FORMER US president Bill Clinton has dismissed speculation that he wants to succeed his wife, Hillary Clinton, as senator for New York if she is confirmed as secretary of state in Barack Obama's administration.
Mr Clinton's spokesman, Matt McKenna, described the speculation as "completely false", adding that the former president remained committed to his international charitable initiatives.
"President Clinton is excited to expand the work of his foundation, which has more than 1,000 staff and volunteers in 44 countries advancing projects on HIV/Aids, climate change, sustainable economic development and childhood obesity," Mr McKenna told CNN.
Robert F Kennedy jnr, whose father represented New York in the US Senate from 1965 until his assassination three years later, said yesterday he was not interested in succeeding Mrs Clinton.
An environmental lawyer, Mr Kennedy said serving in the Senate would leave him too little time to spend with his family.
"I have spent lots of time thinking about it," Mr Kennedy said. "I have spent time talking with my uncle, my brothers, my cousin and, of course, my wife. And I think I'm in a good position right now doing what I'm doing."
New York governor David Patterson, who will appoint Mrs Clinton's successor, is believed to favour an upstate candidate, a woman or an Hispanic. The names most frequently mentioned as contenders, however, are New York's attorney general, Andrew Cuomo, Buffalo mayor Byron Brown, Bronx borough president Adolfo Carrion, and Mr Kennedy's cousin Caroline Kennedy.
Mr Obama yesterday promised to move swiftly on an economic recovery plan to include tax cuts and increased federal spending, and told US governors he wanted their advice on how to help states facing budget shortfalls.
"Forty-one of the states that are represented here are likely to face budget shortfalls this year or next, forcing you to choose between reining in spending and raising taxes. Jobs are being cut. Programmes for the needy are at risk. Libraries are being closed. Historic sites are being closed," Mr Obama told the governors at a meeting in Philadelphia.
"To solve this crisis and to ease the burden on our states, we need action - and action now. That means passing an economic recovery plan for both Wall Street and Main Street that jumpstarts our economy, helps save or create 2½ million jobs, puts tax cuts into the pockets of hardpressed middle-class families, and makes a down-payment on the investments we need to build a strong economy for years to come."
Vice-president elect Joe Biden made a point of greeting the former Republican vice-presidential candidate, Alaska governor Sarah Palin, and joked about not being noticed anymore.
"Since the race is over, no one pays attention to me at all. So I'm - maybe you will walk outside with me or something later and say hello to me," he said.