Sarah Speaks from the Heart

Sarah Palin was on Hugh Hewitt's radio show recently (see here). She speaks from the heart about her reaction to her less-than-stellar interviews, her family's past struggle to pay for health insurance, the impact of the financial crisis on her husband, and her admiration for the state of Israel. She's walked the path of an ordinary American in her lifetime. And her support for Israel is sincere. It's not a talking point.

Can she be another Reagan if she speaks from the heart more? Maybe. Maybe not. Reagan made some pretty big blunders in his political career. He arbitrarily proposed to cut $90 billion from the federal budget, and he claimed that trees cause pollution. But he could rebound when he simply spoke from the heart. He did so in 1976, when he gave a speech opposing the Panama Canal treaties, without any notecards. "Let Reagan be Reagan" was a slogan among Reagan's confidantes.

On the other hand, Reagan could nullify his blunders with humor. He wasn't afraid of reporters. He gave lots of interviews when he was running for Governor of California. As far as I can see, Palin hasn't displayed a teflon sort of quality. But is there a way for her to maximize her pluses and minimize her minuses?