Whether you agree with her political views or not, Sarah Palin knows how to tailor a speech to her audience.

Wednesday morning at the International Bowl Expo in Las Vegas, the former Alaska governor and 2008 Republican vice presidential nominee (center, with Steve Johnson, BPAA executive director, left, and Jim Sturm, outgoing BPAA president, right) came well prepared to talk to a group of bowling center owners and industry leaders.

"You are an audience full of fellow sports enthusiasts, that's how I view all of you," she said. "I grew up in a family of sportsmen.

"I enjoy running and as I thought of that sport, how that contrasts with the community of bowling and I think of it as a community. Any sport that shares shoes truly in my mind is a community."

Palin continually emphasized the connection between bowling centers as small businesses and their importance to their communities.

"I have a personal appreciation for what you do," she said. "There were a lot of cold nights where I'm from where after basketball games we would meet at the bowling center. I have an appreciation of what you provide in your community."

Palin recalled her youth when her father set pins in Idaho.

"My Dad was on a Thursday night bowling league," she said. "He bonded with his buddies. I have memories of that point of my life which mean very, very much to me."

Palin also was impressed with how bowling centers have fared during the recent recession.

"What I find fascinating is how you have been able to evolve and innovate during changing times," she said. "You've stayed open later. You've added automatic bowling machines and a variation of disco bowling. Because you were innovating and adapting you've seen a resurgence.

"You have 70 million bowlers and I only thought it was a cool thing in my small town of Wasilla, Alaska. Maybe hearing our president (Barack Obama) spends so much time on the golf course, he should bowl more. After all, he has a lane in the White House."

Palin spent much of the rest of her 30-minute speech using analogies of bowling centers, small businesses and her views on how government gets too involved in those businesses. Afterward, Bowling Proprietors' Association of America Executive Director Steve Johnson asked her some prepared questions.

One question asked her if she became president would she keep the bowling lane in the White House?

"Yes, I would," she said. "What an illustration of Americana where the president can go downstairs, blow off a little stream and bowl a few frames."

No matter their political preference, all in the audience definitely liked that answer.