64 years ago, Gallup asked Americans what it would mean to be led by women. Here's what they said.

Hillary Clinton's poll numbers are dropping due probably to what an exasperated Washington Post editorial board calls "a minor email scandal" that has dragged on for more than a year. A recent CNN/ORC poll, for example, found that 50 percent of likely voters view Donald Trump as more honest and trustworthy — including 11 percent of Clinton supporters — while 35 percent of voters say the same of Clinton. In the same poll, voters don't seem hesitant about a female in the Oval Office, with 56 percent saying Clinton has the better temperament to serve effectively as president (versus 36 percent for Trump) and 50 percent saying she's better able to handle the responsibilities of commander in chief (versus Trump's 45 percent).

Sixty-four years ago, according to Gallup, those numbers might have been reversed. In 1952 — 32 years after American women won the right to vote — a 46 percent plurality of American adults disagreed that the country would be better governed "if there were more women in Congress and holding important government positions," while a 56 percent majority told the pollster that more women in "important positions in the federal government" would mean less "graft and corruption."

At the time, George Gallup said he decided to ask those questions because "the whole role of women in politics is taking on increasing importance," and "with women participating more in voting, the question arises as to what kind of government we would have if more women ran for public office." In 1952, there were 11 congresswomen (five of whom were holding the seat of a late husband) and one female senator, Margaret Chase Smith (R-Maine). Today, there are 20 female senators and 88 women in the House. You can read more about how times have changed at Gallup.

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