22/02/2010

Synopsis

With Jane Garvey.

Sarah Palin, the former governor of Alaska and John McCain's vice presidential running mate, is coming up in the polls as the frontrunner for the 2012 Republican nomination for president. She returned to national politics earlier this month with a barnstorming speech at the first national Tea Party Convention in Nashville. In the meantime, her bestselling memoirs have become a huge hit and Fox News signed her up as an analyst. But is she really a credible candidate? Political commentator Janet Daley and Professor Philip Davies of the Eccles Centre for American Studies join Jane to discuss her appeal, her position and her potential.

Irene Khan was the first woman and the first Asian to become secretary general of Amnesty International, and has since won a clutch of awards for her work as a human rights advocate. Irene explains why she thinks it's vital for the world's poorest women that we start to see poverty not as simply an economic problem but as a human rights crisis in itself.

While the men of Wales, Scotland and England battle it out in the rugby Six Nations, their female counterparts are doing the same. Twenty years ago, the idea of a woman playing cricket or football would raise an eyebrow - let alone rugby. Even today it's still seen as the most macho of sports, but its popularity with women is growing. They have always enjoyed watching the game, and now more and more want to play. This summer England host the Women's World Cup, and joining Jane to discuss the sport are the England captain Catherine Spencer and Sara Orchard, a rugby commentator and referee.

Jessie Tait created some of the most innovative ceramic designs of the 1950s and 60s. She became well known for capturing the spirit of the time with Festival, which celebrated the Festival of Britain, and Zambesi, which featured a black and white zebra pattern with a vibrant splash of red. Jessie died last week and Woman's Hour hears more about her legacy and designs from Mark Hill, a 20th century design and collectibles specialist, and Professor Cheryl Buckley of Northumbria University, who met Jessie Tait.