The White House to John McCain: Thanks for the vice presidential advice, but no thanks.

McCain, responding to a question yesterday on Fox News, said that "it might be wise" for President Obama to switch Vice President Biden in favor of Hillary Rodham Clinton -- though he also noted "it's not going to happen, obviously."

While expressing "great admiration" for the Arizona senator, White House spokesman Jay Carney said: "The one place I would not go for advice on vice presidential running mates is to Senator McCain."

McCain selected Sarah Palin in 2008; Palin had also suggested that Obama drop Biden from his ticket.

McCain aides said the senator was simply reacting to Palin's comment, not providing advice of his own.

Biden is under fire for his comment Tuesday that GOP deregulation policies would put people "in chains." Obama and aides have defended their vice president.

When asked about Palin's suggestion that it "might be wise" for the president to swap Biden for Clinton, McCain said it "might be wise to do that, but it's not going to happen, obviously."

There are "a whole variety of reasons" for that, McCain said, including: "I'm not sure, if I were Hillary Clinton, I'd want to be on that team." He said running with Obama this year might hurt Clinton's chances at the Democratic presidential nomination in 2016.

Earlier in the interview, McCain said that Biden is a "nice guy," but "he crossed the line again."

As it turns out, Obama met today with Biden and Clinton -- but in regularly scheduled weekly meetings.

"This is something that happens every week," Carney said. "This is routine stuff."