US President Barack Obama says that talk of replacing Vice President Joe Biden with Hillary Clinton to bolster a 2012 re-election bid is "completely unfounded".
In an interview on Tuesday with the National Journal, Obama also delivered the broadest hint yet that he does indeed plan to seek a second White House term in two years time.
Asked about the supposed scheme for Biden and Secretary of State Clinton to swap places to shake-up his presidential ticket, Obama said it was "completely unfounded", repeating the phrase twice more.
"They are both doing outstanding jobs where they are," Obama said in the interview, which came exactly two weeks ahead of mid-term congressional elections in which his Democrats fear heavy losses.
The White House has previously shot down speculation about a reconfigured Obama ticket in 2012 saying it was "absolutely untrue".
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Washington buzz about a supposed Clinton-Biden swap was revived this month by legendary reporter Bob Woodward, who told CNN it was "possible" Clinton, 62, would see the deal as a precursor to another presidential run in 2016.
The theory behind such a move for 2012 would be that Obama would solidify votes of the millions of women and working class voters that rallied behind Clinton in their bitter 2008 Democratic primary duel.
However, in practice, such a move would be an admission of weakness from Obama, risk a rift with Biden who is a powerful and valued member of his administration, and may still not deliver a large dividend in extra votes.
Clinton has also insisted she has "absolutely no interest" in doing anything other than dismissing the rumours, adding she is very happy at the helm of the State Department.
Obama also seemed to make clear to the National Journal that he will indeed run for re-election in 2012.
"Obviously, I haven't made any formal decision" Obama said, but added "I feel like I've got a lot of work left to do," and told the two Journal reporters with a smile "take it as you will".
Washington chatter about Obama's intentions has been fuelled by the personal and political toll exerted on the US leader and his administration by the multiple crises that have torn at his presidency.
In January, Obama told ABC News that he would "rather be a really good one-term president than a mediocre two-term president".
However, in his book The Promise, author Jonathan Alter quotes Obama as telling an old friend that he has to run for re-election or someone like (possible Republican candidate) Mitt Romney will "step in and get credit for the good stuff that happens after we've been through all this crap".
It is also almost inconceivable that a competitive politician like Obama would simply step back after a single term and risk seeing his accomplishments reversed by a Republican president.
