Scoop: Oprah pitched a White House run with Mitt Romney, book reveals

Driving the news: It's the latest revelation in "Romney: A Reckoning" by McKay Coppins, out a week from Tuesday.

Why it matters: The book is based on dozens of hours of interviews with Romney, along with access to his diaries and journals — rare access to the real-time communications of a sitting officeholder.

Zoom in: Coppins writes that Romney told him Winfrey, a Democrat, made a pitch to run together "to save the country," according to a source familiar with the manuscript.

• Romney tells Coppins he dismissed the idea, believing that such a campaign would inadvertently help Trump.

Reality check: A source familiar with Winfrey's thinking said she was never serious about running — although some close to her thought she should.

Context: Romney, who ran for president alongside Paul Ryan on the GOP ticket in 2012, announced last month that he won't run for Senate reelection next year.

Go deeper: Retiring Romney unleashes on GOP colleagues

Editor's note: This article has been updated with comment from a spokesperson for Oprah Winfrey.