Those are entirely fair questions, and no candidate should be exempted. Don't, however, forget the big picture: we need to support the ascendancy of the Tea Party at all levels, from federal president to local school board. If we don't have a Tea Party-like Congress, it won't matter who sits in the Oval Office. We could conjure up the ghost of George Washington and elect him unanimously, but if we don't have a sympathetic Congress ole' George himself might be ineffective. Of course we need the Presidency, but we need more than that.
For example, if the judiciary committee is staffed with people known to be sympathetic only to nominees such as Thomas, Bork, and Scalia, a President Perry/Palin/Bachmann won't even think of sending a Souter up there for confirmation. Don't lose sight of the bigger picture. We need a broader victory than just the Oval Office.
Good Lord yes - this is one of the few presidential elections I can remember where congresscritters and senators are equally, if not more important, than the actual president.
That assumes people still band together and get behind the conservative candidate - holding their noses if they have to. Getting a strongly conservative congress and senate will keep the new POTUS’s toes in the fire quite well.