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More than one Beltway pundit has pegged Rob Portman as a potential vice presidential pick for Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.). It’s not hard to see why: Portman, 52, is relatively young, has served in the House and in both Bush administrations and hails from Ohio, the mother of all swing states. Portman deflected questions about his name being floated as a potential running mate for McCain. He didn’t take himself out of contention, but instead shifted the conversation to talk about his interest in running for Ohio governor or a U.S. Senate seat.

Former Ohio Congressman Rob Portman says he's not giving up on running for higher office. Portman is joining the Cincinnati law firm of Squire, Sanders and Dempsey. But he tells The Cincinnati Enquirer that the firm says he's free to continue traveling Ohio and laying the groundwork for a possible run for Ohio governor in 2010. Portman has started his own political action committee to finance his political trips around the state. He says other options include running against Democratic Senator Sherrod Brown in 2012.

White House budget director Rob Portman is stepping down and will be replaced by former Iowa Republican congressman Jim Nussle, senior administration officials said today. The president is scheduled to make the formal announcement at the Roosevelt Room later this afternoon. Administration officials described the decision as motivated by Portman's desire to spend more time with his wife and three teen-aged children. Since returning to Washington as a congressman 14 years ago, Portman has been commuting weekly to his Cincinnati home, and his press secretary said he had tired of that. SNIP Still, the news of Portman's departure seemed to...

The Republican base is angry about deficits, and suddenly administration officials and tax-axing lawmakers cannot stop talking about fiscal discipline. If they were sincere, they would reinstate the pay-as-you-go budget rules that were enforced from 1990 through 2000 and were instrumental in creating budget surpluses from 1998 to 2001. Lawmakers had to pay for new tax cuts and new entitlement spending by raising other taxes or cutting programs. But the foxhole fiscal conservatives do not really mean what they are saying. An audacious administration talking point — advanced most prominently of late by the new White House budget chief, Rob...

Today President Bush met with members of the American Society of the Italian Legions of Merit in the Oval Office on Italian Independence Day. The society representatives visited President Bush to present a Medal of Honor commemorating the 40th anniversary of their organization. The same medal was also presented Italian President Carlo Ciampi in November. The President also met with Senior Minister Goh Chok Tong of Singapore in the Oval Office as well as hosting the Super Bowl Champion Pittsburgh Steelers at the White House and held a swearing in ceremony of Rob Portman as the Director of the Office...

WASHINGTON - President Bush on Tuesday nominated Trade Representative Rob Portman (news, bio, voting record) as the White House budget director, turning to a Washington insider and longtime friend as part of an effort to re-energize the administration and boost the president's record-low approval ratings. Bush said more changes are in the works under his new chief of staff, Joshua Bolten. "With a new man will come some changes," the president said. But he emphasized anew that Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld's job is safe, despite calls for his resignation from a half dozen retired military commanders. "I hear the voices...

President Bush talked about American competitiveness in Maryland and welcomed, along with Secretary of State Rice, Prime Minister Siniora of Lebanon to the WH. He nominated Rob Portman as OMB Director and Susan Schwab for USTR. Vice President Dick Cheney visited troops at Ft. Riley, Kansas. Laura Bush visited with the Lebanese PM's wife at the WH. Welcome to Sanity Island!

Blame GOP Malaise on Bush's Team by Robert Novak Posted Feb 19, 2006 When Dick Cheney finally broke his silence by answering questions from Fox's Brit Hume last Wednesday, four days after the hunting accident, many Republicans could hardly believe it. They were stunned that the vice president indicated he had no regrets about the way the incident was handled. Every Republican I contacted had regrets in abundance. Bush-bashers delighted in exaggerating Cheney's post-accident conduct as a metaphor for everything wrong with George W. Bush's presidency in its sixth year. Nevertheless, there are supporters of the president (and the vice...

TWIN FALLS, Idaho -- Sugar producer groups are still awaiting word on whether sugar will be part of a World Trade Organization deal to allow unrestricted access to U.S. markets by 50 least-developed countries, officials said. The Office of the U.S. Trade Representative, which is leading the Doha round of WTO free-trade talks, is still considering what to exclude from the deal, said Jack Roney, director of economics and policy analysis for the American Sugar Alliance in Arlington, Va. The United States adopted the proposal last month at the WTO ministerial conference in Hong Kong, where world agricultural subsidies were...

CINCINNATI -- A resume that includes military service in Iraq and harsh attacks on President George W. Bush wasn't enough to land Paul Hackett on Capitol Hill. The Iraq war veteran narrowly lost a bid to win a special congressional election in Ohio. Hackett was hoping to become the first veteran of the Iraq war elected to Congress. Republican Jean Schmidt beat Hackett and will replace Rob Portman, who left Congress this year after being named U.S. trade representative by Bush. Schmidt is a well-known, experienced Republican who headed the Cincinnati-area Right to Life. Hackett initially opposed the U.S. invasion...

With 62 percent of precincts reporting, Republican Jean Schmidt had 51 percent, or 35,161 votes, to 49 percent for Democrat Paul Hackett, who had 34,175 votes. Schmidt's lead amounted to about 1,000 votes.

Has anyone seen any polls?

CINCINNATI - The Cincinnati Enquirer endorsed Republican Jean Schmidt Sunday to fill former Rep. Rob Portman's seat in the 2nd Congressional District, saying she understands the district's needs and is better able to help meet them than her opponent. Schmidt will face Democrat Paul Hackett Tuesday in a special election to replace Portman, who left to become U.S. trade representative. Schmidt, a lifelong resident of Clermont County and a former state representative, knows how to make deals and has offered specific examples of projects and programs that would help the seven-county southern Ohio district, the newspaper said. The newspaper praised...

FREE traders rarely have much to celebrate in Washington, DC, these days. America's lawmakers seem ever more sceptical of globalisation, reluctant to agree to any new trade deals and gripped by a virulent Sinophobia. George Bush's team is trying all its weaponry in an uphill battle to get a free-trade pact with Central America through Congress. Import quotas have already been slapped on various Chinese textile products. If Beijing does not do something about its currency peg, the risks are that more and nastier protectionism will follow. Although the shouting match with Europe over aircraft subsidies has calmed down as...

OMAHA (DTN) -- U.S. Trade Representative Rob Portman today joined the other members of the Millennium Challenge Corporation (MCC) Board of Directors in approving a $215 million Compact with Honduras. The Compact will help the country maximize trade opportunities in the Central America-Dominican Republic Free Trade Agreement (CAFTA) and will improve lives of the rural poor by fostering economic growth. "We are combining trade with aid to generate economic growth and reduce poverty," said Ambassador Rob Portman, who serves on the Board of the MCC. "The United States is committed to helping our Central American trade partners like Honduras make...

Pat DeWine, son of backstabbing U.S. Senator Mike DeWine, was handily defeated in the Ohio 2nd district Republican primary.

The United States says it will reactivate a World Trade Organization (WTO) case against European Union subsidies for aircraft maker Airbus. US trade officials said the decision followed the failure of latest efforts to reach a negotiated settlement. Earlier on Monday, Europe made a new offer to the US to cut state aid to help resolve the long-running row. Trade commissioner Peter Mandelson proposed that both sides cut part of their subsidies to Airbus and Boeing. Mr Mandelson suggested both sides then discuss further aid cuts later. According to one report, Brussels has offered to cut aid for the Airbus...

Former Congressman Bob McEwen wants his old job back. Thursday McEwen announced his candidacy for the G.O.P. nomination to succeed newly-appointed Trade Representative Rob Portman as the representative for the heavily Republican 2nd Congressional District. Portman has been nominated by President Bush to become the next U.S. trade representative. As in 1993, when he lost to Portman in a primary, McEwen has had to buy a home in the district to establish residency. Observers view McEwen and Ohio state representative Tom Brinkman as vying for the support of social conservatives, who are not particularly happy with the perceived front-runner in...

www.gunowners.orgMay 2005 Special Congressional Election This June Gun Owners of America Political Victory Fund 8001 Forbes Place, Suite 102 Springfield, VA 22151 (703)321-8585 May 18, 2005 Dear Friend of the Second Amendment, We have an incredible opportunity to elect a pro-gun leader to Congress. You probably do not live in the second congressional district of Ohio, but that doesn't matter. You may even have a Representative who votes to disarm you. Regardless, here is your chance to get a Representative who will fight for the freedoms of ALL gun owners. Ohio's 2nd district is vacant (the incumbent has been named...

President Bush met with former South African President Nelson Mandela. Rob Portman was sworn in as United States Trade Representative. Some members of the WH press corps attempted to mug Scott McClellan and feed words into his mouth during the press briefing today, regarding the White House statement that the United States' image abroad had suffered irreparable damage by Newsweek's now retracted story about the Koran and Guantanamo Bay. Texas judge Priscilla Owen and California judge Janice Rogers Brown visited President Bush at the White House and then Senate Republicans at the Capitol as lawmakers moved toward a confrontation over...