American Notes POLITICS

Just two women serve in the U.S. Senate and 23 in the House. Does that mean voters are more at ease with the idea of a woman on the local school board than in the Oval Office? According to a report released by the National Women's Political Caucus, that electoral gender gap, while still prevalent, is beginning to break down. In a survey of 1,502 voters conducted for the caucus by Democratic and Republican pollsters, 57% said they believed that a female President could be as good as or better than a male.

In the poll, women candidates scored higher than men on such issues as - health care and education, but voters still preferred having men deal with trade and arms control. Americans least comfortable with women candidates: country folk and those over the age of 60.