| No he wasn't, but he had demonstrated for years a very deep understanding of government and its relationship to freedom. He understood the principles which informed the design the Framers' left us. And he demonstrated an almost unmatched ability to articulate those fundamental principles in a way people could understand.
Go back and read "The Speech": The Speech
Reagan wasn't even a governor yet when he gave that speech. Read the speech, then go watch Palin answer Couric about SCOTUS decisions, and then tell me if she's anywhere near the same league. She exhibited none of it.