Adviser Exploring Chris Christie 2012 Run

Even though he is adamantly denying any interest in a presidential campaign, one of Chris Christie's top political advisers says that he is considering creating an exploratory committee for a possible White House campaign because of the extraordinary interest in the New Jersey governor, according to Politico.

Bill Palatucci, known as Christie’s “political godfather,” told the New Jersey Courier-Post that not forming an exploratory committee is "leaving money on the table."

'I might frankly contemplate that,” Paltucci said. “There's so much interest out there; it's leaving money on the table by not having one."

Palatucci is Christie's former law partner. He tried throwing cold water on the notion that the Christie — who's gotten acclaim from national Republicans — is taking steps designed toward a presidential run, Politico reported.

"If reporters would look for a second below the surface, they'd see I've never been to Iowa," Palatucci said in the Sunday interview before adding that another adviser, Mike DuHaime, "has not been to New Hampshire. There have been no lawyers hired to advise or investigate a presidential run."

Christie has repeatedly insisted he's not preparing to run.