On women in politics:

As the late Texas Gov. Ann Richards once noted, if you are a woman in politics, the media is coming for you no matter what you do. "If you're single, you couldn't get a man. If you're divorced, you couldn't keep your man. If you're married, you've abandoned your man. If you're a widow, you killed your man." ...

To be taken seriously, women have the almost impossible job of covering every flank. They have to convince the press and the public that they're simultaneously assertive and empathetic, independent and trustworthy, decisive and kind.

And that's a lot of convincing.