Sarah Palin, who quit her elected office as Governor of Alaska in the middle of her term, now says she’s considering running for President in 2012.

“I would, I would if I believe that is the right thing to do for our country and the Palin family. Certainly I would do so,” she told “Fox News Sunday,” in an interview that was taped before she addressed a Tea Party convention the night before. “I think that it would be absurd to not consider what it is that I could potentially do to help our country … . I won’t close a door that perhaps could be open for me in the future.”

In her interview with Fox News, she quoted … get ready for it … Pat Buchanan.

In her first Sunday show appearance, the 2008 vice-presidential candidate predicted that, if the election were held today, President Barack Obama would actually lose the office he won just a year-and-a-half ago. But — citing a column written by Pat Buchanan — she left open the possibility that his fates could change, particularly (she seemed to wish) if a major attack were to be launched against Iran.

And she topped it off by defending Rush Limbaugh’s use of the word “retard,” (with the patented “It’s satire!” gambit), reversing the criticism issued by one of her aides just a few days ago.

“They are kooks, so I agree with Rush Limbaugh,” she said, when read a quote of Limbaugh calling liberal groups “retards.” “Rush Limbaugh was using satire … . I didn’t hear Rush Limbaugh calling a group of people whom he did not agree with ‘f-ing retards,’ and we did know that Rahm Emanuel, as has been reported, did say that. There is a big difference there.”

But remember — no teleprompter! [twinkle]