Obama dismisses Clinton joint ticket idea

COLUMBUS, Mississippi (Reuters) - Barack Obama dismissed as "gamesmanship" on Monday his rival Hillary Clinton's suggestion that he become her running mate on a Democratic White House ticket headed by her.

"I'm not running for vice president. I'm running for president of the United States of America" and commander-in-chief, Obama told a rally in Mississippi.

Clinton and her husband former President Bill Clinton in recent days have talked up the idea of a joint ticket. But Obama's supporters have suggested that was little more than political maneuvering by Clinton, who is lagging in the race to become the Democratic nominee to face Republican Sen. John McCain in the November election.

(Reporting by Caren Bohan, editing by Lori Santos)