Have we seen any video of Reagan or Thatcher in interviews when entering politics? Of course, Reagan was an actor, and he had skills, but I'm not so sure about Maggie Thatcher. Our memories of them are colored by their superior skills later in their careers.
As for your comments about her inability to speak without a teleprompter, are you aware that during her acceptance speech the teleprompter got off track, but no one knew it, because she continued her speech without any trouble?
As far as her knowledge of international politics, she's a smart lady, and she'll pick it up as she needs to do so, and would have done quite well, had McCain been elected, and she had become Veep.
She was more qualified than EITHER That One, or Smilin Joe with his 64 perfectly white teeth.
Sure she's better than Biden or Obama, but for a 2012 nominee, I'd prefer a candidate with a better understanding of either foreign or domestic policy than I have.
And you are deathly wrong if you think it's acceptable to the electorate to have lower standards for a VP nominee than for a presidential nominee.
The teleprompter getting off track is a myth, and the only reports of it came from RedState. The McCain campaign said the teleprompter worked properly. There are reports from media who could see the teleprompter and it was at the right speed for her speech, and there’s a video from CSPAN that shows the teleprompter matching her speech, and even pausing for applause.