With a vice presidential announcement expected in the coming days, Gen. David Petraeus is now being floated as possible dark-horse option for Republican presidential hopeful Mitt Romney.
The possibility that Petraeus, the Central Intelligence Agency director who oversaw American troops in Iraq and Afghanistan, could be chosen by Romney as his running mate surfaced Tuesday on the Drudge Report.
The news website quoted a “top fundraiser” to President Obama saying the president thinks Romney wants to name Petraeus his vice presidential nominee.
“The president wasn’t joking,” the insider told the Drudge Report.
The website added that, “Romney is believed to have secretly met with the four-star general in New Hampshire” and the “pick could be a shrewd Romney choice.”
“A Petraeus drama has been quietly building behind the scenes.”
White House press secretary Jay Carney dismissed the report Tuesday. “I can say with absolute confidence, such an assertion has never been uttered by the president.” Carney said.
And Romney reportedly ignored shouted questions at him Tuesday about whether he has met with Petraeus.
Two years ago, Petraeus said he would never run for office.
“I am not a politician,” he said on Meet the Press in 2010, “and I will never be, and I say that with absolute conviction.”