Don't Cross Sarah Palin

I don't see Sarah Palin as a viable presidential candidate yet, but she will be a formidable force within the Republican Party for some time to come. Ruling Class Republicans would do well to stay on her good side.

Critics contended that Ronald Reagan was nothing more than a third-rate Hollywood actor who lacked the intellectual depth and educational training to serve successfully as president. Now they say much the same about Sarah Palin.

Reagan jumped high over this low bar of expectations, leading an insurgent conservative movement into the White House. Already two years away from 2012, Mrs. Palin has become the "rock star" of conservatives and the Tea Party movement, drawing crowds far larger than Ronald Reagan ever dreamed of drawing at this stage in his career.

Mrs. Palin appeals to the very same people Reagan appealed to, including conservatives of several persuasions - economic, political, religious and social. She is the one person in the Republican Party who has burnished credentials in all spheres of the conservative coalition. Her every word commands center stage on television.