Out of Alaska, Palin's star shines 

Far from her home state and the controversy she left behind, Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin traveled to Indiana on Thursday and reminded Republicans why she remains a party heavyweight and a top prospective presidential candidate in 2012.

Palin drew approximately 3,000 people to the Vanderburgh County Right to Life fundraising dinner in Evansville, an annual banquet that typically attracts some of the GOP’s top national talent. Her sold-out appearance in a local exhibition hall prompted organizers to set up a paid closed-circuit broadcast at a nearby auditorium for a large spillover crowd and led local authorities to close down nearby streets.

“This is always a large event,” said David O’Steen, executive director of National Right to Life. “There was a lot of excitement about this among pro-life people. She is very well-known and respected in the pro-life movement