WASHINGTON (Reuters) – White House spokesman Robert Gibbs on Wednesday denied a report that Vice President Joe Biden and Secretary of State Hillary Clinton might swap jobs for the 2012 presidential campaign.

“It’s just not true,” Gibbs told reporters. “It is not anything that is being discussed here.”

Author Bob Woodward told CNN the idea of a switch was “on the table,” fanning Washington speculation of what President Barack Obama might do to shake up his team if his approval ratings do not improve in time for the 2012 election.

Gibbs said Obama regarded his decision to tap Biden as his number two as among his best choices in the last few years, and was also pleased with Clinton’s performance at the State Department.

Clinton also dismissed the reports, saying she never believes what she reads in the press.

“I have absolutely no interest and no reason for doing anything other than just dismissing these stories and moving on because we have no time, we have so much to do, and I think both of us are very happy doing what we’re doing,” she told a Fortune Magazine conference in Washington.

MICHELLE OBAMA TO HELP DEMOCRATS!

WASHINGTON — Michelle Obama is jumping into the midterm political fray in a big way: She’ll headline at least nine fundraisers in six states next month for endangered Democrats.

That’s a fairly big commitment for a first lady who’s always said she’s not a political animal, but the White House insists Mrs. Obama is eager to get out there.

And it’s no surprise that the Democrats are anxious to use the first lady’s star power: Polls show she’s more popular than her husband, President Barack Obama.

Among those Mrs. Obama will campaign for is Wisconsin Sen. Russ Feingold, who passed up a chance to appear with the president on Labor Day in Milwaukee. Feingold, in a tough re-election fight and slightly behind his opponent in spending, instead opted to attend a parade in his hometown about 60 miles away. He’s also not expected to attend the president’s rally in Madison next week because the Senate will be in session.

Overall, the first lady’s political schedule tells the tale of the 2010 midterm elections: She’s raising money for candidates who are trying to defend embattled Democratic turf, not stumping for challengers trying to make inroads in Republican terrain.

But don’t expect Mrs. Obama to go negative against GOP challengers.

White House press secretary Robert Gibbs said Mrs. Obama is “a popular ‘ask’ on the campaign trail and I think she will go out and make a forceful and positive case” for the administration’s achievements.

In addition to Feingold, those Mrs. Obama will be campaigning for include Sens. Michael Bennet of Colorado, Patty Murray of Washington, Barbara Boxer of California and Senate hopeful Alexi Giannoulias of Illinois, who is trying to hold the Senate seat once held by Barack Obama.

The first lady also will attend Democratic National Committee fundraisers in Los Angeles and New York for the party’s Women’s Leadership Forum, and appear at events for Speaker Nancy Pelosi and Illinois House contenders Debbie Halvorson, Bill Foster and Dan Seals.

CHRISTINE O’DONNELL:

NO MORE NATIONAL INTERVIEWS!

By Felicia Sonmez
Delaware Senate nominee Christine O’Donnell (R) gave on Tuesday night one of her few national TV interviews since recording a stunning upset over Rep. Mike Castle (R) a week earlier. She used the opportunity to announce that it would be her last national TV interview.

National exposure is now “off the table, because that’s not going to help me get votes,” O’Donnell told Fox News Channel’s Sean Hannity. “I’m not going to do any more national media because this is my focus: Delaware is my focus, and the local media is my focus.”

She added that former Alaska governor Sarah Palin‘s advice, to focus on interviews with Delaware reporters and reaching Delaware voters, was “absolutely right.”

O’Donnell made the national-media rounds the day after her win but has largely remained out of sight since then, emerging only for her first appearance on the national stage last Friday at the Family Research Council’s Values Voter Summit of social conservatives.

Her last-minute cancellation of two Sunday show appearances two days ago garnered her widespread criticism.

But while she has refused most interviews, O’Donnell has very much been a presence on the airwaves: She has been ridiculed on cable and late-night TV for telling Bill Maher in a 1990s TV appearance that she “dabbled in witchcraft.”

On “Hannity” Tuesday night, O’Donnell took aim at the media for airing those clips, charging that “what they’re trying to do is paint me as an extremist … so people won’t pay attention to my message.”

Asked about her remarks about witchcraft, O’Donnell made light of the comments, chalking it up to “teenage rebellion.”

“Some people dabble in drugs to rebel; that’s how I rebelled,” she said, laughing. “Who didn’t do some questionable things in high school, and who doesn’t regret the ’80s, to some extent? I certainly do, and I most certainly regret bringing it up to Bill Maher.”

Castle has refused to endorse O’Donnell in her general-election race against New Castle County Executive Chris Coons (D). O’Donnell said Tuesday that she spoke with Castle last week and that she’s still “holding out for hope” for an endorsement.

“We spoke on Friday, and he congratulated me. It was a very friendly conversation. And I’m hoping to get his endorsement. It would mean a lot,” she said.

O’Donnell has come under fire, both during the primary and afterward, for allegedly misusing campaign funds and being subject to an $11,000 tax lien.

She acknowledged Tuesday night that she “fell behind” in her mortgage but blamed a “computer error” for the tax lien, adding that there’s “no truth” to an ad being run by the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee that she didn’t pay her taxes and was “financially completely irresponsible.”

“My opponents don’t care about the truth,” she told Hannity.