Obama reacts to report about Rahm Emanuel approached to be White House chief of staff

COLUMBIA, MO–Barack Obama was asked Thursday night about an AP report that Rep. Rahm Emanuel (D-Ill.) has been approached to be a chief of staff in an Obama White House.

On the tarmac after landing, Washington Times reporter Christina Bellantoni asked Obama about a possible Emanuel appointment.

“I’m trying to win an election…” Obama said.

Is that a no?

“Plouffe is my chief of staff,” Obama said, a reference to his campaign chief of staff, David Plouffe.

I asked Obama chief strategist David Axelrod–who has also been Emanuel’s media consultant–about the report.

“Don’t believe everything you read. I don’t,” Axelrod said.