(Newser)
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Mitt Romney doesn't like to talk about his VP short list, but this morning's reports suggesting that Marco Rubio is out of the running caused him to make an exception today. "I can't imagine who such people are," he said, referring to the anonymous advisers quoted, "but I can tell you this: They know nothing about the vice presidential selection or evaluation process. The story was entirely false. Marco Rubio is being thoroughly vetted as part of our process."
Romney's statement likely speaks to how much clout the 41-year-old Florida senator holds with the GOP base and Hispanics, notes AP. Rubio himself refused to go near the issue when asked by Fox Radio. "I'm not commenting on the vice presidential process. That's been basically what we've said the whole time because, out of respect for Gov. Romney, the last thing he needs is to have to be addressing questions about this because really the campaign's not about that."
