[hotpotamus]

> How can a cobdition which no longer exists be a current weakness in anything except your attempt to generalize from it to current reality?

Let's say that's my way of saying that I think that the misogyny that gave rise to those policies might not be completely gone from the country.

> However, when the context is general election strength, no, ability to win preceding nominating contests is immaterial.

I have to disagree. As far as I know, there is no rule that says that you have to win any kind of primary to run in the general election (I'm told getting onto all state ballots is quite a feat though). And also as far as I know, no one has ever won without the backing of one of the major parties. To be fair, I suppose my thinking isn't so much that any of them are just great candidates, it's more that they suck the least out of any of the options. Perhaps we just don't have any really good candidates any more.