No Biden-Clinton swap in the works for 2012: Obama

WASHINGTON - US President Barack Obama has dismissed as “completely unfounded” reports that he might replace Vice President Joe Biden on his 2012 ticket with Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton.

“Obviously, I haven’t made any formal decision” on reelection, but I feel like I’ve got a lot of work left to do,” the president told National Journal in an exclusive 45-minute interview.”

Obama bluntly dismissed suggestions, first raised by author Bob Woodward, that he might replace Biden with Clinton for the 2012 race.

“Completely unfounded. Completely unfounded,” Obama said, repeating the phrase a third time for emphasis. “They are both doing outstanding jobs where they are.”

The comment came toward the end of a wide-ranging Oval Office interview that suggested the president has started to think seriously, both in broad terms and on specific issues, about how he might navigate a new political landscape in Washington after November 2.

While he did not predict the outcome of the congressional elections, which could cost Democrats one or both chambers, Obama said he believes angry voters are sending the message that they “want people in Washington to act like grown-ups, cooperate, and start trying to solve problems instead of scoring political points.”

The interview will be published in its entirety in the first issue of the newly redesigned National Journal magazine, which will be released Monday. (ANI)