[jla]

I didn't do a good job of making my query clear, sorry about that. I meant any POTUS, not necessarily in our lifetime.
If you are asking me who I believed to be intellectually 'heavyweights, the first name that comes to my mind is Jefferson, then Madison and JQ Adams. (The former preferred the company of farmers over politicians. Who does that sound like?) Both would have ably answered if asked to cite a SCOTUS decision they disagreed with. Both were also lawyers.

I can't fault Mrs Palin for her (non) answer. She couldn't name one off the top of her head, I shrug my shoulders and say, "so what?"
If presented the facts of a case I am confident Palin would be more than able to deem if it is, or not, constitutional.
I also realize that for 'aesthetics' sake; to convince those voters who aren't exactly in the 'serious thinker' category, Palin will need to see that episodes such as the Couric interview aren't repeated.

I wasn't implying that you were 'anti-Palin', as I appreciate your constructive and honest critique of her.

Not sure I'd describe Reagan as an 'intellectual'. I guess it depends on how one defines that term and how much importance it is to being POTUS. That stated, I firmly believe Reagan, along with Jefferson, our greatest and most effective POTUS.

[Jim W N]

Not sure I'd describe Reagan as an 'intellectual'.

Reagan was surprisingly well-read and understood and articulated nuances of issues and problems better than most. He also had amazing foresight (in the 50's he was explaining the socialist problem better than most including their stealth use of health care). If he wasn't an "intellectual", I think he was close, at least in some areas of thought.

What do you think of the idea that Palin is the first real conservative (potential) POTUS candidate since Reagan to communicate the true values in a way that resonates with the American people?

[wastedpotential]

Any POTUS? Then Jefferson and Madison are easily the top two, just based on their ability to establish our government as it is today and then implement it as presidents in our nation’s infancy. Truly remarkable men.

As for #3, John Adams was a good thinker and writer, but was not a strong leader for some reason. Lincoln had the idea of right and wrong, as well as the notion that the union had to be preserved at all costs (sometimes I wonder if that was a good thing), so he had deep thought on issues. On just sheer “intellectualism” Woodrow Wilson was very bright and studied - but I disagreed with much of his agenda as president.

I would probably go with Reagan at #3 all time. No, he was not the classical intellectual with deep writings on subjects, but he was an intellectual in the sense that he understood the issues of his day better than any other politician, could communicate those issues in a persuasive way to the general public and then actually accomplished his objectives through policy.