Sen. John Cornyn, R-Texas, found out that he was on a short list to be Gov. Mitt Romney's running mate when he read it in "Double Down," a new book on the 2012 campaign.
"Interestingly enough, I was as surprised as you were, probably, to read my name on that list," he told me during his weekly press call with Texas reporters. "I had no conversations with anyone about that."
Cornyn is listed in the book by Mark Halperin and John Heilemann as having made the second cut of 11 possible candidates from an initial list of two dozen prospects. But then the list was cut further to five who were vetted, including New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie and eventual choice Rep. Paul Ryan, R-Wis.
"Although I can't, I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t a little bit flattered to be on a list of distinguished Americans who Gov. Romney was considering for service as vice president," said Cornyn. "But I was never contacted by the campaign. Didn’t ask to be considered. So I was surprised to see my name printed."
So, did he want the job?
"I’m sort of in the William (sic) Nance Garner school of vice presidents, how he considered the office of vice president," he said. John Nance Garner was a Texan who was vice president for President Franklin Delano Roosevelt's first two terms and famously said that the vice presidency was "not worth a bucket of warm spit."
Cornyn, who is the Senate minority whip, is up for re-election in 2014.
"And the truth is I think where I am now is a place where I can be the most productive for Texas and for the country. So I’m happy staying in the Senate as long as the people of Texas will have me."
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