Who's still in the running to be Romney's running mate?

AP Photo

(CBS News) For weeks, Mitt Romney refused to say who was in consideration for the vice presidential slot -- until others tried to say who was out.

The presumptive Republican presidential nominee felt compelled to comment on the process this week after ABC News and the Washington Post reported that Florida Sen. Marco Rubio was not in contention. "Marco Rubio is being thoroughly vetted as part of our process," Romney said.

Romney's remarks may say more about the vetting process itself than whether Rubio is really on the candidate's shortlist. Romney may not reveal his running mate until the Republican convention in late August, but there have been signs on the campaign trail to suggest who may or may not be in contention.

Some possible VP picks -- including Rubio -- are keeping mum on whether the Romney campaign is actually vetting them.

"I've made a decision a long time ago not to discuss the process," Rubio told CBS This Morning co-anchor Charlie Rose on Wednesday. "That's not going to change today. I respect the process that Governor Romney's going through. I'm pretty confident he's going to make an excellent choice. I think those of us involved in politics and supportive of him should give him the space to do that that."

Sources tell CBS News Chief Political Correspondent Jan Crawford that Rubio is unlikely to be Romney's choice in the end. Crawford reports that, according to the Romney campaign, Rubio is a long-shot as a first-term U.S. senator and that Ohio Sen. Rob Portman or former Minnesota Gov. Tim Pawlenty would be more likely choices.

According to CBS News political consultant Scott Conroy, there is an obvious political benefit for Romney to keep Rubio's name in the mix publicly for as long as possible. "It's telling that he went out of his way to comment on this to reporters after for months insisting that he would not say a word about the vetting process," Conroy said. "If he truly was considering Rubio seriously, why not just let the ABC story be incorrect and surprise us all later?"

Conroy explained the strategic benefit of keeping Rubio's name out there: "Many of the conservative activists who love Rubio but are lukewarm about Romney are donating to Rubio-led fundraisers," he said. They are "giving their time and energy to the campaign right now under the assumption that Rubio is indeed being vetted."

Pawlenty, who dropped his own presidential bid early on in the GOP primary process, is a strong contender for a number of reasons that Politico lays out: His working-class upbringing and low-maintenance style have made him a strong surrogate, and his evangelical Christian faith is a bonus.

South Dakota Sen. John Thune recently refused to comment about whether he's being vetted. "There's a process. We don't talk about the process," told USA Today. But his refusal to talk may indicate that he is under consideration -- last month he said he wasn't being vetted.

New Hampshire Sen. Kelly Ayotte, meanwhile, recently told the Daily Caller that the Romney campaign hasn't contacted her about possibly serving as a running mate. "I know that he'll pick who he thinks is the best person... my focus is serving New Hampshire," she said.

Still, Ayotte later joined Romney on the campaign trail and continues to actively campaign for him.

Romney also campaigned recently with Rob Portman. Like Thune, he's keeping quiet about whether he's being vetted.

Many Ohioans who attended the Romney rallies where Portman appeared were excited at the prospect of seeing their senator on the ticket. However, Portman stuck to bland assurances that he's likely to stay in the Senate. "I'm lucky to be where I am," he told one man in the pancake line in Brunswick.

While his potential spot on the 2012 ticket may excite some Ohians, it probably wouldn't thrill many others -- a recent USA Today/ Gallup poll showed that 62 percent of Americans had never heard of him.

Wisconsin Rep. Paul Ryan, as the author of the GOP congressional budget, may be more well known, but he apparently doesn't want to be known as a potential vice presidential pick: When National Journal asked about his vice presidential prospects at the beginning of June, he literally turned on his heel and jogged in the other direction, saying he had to go vote.

Indiana Gov. Mitch Daniels -- who has been more adamant than most that he's not interested in the job -- appears to be out of the running for good, now that he's reportedly slated to serve as Purdue University's next president.

Meanwhile, New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie may have made a bad impression on the Romney campaign, the New York Times reported: "Mr. Christie is often late, as he was during a $5 million fund-raising dinner in New York City last month," the Times reported, relying on unnamed Republican sources. "After a few uncomfortable moments, Mr. Romney finally had to take the stage and speak first. When Mr. Christie did arrive, it was left to Mr. Romney to introduce him to the crowd."

According to the New Jersey Star-Ledger, "people who keep close watch over the governor's career" think Christie could serve as a good keynote speaker, if not a running mate, at the Republican convention in Tampa.

One final potential vice presidential pick, Louisiana Gov. Bobby Jindal, gave an awkward non-denial on MSNBC last month when asked if he'd be on the ticket: "I'm not going to speculate on hypotheticals," he said.

[occupy_cbs]

I'm sure the republicans are still looking for that BOLD MOVE to incite the rabid, far-right base, and will convince flip-flopper mitt romney to nominate caribou barbi again in 2012, since it worked so well for mccain in 2008!

romney/palin 2012!!

[TimeToEvolve]

The Cons have criticized Obama for declaring that the Palestinians have any rights to their land. Robmee has sided with the Republicons who are rattling the swords at Iran. They have criticized diplomacy and Obama (a Nobel Peace Prize winner) as being an appeaser.

Of course they want to start wars. Mitler and his violent and primitive party of war profiteers.

[Mortar1SG29]

Rights to what land?

[TimeToEvolve]

Listen the fact is that the Republicons keep going further and further to the right. While the American political system is completely corrupted by big corporate money (both parties are owned by the same corporations), at least the Democrats want to give SOMETHING to the poor and middle class.

The Republicons just want them to die without health care. And lots of them are America CHILDREN.

[Mortar1SG29]

Give something to the poor and middle class?

If they are giving their own money, then great!

If they are taking it from others to give away...then they should be removed from office immediately, and punished severely.

[TimeToEvolve]

Pretty much any fascist that shares Robmee's desires for more wars and to further cut taxes on the rich by taxing the poor and middle class will do for his VP.

[TimeToEvolve]

Who's in the running for Republicon Vice pResident? Darth Vader, El Diablo, Dick Cheney, Charles Manson, or pick a war criminal like George Bush or the Syrian President. Whoever is best for the pocketbooks of the war profiteers and the Top 1%.

[TimeToEvolve]

Can you refute that Milter is all about the Top 1% (himself)? That he is the perfect Wall Street puppet to further the right wing agenda of closing factories, off shoring jobs and deleted all our social programs so that the Top 1% can have even more wealth.

[cntrygirl3]

If Christie upstaged Romney like that he knows he is out of it, besides he would outshine Romney so bad you wouldn't know who was at the top of the ticket. If Romney is smart (a very questionable premise I admit) he will pick Portman. So what if no one has heard of him (won't outshine Romney) the man is something Romney will never be, he is instantly likable. I watched a 5 minute interview with him on FOX (always good to know the enemy) and I liked the man. He didn't have star power like Christie but he did have an incredible charm and genuine humor. Romney is by far the most unlikable presidential candidate in my memory and I remember Nixon! Nixon was a charmer compared to Romney, the man is embarrassingly unlikable. When he tries to be folksy or good old boy. You just think what is wrong with him and it is very awkward for him and the people he is talking to.

[TimeToEvolve]

Robmee oozes corruption and sliminess. I would not trust him to watch my dog.

[jonnyooh]

I personally like Sarah Palin for that position. I realize she is smarter than Romney, but Cheney was smarter than Bush. She could just put her hand up inside the back of his jacket and make him appear to talk.

[Ourdoc1]

Romney's answer is don't say who until you absolutely have too, and don't say anything about what you will do until after your elected. Kind of an anti-transparent position, which is something this country does NOT need.

[billgates0001]

The answer is simple: Luis Fortuno for VP.

[alinrodneyvil]

For the life of me I can't figure out why the Media keeps pushing "Krispie Kream Christi". The guy is nothing but a loud mouthed bullie and a big fat slob at that. He has only served half a term and I haven't heard of anything that he has accomplished in NJ that would qualify him to be a heart beat away from the Presidency.

[cubscout09]

Christie lobbied for a private corrections company that runs halfway houses for prisoners. The prisoners are simply walking away to commit crimes. The family of a woman, who was murdered by an escaped prisoner, has been assured by Christie's administration that they have "investigated" the incident, but, there are no documents to show any "investigation" ever occurred. Christie is a hot potato.

Maybe, Christie wouldn't be late if he was still using the State-owned helicopter as his private limousine.