Sarah Palin is no Ronald Reagan. At this juncture she has neither the breadth of experience nor the depth of reading and understanding that Reagan had. She has the same native charisma that Reagan had and in time she could become as formidable a leader as Reagan was - on her own terms, not merely as a copycat - but she’s got a lot more toiling in the fields to do before she can reach that point.
The Republicans have got to stop with the "It's my turn" method of nominating candidates for president. The result of this is often tired out warhorses like John McCain, Bob Dole and Jerry Ford who may have had more time "toiling in the fields" but invariably get crushed in the general election by a younger, less experienced but more dynamic candidate.
We don't need Palin to waste the next 20 years in the senate so she can run for office when she's 68. As great as Reagan was, imagine how much better our country would have turned out if he was elected in 1964 instead of 1980.