On the assumption that Gingrich is interested not just in commerce but in winning the White House, here’s one thing I noticed: Onstage at CPAC, Gingrich made a very quick passing reference to Callista in the course of thanking the activist who introduced him. Other wives were featured more prominently. Former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney’s wife, Ann, gave a short speech to introduce her husband. Sen. John Thune of South Dakota introduced his wife in the audience and had her stand up to be applauded. “It’s always important to remember to introduce the really important person in your life,” he said.

Would it be projecting overly much to wonder how many women would have recalled Gingrich’s past (with irritation) if he had introduced his young, trim, ice-blonde, perfectly groomed wife? One Republican activist told me his wife would leave him if he worked for Gingrich. The website for the Christian conservative group Concerned Women for America recently featured a story headlined “Steal a spouse, pay the piper: South Dakota lawmakers vote to keep alienation of affection law.”

Those are, obviously, anecdotes. There’s little data at this point on how the GOP field fares by gender.