Palin Mixes Up the Pauls (CQPolitics.com)

Republican former Gov. Sarah Palin of Alaska provided a less than vigorous defense of her endorsement of Kentucky Senate candidate Rand Paul's campaign on Sunday, vaguely referencing his "domestic" agenda while mixing him up with his father, Rep. Ron Paul of Texas.

"I don't agree with Ron Paul on everything," Palin told "Fox News Sunday" host Chris Wallace. "His domestic policies I do agree with for the most part."

"I'm proud to support him and others whom I can believe in," added Palin, who endorsed Rand Paul Feb. 1.

Paul and Kentucky Secretary of State Trey Grayson -- the candidate preferred by the Republican establishment -- are vying for the GOP nomination for the Senate seat now held by Republican Jim Bunning, who is retiring.

Palin also called for White House Chief of Staff Rahm Emanuel and Attorney General Eric H. Holder Jr. to step down.

Emanuel caught heat for referring to some liberal activists as "... retarded" and later apologized to members of the disabilities rights community for comments he made during a closed-door meeting last August.

"Rahm Emanuel, I think he has some indecent and insensitive ways of being, including his language and as I said for a variety of reasons giving the president poor advice, I think, and his heavy-handedness," said Palin. "I think he should step down."

Holder should step down, she said, "because of the way that we are treating these terrorists, allowing them our U.S. constitutional protections when they do not deserve them."

Palin also said she would consider running for president in 2012. "I would, I would if I believed that was the right thing for our country and the Palin family," she said. "I think it would be absurd not to consider it. ... I won't close a door that could possibly be opened for me in the future."

However, Palin also said she is impressed with "many of the characters, the personalities" of the GOP and argued that "we have some strong young Turks in this party," including Rep. Paul D. Ryan of Wisconsin.

Elsewhere on the Sunday talk shows, Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner defended the Obama administration's efforts on the economy, batting down complaints by newly sworn-in Sen. Scott Brown, R-Mass., that the economic stimulus package has created no new jobs.

"I don't think there's any basis for that judgment," Geithner said on ABC's "This Week," arguing that "the economy is now growing again. We're seeing some encouraging signs of healing."

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