Strong Women: Friend or Foe?

There was an article on Excite a couple days ago that said:
"People are divided over whether they like the wife of Democratic presidential candidate Barack Obama, with 30 percent seeing her favorably and 35 percent unfavorably…They tilt positively toward the spouse of Republican hopeful John McCain, by 27 percent to 17 percent. In other words: While the two women are about equally liked, Michelle Obama is twice as disliked as Cindy McCain."
That whole article can be read here.

I process this information as a prejudice that runs through the American psyche against strong women. Strength is one of the attributes looked for in leaders. Does this prejudice (if it exists) affect a woman's chances at advancement within organizations?

What do you think? Does this prejudice (if it exists) exist only in the U.S.?

By the way, I asked this question over on ERE in the Lipstick group and on LinkedIn. LinkedIn seems to be catching some wind in its sails (it being early on a holiday here in the U.S) so it looks like it might get some interesting answers. Check them out here.
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