DENIED

Report: Romney Wanted Christie for Veep

Up to two weeks before Ryan announcement.

Shhh, don’t tell Paul Ryan—nobody likes to be the second choice. Campaign insiders told Politico on Saturday that New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie—recently heard proclaiming that he “doesn’t give a damn about presidential politics”—was Mitt Romney’s top pick for vice president up until the GOP nominee’s overseas trip this summer. Romney was so close to picking Christie that some campaign workers thought the decision had already been made, making the announcement that his running mate would be Paul Ryan a surprise even for his own staff. The Romney campaign denied the report, simply saying “it’s not true.” Seems that there's no love lost between Romney and Chrisite now—and Romney did get the benefit of talking up the P90X workout.