Veep Questions Are Good For My Ego

WEST LAFAYETTE, IN -- IN Sen. Evan Bayh and former GA Sen. Sam Nunn declined today to say if they are being vetted by Barack Obama’s vice presidential search team.

Bayh, who fielded reporters questions with Nunn by his side, dominated the roughly 18-minute press conference, but quickly tossed the veep question to the former Georgia senator, joking: “Sam, I haven’t let you answer any questions.”

“I’ve never aspired to that office," Nunn said. "It’s always nice to have your name mentioned. It’s an honor, but I have no expectations of being offered any office, and I’m not in any way sitting on the edge of a chair ready to go back into government. If anyone offered me any high office in the U.S. government, I’d be greatly honored, and I would talk to them.

"Certainly I would talk to Sen. Obama if he wanted to talk about it, but I think the chances of an offer are pretty slim and that I would have to do a lot of thinking and talk to my family and do a lot of reflecting about what was really the best role for me," Nunn added. "Right now, I’m doing a lot of work in (the) national security arena, with the foundation I chair, and we’re making some progress in some difficult areas so I’m not pining to go back into public office.”

Reporters pressed Bayh, too, about his willingness to serve as Obama's vice president.

“Well, I love serving the people of Indiana,” he began. “And I think any questions about the vice presidential thing are understandable, and it’s good for my ego, but I should probably let Sen. Obama and his campaign address those kind of questions."

The IN senator offered a quick quip when asked if he would take himself out of the running to be Obama’s running mate. “I’ve got a plane to catch; Gen. Sherman was from Ohio," he said, referencing American Civil War Gen. Willliam Tecumseh Sherman, who is famous for refusing to become a candidate for president. “If nominated, I will not accept; if drafted, I will not run; if elected, I will not serve,” Sherman said.

Bayh, who supported Hillary Clinton during the primaries, said he was committed to getting Obama elected. He said Obama is doing a good job campaigning in the Hoosier State, which has traditionally voted Republican.

Both men complimented Obama for his national security credentials and defended his position on Iraq, with Bayh mentioning John McCain’s shift in position on troop levels in Afghanistan as a sign that the GOPer is “all over the map” on the matter.

Nunn also said he would like to see more discussion about energy policy and fiscal issues from both candidates.

(NBC/NJ's ATHENA JONES)