In Today's GOP, Only the Women Have Balls

Candidates 'provocative but unelectable': Dee Dee Myers

(NEWSER) - The 2008 election brought us the first victory by a woman in a presidential primary, not to mention the first female GOP candidate for national office. But 2012 isn’t shaping up so nicely for women: Those making headlines are either “provocative but unelectable” or “provocative but who may render their husbands unelectable,” writes former Clinton press chief Dee Dee Myers at Politico . Sarah Palin leads the first camp; she can’t even be called a “politician.” “‘Politicians’ don’t quit their day jobs as governor to star in reality TV shows.” More»

Bachmann can clear the field for traditionalist Republicans: Kornacki

(NEWSER) - There may be method to the Republican Party's apparent madness, writes Steve Kornacki in Salon . Mouthy scene-stealer Minnesota Rep. Michele Bachmann seems to be elbowing Sarah Palin out of the limelight, plopping the former Alaska governor at an all-time popularity low, much to the relief of the GOP establishment, says Kornacki. But that still leaves traditionalist Republicans with the problem of Bachmann. "Most bottom line-oriented Republicans will admit that Bachmann would be general election poison for their party in a national election," notes Kornacki. More»

This is not a good development for female politicians

(NEWSER) - Hillary Clinton proved in 2008 that a serious female politician can have a "wow factor," writes Gail Collins. Clinton's transformation "from a perfectly-fine-but-slightly-boring presidential candidate to a really terrific campaigner" came too late to save her own bid for high office, but it gave Collins hope for the next wave of women in politics. Then she watched the Sarah Palin-Michele Bachmann rally in Minnesota and lost that hope. More»

Richard Cohen: Now, ignorance is a virtue

(NEWSER) - HBO's Game Change is aptly titled: Sarah Palin did indeed change American politics, and not for the better, writes Richard Cohen in the Washington Post . Palin aides have confirmed the accuracy of the film's portrayal of an "ignoramus" who was "determinately incurious"; this year's "deluge of dysfunctional presidential candidates" shows that the trend has continued. "With her selection as John McCain’s running mate, American politics lost its way—and maybe its mind as well," he notes. More»

Rick Perry has one you probably never heard of

(NEWSER) - Who needs debates? The Washington Times rounds up the GOP candidates' favorite movies:

• Herman Cain: The Godfather. (Yes, the former CEO of Godfather's Pizza winked when he answered.)
• Newt Gingrich: "Probably Casablanca."
• Michele Bachmann: "Braveheart, or maybe Saving Private Ryan."
• Rick Perry: Immortal Beloved. The most offbeat choice comes from the Texas guv, who favors this 1994 biopic of Beethoven.
• Mitt Romney: O Brother Where Art Thou, he told the New York Times.
• Rick Santorum: Field of Dreams, he said when pressed to pick just one. (It's in Iowa after all.)