Ohio governor says no to veep run

COLUMBUS, Ohio, June 11 (UPI) -- Ohio Gov. Ted Strickland said unequivocally Tuesday he will not be Barack Obama's vice presidential running mate.

Strickland said he wanted to be as "crystal clear" as possible to dissuade anyone thinking he would be interested in pairing up with Obama, the presumptive Democratic candidate for president.

"If drafted I will not run, nominated I will not accept and if elected I will not serve," The Washington Post quoted Strickland as saying during an appearance on National Public Radio's "All Things Considered."

Strickland had been a strong supporter of Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton, who suspended her campaign last week after it became apparent the senator from Illinois had locked up the Democratic nomination .

Strickland, a popular state executive often mentioned as vice presidential timber, said he is committed to helping Obama win Ohio in November. He said it will be "a challenge" for Obama to take the state, saying his chances are "somewhere around 5 in a scale of 1 to 10."