On Wednesday the Mobile Press-Register reported that three presidential campaigns had been playing the Dating Game with Bob Riley, courting the Alabama governor for a potential vice-presidential bid. The campaigs of Sen. John McCain, Rudolph Giuliani and Mitt Romney have all expressed interest, the paper reported. That speculation is nothing new, and Riley has been particularly coy about the subject. In a 2006 interview, Birmingham Weekly asked Riley about his national ambitions. Here is his non-answer answer:

Q: You seem to be campaigning hard for someone who is up 25 points in the polls. The question a lot of people are asking me is whether you are campaigning for governor or for vice president.

A: I’m campaigning for governor, no question about it. And I have no plans past trying to be the best governor I can for the next four years.

Q: If one of the Republican presidential candidates next year asked you to consider the vice presidency, would that be something you would consider?

A: No one has asked me and I don’t anticipate that they will.

And later, this …

Q: My last question is something of a trick question. If you are re-elected, do you promise to complete that term?

A: I plan to do everything that I can to be the best governor that the state has ever had and continue the policies and reforms that we’ve brought for the last four years.

However, the Press-Register now reports that Riley told a group students Thursday that he has no interest in being vice president.

The students, seeming stunned by his presence and candor, said nothing. The room was also full of school system staff, local politicians and members of the media.”Ask him if he wants to be vice president,” a bystander said.

“No,” Riley exclaimed.