Potential female presidents in today's politics

[BM]

These are just the names I've seen thrown around a lot.  Feel free to list any rising local stars if you know of any.

[Kaine for Senate '18]

Personally, I'd love to see Blanche Lincoln become President.

[Keystone Phil]

Already crowning Bev Perdue the winner?

[JSojourner]

Age might be a mitigating factor, as would their relative moderation.  But if Republicans want women who can seriously, intellectually grapple with issues, Governor Jodi Rell and maybe Governor Linda Lingle warrant closer attention.  I admit, I know rather little of Lingle, except that she is fairly moderate and manages to gain a substantial amount of Democratic and Independent support.

She helped restore integrity to her party in a state where its reputation had been sullied by scandal and corruption.
 
She has been willing to stand up to her party when called for.

She works well with Democrats and Independents...yet remains popular among all but the most right wing Republicans.

Alas, she does not pass the anti abortion rights and anti gay litmus tests.

[Fmr. Pres. Duke]

Age might be a mitigating factor, as would their relative moderation.  But if Republicans want women who can seriously, intellectually grapple with issues, Governor Jodi Rell and maybe Governor Linda Lingle warrant closer attention.  I admit, I know rather little of Lingle, except that she is fairly moderate and manages to gain a substantial amount of Democratic and Independent support.

She helped restore integrity to her party in a state where its reputation had been sullied by scandal and corruption.
 
She has been willing to stand up to her party when called for.

She works well with Democrats and Independents...yet remains popular among all but the most right wing Republicans.

Alas, she does not pass the anti abortion rights and anti gay litmus tests.

I like Rell, but she's a Democrat basically. She'd never pass through the primaries. I bet she's to the left of Giuliani as far as liberal Republicans goes.

[paul718]

If McCain wins: 
1. Hillary Clinton
2. Marsha Blackburn (should she become Governor in 2 years)
3. Claire McCaskill

If Obama wins:
1. McCaskill
2. Blackburn

[paul718]

Interesting that no one has chosen Hillary yet, the only woman to get reasonably close.

I know Marsha Blackburn was given an honorary mention as one of CREW's most corrupt members of Congress:

http://www.crewsmostcorrupt.org/node/426


It doesn't seem damning enough to ruin a political future, but I've been unimpressed by her on various talk shows. She's almost Michele Bachmann-like in how she views her party.

First I'm seeing this re: Blackburn, so I guess I'd cross her off the list.  I'm also happy to see my Congressman on that list (haha).  Are there any pro-life women in politics who don't suffer from foot-in-mouth disease?  Hutchison will be too old.

1. McCaskill (with an expected Obama win)
2. Clinton (#1 if Obama loses)

[AndrewTX]

Rell FTW

[paul718]

Hutchison is pro-choice as far as I know.  That list is pretty weak.

Hillary:  If Obama wins, she will never be President.

Palin: Not anytime soon.  Probably never.

Whitman:  If McCain wins, and she heads the Treasury Dep't competently, then yes.  If she becomes governor of California in 2010, then her prospects shoot WAY up, but I don't know how realistic that is.  Regardless, she'll remain relevant for the time being as I expect her to rejoin a Romney team for 2012.  Is she a supply-sider? 

Sebelius:  Superficially, yes.  Popular governor of a typically Republican state, likely headed to the Senate.  But I see her as a liberal in the Obama mold, thereby making her unelectable.  But her being twice elected in Kansas would seem to contradict that.  Shows how much I know. 

Hutchison:  I thought she was a federalist re: abortion, like Giuliani.  But if she's pro-choice as you say she is, then she wouldn't be able to secure the nomination.  Regardless she'd be too old. 

Napolitano: Being unmarried will hurt her.

Rice:  Has no interest, IMO. 

Sandlin:  What has she done?

Snowe:  pro-choice.  Same for Susan Collins. 

Perdue:  I don't think she'll win the governor's race. 

Lincoln:  I missed her before, but you might have something here.  I'd have to learn more about her. 

McCaskill:  I think she'd be a major figure during an Obama term, and would likely inherit his campaign team.  Plus, she's a budget hawk.

Madigan: Don't know enough about her.

Chelsea Clintion: No.

Rell:  When was the last time we elected someone without a college degree?

[Platypus]

McCaskill is the most likely of the female senators...as for Governors, Palin. Neither would be likely to win office, especially Palin.

[pragmatic liberal]

I've lived in Missouri and worked on McCaskill's campaign. I like her -- but she's not going anywhere.

Honestly, out of those lists, at least on paper, Illinois' Attorney General Lisa Madigan has probably the brightest potential. She's likely to run for governor in 2010. If she wins and has a reasonably successful term and gets reelected, she'd be in a VERY strong position to run for president in either 2016 or 2020.

She'd be able to run as the governor of a large state, which historically is one of the best incubators of presidential candidates.

She's also the right age -- she's only 42 right now, so in 8 years, she'll only be 50, which is roughly the average age for elected presidents. She's also an Irish Catholic.

I would also add that I would put money down on the Democratic ticket in 2016 featuring a woman (in either position). Given Palin's VP candidacy and possibly '12 presidential candidacy, and given Hillary Clinton's bid this year, there is going to be STRONG pressure among many in the party to name a woman to the ticket. Madigan would be fairly well placed for either position.

So watch out for her. It's way too early to know for sure where she'll go (after all, in 2002, people thought Blagojevich would be a top presidential contender!) -- but she has potential.

[JSojourner]

I know next to nothing about her.  But is there any potential behind Amy Klobuchar?

[pragmatic liberal]

What about soon-to-be-Sen. Kay Hagan of North Carolina?

[Mr.Jones]

Paris Hilton.

Cause she is better looking then Palin, more smarter and younger then her, and atleast has promised something from here own brain rather being trained - she promised to paint the Whitehouse pink !

[??????????]

The left wing media has set a female presidency back 20 years at least. The way the lying media has treated Palin this year is horrific. I bet they could sandbag Jesus Christ if he was someones running mate.

[Platypus]

The left wing media has set a female presidency back 20 years at least. The way the lying media has treated Palin this year is horrific. I bet they could sandbag Jesus Christ if he was someones running mate.

Wouldn't be hard. He talked with dictators without preconditions, redistributed the wealth and there are significant doubts about whether or not he was a Christian.

[AltWorlder]

Piper Palin!

[Nixon in '80]

Sen. Hillary Clinton (D-NY) -Could make an insurgent run against Obama in 2012 if he does a horrible job, but I don't see that happening. Her time has passed.

Gov. Sarah Palin (R-AK) -Could be a sacrifice candidate in 2012 (She's too stupid/ambitious to realize she's being sacrificed)

Gov. Kathleen Sebelius (D-KS) -She'll be 68 by 2016... it's not happening.

Sen. Kay Bailey Hutchison (R-TX) -Again, possible sacrifice candidate in 2012 (Not stupid, it would just be her only chance)

Gov. Janet Napolitano (D-AZ) -Gay rumors kill this one.

Sec. Condoleezza Rice (R) -I heard tell of her running for Governor of California in 2010, but that seems unlikely. If she does run, win, and does a good job, she could run in 2016. Very unlikely though

Rep. Stephanie Herseth-Sandlin (D-SD) -She's got until 2036 or so... who knows?

Sen. Olympia Snowe (R-ME) -I'd vote for her, but most Republicans wouldn't.

Gov. Bev Perdue (D-NC) -It's possible.

Sen. Blanche Lincoln (D-AK) -Possible

Sen. Claire McKaskill (D-MO) -Don't see it... don't really have a reason, just don't see it.

Atty Gen. Lisa Madigan (D-IL) -We'll see what happens in the next two years.

Carly Fiorina/Meg Whitman (R) -Nope.

Chelsea Clinton (D) -The Clinton name seems to be a bit of a liability these days, but you never know.
   

[Josh/Devilman88]

Keep an eye on Kay Hagan.

[paul718]

I know next to nothing about her.  But is there any potential behind Amy Klobuchar?

I would like to see Pawlenty go after her seat in 2012.

[Four49]

I think you're all missing an obvious one.  Michelle Obama.  If her husband's successful, she's the next Hillary.  I don't know what her ambitions are regarding public office, but who does?

[paul718]

I think you're all missing an obvious one.  Michelle Obama.  If her husband's successful, she's the next Hillary.  I don't know what her ambitions are regarding public office, but who does?

By your reasoning, wouldn't Laura Bush be even more obvious?  The fact that Hillary Clinton parlayed her years as First Lady into a serious presidential candidacy is an aberration.

[Four49]

I think Hillary's success was more of a precedent than an abberation.  Time will tell on that one. 

And like I said, Michelle's chances are tied to her husband's success/failure.  Laura's husband didn't leave her with much to brag about.  And I don't think Laura has any interest in running for anything anyway.

[Matt Damon™]

based on other societies choices of female leaders a trend seems to emerge that the first female leader a nation elects tends to be a conservative

applying that logic to the united states would mean that sarah palin is the most likely one out of the current crop of political figures

sebelius is unfortunately too old for it

[paul718]

I think Hillary's success was more of a precedent than an abberation.  Time will tell on that one. 

You may be right, but it would be a dangerous precedent.  Just like I fear Barack Obama's victory could be a dangerous precedent.  But that's just my opinion.