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The Doha Round is Dead. . .Rob Portman Going to OMB
Share / Recommend - Comment - Print - Tuesday, Apr 18, 06, 10:13AM
Others, including House Ways & Means Committee Chairman Bill Thomas, have said Doha was dead over and over, but today I believe it.
U.S. Trade representative and former Ohio Congressman Rob Portman will move over to take Joshua Bolten's position as Director of the Office of Management and Budget. I actually like Rob Portman a lot and think that this administration is underpopulated with public servants of his capability and temperament.
However, it's also a clear sign that the U.S. has no confidence that the Doha Round of WTO negotiations are going anywhere -- and fast track authority to negotiate a trade deal is expiring soon with no deal in hand. The Doha ship just sank.
I'm the last who should be chuckling about typos in others' materials -- as I make them way too much -- but I love the Bush quote in the Washington Post report on the Portman OMB appointment:
Bush, at a morning announcement at the White House, said Portman would "have a leading roll on my economic team."
I hope that Portman does have a leading role -- and isn't just geting rolled in this new position.
-- Steve Clemons
Reader Comments (15) - post a comment
Just spoke to the Washington Post writer of the Portman article, Peter Baker, and notified him of the roll/role issue -- just like many of you do to me when I publish all of my typos. Turns out the error was not his and was another editor's who might have had the "White House easter egg roll" on the mind....
More later,
Steve
funniest of all is the typo smack in the middle of the key sentence:
other's
instead of
others'
rg -- so true!
steve
I was curious to see your thoughts on Portman. I also know and like him but disagree with him a great deal. He has always struck me as someone who truly believes in the value of public service.
Check out this profile of Portman from when he was appointed to trade position last year.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A45653-2005Mar17.html
My guess is he will serve until end of Bush Administration, then perhaps run for Governor of Ohio around 2010, and then he will be a very strong contender as a Presidential or VP candidate--extremely bright, conservative, but can work across the aisle, and a very attractive guy too. I've been watching him since 1998 and have long thought that he will go far in Republican political circles. Since I am a liberal Democrat, that doesn't exactly make me happy.
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