Romney: Convention speakers not necessarily excluded from VP search

Mitt Romney again refused to address rampant speculation about his vice presidential search, but did say Tuesday that speakers who had already been announced for the Republican National Convention had not necessarily been eliminated from consideration.

“You don’t think that we would be so silly as to not provide from time to time the capacity to throw people off, do you?" Romney said in an interview with Fox News. "The fact that someone is speaking at the convention doesn’t mean that they wouldn’t necessarily find their speaking slot changed from one time to another.”

Some high-profile names — including former Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice and New Mexico Gov. Susana Martinez — were announced Monday, seemingly eliminating them from contention.

Romney provided no further hints about his selection process, however.

"I am not going to give you anything on the VP front. I am not going to give you anything, no clue," Romney said. "All I can tell you is that by the third night of the Republican Convention I will have made a decision and be ready to communicate it."

On Tuesday, The Drudge Report, which famously has close ties to Romney campaign manager Matt Rhoades, splashed a report that CIA Director David Petraeus could be the choice. Drudge anonymously cited an Obama donor, who reportedly was told by the president at a campaign fundraiser that Romney was considering the former four-star general.

Drudge also sparked a frenzy last month when the site reported that Rice was near the top of the VP short list.

But White House press secretary Jay Carney shot down the Petraeus idea during the daily press briefing Tuesday.

"Be mindful of your source," Carney said.

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