GEENA DAVIS - DAVIS CALLS FOR FEMALE US PRESIDENT

GEENA DAVIS lead calls for a female US President today (03MAY06) as she was awarded for her portrayal of US leader in TV show COMMANDER IN CHIEF. The actress was presented a red, white and blue sash at a dinner hosted by The White House Project, a non-profit organisation pushing to put a woman in The White House. Davis told the 500 guests at the United Nations Delegates Dining Room in New York City, "So many countries have had a female head of state before us. So it is certainly time. "I think it's appalling that we haven't yet. The crime is not that it's taken so long, but why haven't we done it yet?" Commander In Chief creator ROD LURIE, who also picked up a prize, added, "Females represent 51 per cent of the country and it's absurd that they're not represented in the highest level of power, and not even given that opportunity. "There's a lot of firepower in the world, ladies and gentlemen. There's lots of it, but there's no weapon as powerful as an idea whose time has come."