Is Ayn Rand somewhat mis-characterized by mainstream thought?

Your silly question is meaningless and unanswerable.

Ayn Rand's philosophy is not terribly difficult to digest, but one must actually read what she wrote to learn it. Most in the "mainstream" have not done so, instead only relying on soundbite rhetoric. I have noted this to be true of those who speak of her favorably and those who condemn her, though as you would imagine, those who speak of her favorably are somewhat more inclined to read what she wrote.

Given that this is true, it is doubtlessly true that Ms. Rand's views have been mischaracterized by many different people in many different ways. Of course, this is likely true of a number of philosophers, but Rand is no exception.

No, mainstream America has no idea who Ayn Rand was.

Definitely.

She basically takes a poorly crafted ethical conjecture and attempts to give it credibility through association.

Objective metaphysics, objective epistemology, and if I set my ethical thesis next to that...ta da...objective ethics.

No sorry....it does not work like that.

We have a refutation of egoism in the form of empirical science (see cognitive bais).

Even if we gave Rand credit in a priori terms (which we can not because an individuals personality isn't limited exclusively to the ego) we would still only have at best a normative affirmation that "people should be rational" and NOT logical proof that "all my decisions are rational".

In the least Rand encourages narcissistic delusion...in the worst...she is referenced as a source in defense of Machiavellian apologetics.

yes

i got about 3/4 of the way through atlas shrugged as a teenager

its very long

most of the media is clueless

Diffidently by Ryan, she would of hated him to the core.

Selfish is selfish. Whats to know?