interesting, conservative women who may well run:  former Alaska Governor Sarah Palin, a VP nominee in 2008, and Representative Michele Bachman.  I don't know what their chances are, but alleged frontrunner Mitt Romney has always looked a little wobbly to me.  And women hold leadership positions in the tea party movement, which may be important in the GOP primaries. Bachman has raised some three million dollars already.
 
      Republicans seem to have warmed to the idea of a woman candidate. Monday's Washington Post quoted a Pew Research Center survey as saying that in 2007 more than 20% of Republican men and women said they would be less likely to support a woman.  This year,  5% of men and 12% of women gave that answer.
 
     So who knows?  Come on in, ladies.  The water looks friendly.