White House: Obama never said Romney should pick Petraeus as vice president

The White House pushed back on a news report Tuesday indicating that President Obama told a supporter that his opponent Mitt Romney is considering Gen. David Petraeus for his vice presidential pick.

"I can say with absolute confidence that such an assertion has never been uttered by the president," White House press secretary Jay Carney told reporters, after chuckling at the report.

The White House spokesman was referring to a banner story on The Drudge Report that said Obama told a supporter that Romney would select Petraeus for the role.

Later, after a reporter asked if Petraeus, now the director of the CIA, would be a good choice for the GOP standard bearer, Carney said, "General Petraeus was an excellent general and is currently serving very well at the Central Intelligence Agency."