At face value they have little in common. Thatcher, 84, was a grocer's daughter from Grantham in Lincolnshire; Palin, 46, was born to a science teacher and school secretary in Sandpoint, Idaho. Thatcher cultivated a reputation for steely determination; Palin is better known for her hockey-mom ways and winning smile. Thatcher did not suffer fools gladly; Palin has struggled not to play the fool.
Ahh, the wit of the Brits. Then again, this is the Guardian, they probably don't like Thatcher either...
But they share a love of tax cutting and hostility towards organised labour, and Palin in her Facebook message called Thatcher "one of my political heroines" and role models. She said the elder woman had created a blueprint for "overcoming the odds and challenges of the status quo".
Putting aside the barbs for a moment, this will be a very important meeting for Sarah Palin. Thatcher is certainly no slouch and a gleaming endorsement, as it were, of Palin would go a long way in solidifying her credentials. This is also an opportunity to make an alliance that would serve her well on the world stage.
It will be interesting to see how this develops.
Aaron B. Gardner
