Having already written Hillary Clinton’s campaign obit, the New York Times spilled some ink this weekend wondering who could be the next female to launch a serious bid for the White House — and perhaps become the first woman president.

Among the diverse list of feminine heir apparent possibilities were three with local ties:

• Sen. Claire McCaskill. Vocal support of Barack Obama has helped propel her into the national spotlight after less than two years on Capitol Hill. Joining Obama’s ticket would catapult her from the ranks of Washington up-and-comer to the Beltway elite.
• State Treasurer Sarah Steelman. Has also grabbed national attention, thanks to her pledge to keep state pension dollars away from company’s that do business with rogue states. The race for governor, of course, will have a lot to say about her political future, in the near and long term.
• Illinois Attorney General Lisa Madigan. Someone to watch down the road — she’s young (41) and has political pedigree. (Her pop is Illinois Democratic powerbroker and House Speaker Michael Madigan.)

Also making the cut was Kansas Gov. Kathleen Sebelius, who gave the Democratic response to the president’s last State of the Union Address, and Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin who, the Times tells us, rides a motorcycle and refers to her husband as the “first dude.”

Former senator Jean Carnahan was not mentioned in the Times piece — but that doesn’t mean she hasn’t been in the news. The former Missouri first lady is busy in Kentucky, stumping for Obama.

Steelman

McCaskill

Madigan