BofA's Potential CEO List Gets Longer

(Updated with Corzine denial)

CHARLOTTE, N.C. (TheStreet) -- The media thread about who may be Bank of America's (BAC Quote) next CEO has gotten more speculative by the day, complicating a delicate process at the country's largest bank, and frustrating other executives caught in the gossip mill's turbines.

The latest report came from CNBC's Charles Gasparino, who suggested on Thursday that former Goldman Sachs (GS Quote) CEO and current New Jersey Gov. Jon Corzine might have been in the running - a rumor that Corzine himself quickly shot down.

Photo Gallery: The Bank of America CEO Contenders

"I can confirm I have not spoken with them," Corzine said on Thursday after a mass for law enforcement officers in Newark, according to Bloomberg News.

Jon Corzine is the most recent inductee to the speculative Bank of America CEO hall of fame.

Corzine recently lost his re-election bid to Republican Chris Christie, in part because voters spurned the same credentials that would hypothetically make him a candidate at BofA: He's rich and he knows how to manage money. When asked about returning to Wall Street, he added, "I haven't given it a great deal of thought."

Gasparino stuck by his story even after Corzine himself spoke, while also calling him a "washed-up governor." At the same time, the TV commentator has been a vocal advocate of Larry Fink, the chairman and CEO of BlackRock, succeeding current BofA CEO Ken Lewis. Nevermind that Fink hasn't openly expressed interest in the job, has reportedly told associates that he doesn't want it, and that his hard-edged, white-shoe manner is the polar opposite of BofA's history of warm, traditional Southern banker charm. (Talk about culture clash.)

Dozens of names have already been floated, and at least one led the floatee to respond. Bank of New York Mellon (BK Quote) CEO Robert Kelly wrote to his operating committee after days of toying reports that he had been approached by BofA's board repeatedly, and may be interested in the job.

"I want to be clear: I am not interested," says the memo.

A long list of names has been suggested. Of the roughly 29 candidates, 19 of them - 66% -- have jobs at competing institutions. They may be quite content there, they may never have been on the board's list of names to vet, and the speculation that they are could threaten the stability of their own organization, and their livelihood.

What will happen with Bank of America's CEO hunt by the new Thanksgiving deadline?
	The board will pick an insider. The board will pick an outsider. The deadline will be extended again. Henry Paulson made BofA do the Merrill deal. Why not him? Psych! Ken Lewis will stay.