Rep. Michele Bachmann (R-Minn.), whose 2012 presidential campaign didn’t turn out well, told Fox News’ Bill O’Reilly this week that she’s not sure Americans are ready for a woman president. The Fox host followed up with Rep. Michele Bachmann (R-Minn.), whose 2012 presidential campaign didn’t turn out well, told Fox News’ Bill O’Reilly this week that she’s not sure Americans are ready for a woman president. The Fox host followed up with a discussion on the subject last night, asking questions to two women guests.

O’REILLY: There’s got to be some downside to having a woman president, right? Something – something that may not fit with that office, correct? KRISTEN POWERS: I’m going to say no, Bill. O’REILLY: So there is no downside to having a woman?

I watched the clip of O’Reilly’s segment and I’m pretty sure the host was trying to be overly provocative on purpose. In other words, O’Reilly almost certainly wasn’t being entirely serious when he suggested – with a smirk – that there must be some “downside” to a woman in the Oval Office.

That said, even if the Fox News host was asking the questions with tongue planted firmly in cheek, O’Reilly certainly kept the conversation going on this for a while.

He went on to say:

“Look, men are men and women are women. There is a difference, [Kate Obenshain]. There is a difference between the genders. Now men, they are tied up and a lot of them macho image and that kind of thing and they act like you are not going to push me around. That could be a deficit you know they are not as kind of open to sensitive discussion maybe as women. There’s got to be a downside for a woman. Do you know one?”

And:

“In general you both don’t see any gender deficiency to lead the free world?”

And:

“There haven’t been that many strong women leaders throughout history.”

A nd:

“All right you’ve got a woman of the President of the United States and the Mullahs say, ‘We are not going to deal with you. We don’t like you. We don’t think you are as good as men. The Muslim world does not accept equality. You know we’re not dealing with you.’ So right away there is a deficit there, no?”