Rendell Laughs Off Talk About White House Post

HARRISBURG, Pa. (CBS) - Governor Ed Rendell calls "ludicrous" any speculation that he's a candidate to become President Obama's chief of staff.

It's a notion that's been percolating in the national political news media for a few weeks: that Governor Rendell is in line to replace the just-departed Rahm Emmanuel as President Obama's chief of staff.

Those rumors may have been turned up a notch on Friday, when Rendell was asked about it during an interview with Al Hunt on Bloomberg News:

"And I said, 'Well, you know, honestly, Al, it's the only government job that would interest me.'  But I said there's absolutely no chance that I'll be chosen, and I probably shouldn't be chosen. I said, 'If I were president, the last person I would choose to be chief of staff is Ed Rendell.'  So I think it is in the joke category."

Rendell praised the president's choice of Peter Rouse as interim chief of staff, saying he hopes Rouse -- known for being publicity shy -- gets the job permanently. And the governor quipped that the speculation about him as chief of staff is "wishful thinking" on the part of the national media who believe that Rendell would make more headlines than Rouse.

Reported by KYW Harrisburg Bureau Chief Tony Romeo.
File photo