You can run, but you can't hide

AS ANY political spectator knows, Rob Portman was hardly a bit player in the Bush Administration. In fact, Portman, a Republican senatorial candidate in Ohio, was Bush's beloved director of the Office of Management and Budget and a member of Dubya's inner-circle. As the Associated Press noted at the time: "It's difficult to find a more faithful supporter [of George Bush] than Rob Portman. Bush reciprocated by calling Portman a "trusted adviser" and thanked the Cincinnatian for his "friendship."

Well, none of that mutual admiration stuff is all that newsworthy. But Think Progress has now alertly pointed out that none of the warm and fuzzy Bush-bonding appears in Portman's official campaign website. In fact, Bush's name never appears. I hurriedly glanced at the site earlier today before rushing off on another matter. It confirmed the initial report by Think Progress. . However, when I checked again tonight for this post, it was gone with the explanation, "page not found."

Where did it go? Things have a way of disappearing, not the least of which is any reference to Bush. Did Portman enjoy preferred status through divine intervention, or did he really get the job from Bush? That will come later in the campaign - from Portman's political opponents whether he likes it or not, probably even more so now that he has shown such guarded sensitivity to his previous line of work.