Would Reagan Vote for Sarah Palin?

(By Steven F. Hayward, Washington Post) - The invocation of Ronald Reagan by present day politicians often indicates a lack of appreciation of the more unheralded aspects of his statecraft. Recognizing how Reagan developed his public profile and his idiosyncratic ideology are crucial to a better understanding of his success in the White House. There was a distinct populist element to Reagan's conservatism, which makes it likely that he would have been a supporter of the current tea party movement. Many of the criticisms of Sarah Palin, the most visible figure of the tea party movement, are very similar to those launched at Reagan throughout his political career. While Reagan would have likely approved of Palin's political persona, Palin has yet to embrace the discipline and strategic planning that made Reagan so successful.