An interesting article on Sarah Palin was posted yesterday on the NPR website. Basically, the article states that given more time she could become a force in GOP politics. It's true that she has many of the attributes of Ronald Reagan: she took on an incumbent for an executive nomination, she is attractive and she has been called weak on knowledge about the issues, all like Reagan. She, however, was picked for the Vice-Presidency, unlike Reagan who ran for the Presidency.
Dan Quayle was also picked for the Vice-Presidency, was attractive and called weak on the issues. He did not challenge an incumbent for an executive nomination as did Reagan or Palin, so all three did not follow parallel courses, but their careers have been similar. All three share one weakness: a reputation for being weak on knowledge about the issues. All three share a strength: ability to mobilize the Right Wing of the GOP.
Will Sarah Palin follow the path of Ronald Reagan, and be a national force to be reckoned with, as the article suggests, will she follow the path of Dan Quayle and be finished politically after this election, or will she take a third path (an Alaskan, but not national, political force, a TV pundit, etc).