NBC's Ali Vitali Says Presidential Elections Not Built for Female Candidates to Win

NBC's Capitol Hill Correspondent Ali Vitali says our political system was not set up to elect a female president ... but understanding the bias might help the nation finally cross that hurdle.

Vitali joined "TMZ Live" Friday ... to talk about her upcoming book, "Electable: Why America Hasn't Put a Woman in the White House ... Yet," and she's very clear ... a big reason why women haven't inhabited the Oval is misogyny. Fact is ... many countries have had female heads of state -- Germany, Finland, England, Argentina, India, Israel, among others.

Ali says the Hillary Clinton is living proof women are viable candidates .. .but they seem to hit a wall when it actually comes to getting elected.

We ask about one woman in particular ... Michelle Obama, who has said as clear as day she's not interested in the job, but Ali has opinions.

And what if the first female president is a conservative Republican -- would this be celebrated among women and men of a different political persuasion? Ali's answer is interesting...