The book excerpt from the collection of essays by women writers about Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton touches on what keeps women out of the top political leadership of our country and at our Fortune 500 companies: the impossible expectations we set for women leaders (“No Country for Cold Women,” PostScript, Dahlia Lithwick, Jan. 20).

I agree with writer Dahlia Lithwick about why Clinton and other powerful women leaders have trouble getting to the top and staying there. The expectation to be both a warm mom and a tough leader, and doing both perfectly, is unachievable.

If there were enough women out there in top positions, the expectations would immediately be more reachable. Until then, our job should be to cut some slack to the ones who straddle and stretch to make changes.

Marie C. Wilson

Founder and President,

The White House Project,

Manhattan