ONTARIO, OH -- Ohio Sen. Rob Portman on Tuesday called recent attacks against him by President Obama's campaign "desperate" and further proof they do not have a record to run on.

Speaking to reporters after touring a farm in Shelby, OH, Portman responded to emails from the Obama camp slamming him and other potential Republican vice presidential picks. 

"Rob Portman has been our senator for two years now, but the most damning pieces of his record involve choices he made as a senior member of the Bush-Cheney administration and conservative congressman, the consequences of which still reverberate on a national scale," said an email sent to Ohioans from the Obama For America state director. "As one of the architects of the top-down Bush budget, Portman practically invented the policies that punished middle-class families while exploding the deficit, and crashing our economy."

"I think the Democrats are getting kind of desperate," Portman said in response. "They don't want to talk about their record, and gosh, you can't blame them."

His connection to the George W. Bush administration has been one of the most talked about drawbacks of adding Portman to a national ticket. The former Office of Management and Budget chief is quick to defend his record, today saying "I'm proud of my service in the Bush administration." 

The junior senator from Ohio has kept a busy schedule since Congress began its August recess.  He's done a a mix of events in his home state -- both in his capacity as a senator and as a Romney surrogate.  But regardless of whether he's out on his own behalf or that of the presumptive nominee, nearly all his appearances these days feature Portman going on the offensive against the current administration and defending Romney.

And as speculation has grown about his chances of being named VP nominee, Portman has found himself spending more and more time defending his own record.  He points to his work for a balanced budget and deficit only a fraction what it is today as his ready answer to questions about his connection to Bush.

After touring the farm, Portman headed over to Ontario, OH to help open a Romney Victory Office there.  Though he said he plans to attend the Republican Convention in Tampa later this month, he said he has not had any communication about a speaking slot.

He did say, however, he is looking forward to some social events thrown by another member of the Ohio delegation, Speaker John Boehner (R-OH).

"The Boehner parties are always the best parties," said Portman. "I mean, come on, let's face it."

Brendan Hoffman / Getty Images file

Sen. Rob Portman of Ohio has been mentioned as a possible vice preisdential pick for Mitt Romney.

COLUMBUS, Ohio -- Sen. Rob Portman, R-Ohio, on Friday said he was not trying to distance himself from former President George W. Bush when he said he was "frustrated" during his time as budget director.

Portman, who served as Bush's director of management and budget for a little over a year, told The Hill newspaper, “I was frustrated when I was there about some spending issues — specifically, as you know, I wanted to offer a balanced budget over five years, and a lot of people didn’t." The comments pointed to an attempt by the Ohio senator, thought of as a top prospect to be chosen as Mitt Romney's running mate, to distance himself from his association with the younger Bush.

But speaking to reporters after touring the Ohio State Fair on Friday, Portman dismissed the notion.

"I've said that for years, ever since I was at OMB," said Portman. "It's a frustrating job, it's probably the toughest job in Washington. And by the way, my frustration continues. Im extremely frustrated. In the Senate, we're not doing what we ought to be doing."

One of the most frequently cited reasons why the Buckeye State senator may not be asked to join the national ticket is his connection to the Bush administration, which Democrats have continued to point to as a reason behind the sluggish economic recovery. When addressing new jobs numbers released Friday, President Barack Obama said, "We’re not going to get to where we need to be if we go back to the policies that helped to create this mess in the first place."

Asked if it was fair to draw a link between him and the Bush years, Portman would only say that is "proud" of his time as U.S. trade representative and budget director.

The possible GOP vice presidential nominee remains busy this weekend stumping for Romney throughout his home state. And at the state fair, the Ohioans he spoke to were just as interested as the media about his political future. Some hoped he could work to represent the country on a national level, others telling him that Ohio needs him to stay.

Portman maintains that no one from the Romney campaign has tipped him off as to when a VP announcement could come. "They keep that very close hold," he told reporters. When asked what role he might play in the Romney campaign, he said, "I don't know" and talked about how focused he is on the state of Ohio.

And while the freshman senator has been criticized for being relatively unknown, even in his own state, the VP buzz may be helping out a bit. A steady stream of people were interested in meeting Portman, others doing double takes as he walked by.

"They're probably wondering why I'm walking around with a donut hamburger," he said.

Portman sampled the donut hamburger before the deep fried buckeyes but after the pork loin sandwich.

LANCASTER, PA -- Even though a Republican presidential candidate has not won the Keystone State since 1988, one of Mitt Romney's top surrogates who just happens to be a potential vice presidential pick said he has "a feeling" Pennsylvania will turn red this November.

Sen. Rob Portman (R-OH) today addressed more than 200 supporters at a rally here, one of 18 similar Romney events taking place throughout 12 states today while the presumptive nominee closes out his overseas trip. Portman's visit here marks the second time the Ohio senator has appeared in the neighboring state of Pennsylvania.

"I got a feeling Pennsylvania is going to be in the red column this year. You're going to paint the whole Commonwealth red starting right here in Lancaster County," Portman told an energized crowd. "I got a feeling about it. And it's going to be because, in 2008, we made a mistake."

Over the past week Romney surrogates have been out in full force in battleground states while the candidate is abroad. Speaking to reporters after the event, Portman defended the former Massachusetts governor trip to the United Kingdom, Israel, and Poland -- a journey that that has had its share of ups and downs.

"I think he's had a very strong trip to Israel," said Portman, later adding that the tour "shows people, one, that he does have a lot of foreign policy interest and background, but also that he's going to stand with our allies, which is incredibly important."

Romney first drew the ire of some in England after voicing concerns that the country was not ready to handle the Olympic games. Then, in Israel, the presumptive GOP presidential nominee was criticized for comments suggesting that the reason why Israel's economy has outpaced its neighbors (including the Palestinian Authority) is due to culture.

The Romney campaign has pushed back that the comments have been mischaracterized and that they were not meant to be a slight against Palestinians.

But the freshman Ohio senator did not focus his message on overseas policy, instead concentrating on an economic message that both Democrats and Republicans acknowledge will be the deciding factor in Rust Belt states. 

"The private sector -- we talked about his successes. The governor of Massachusetts, folks, they don't call it Taxachusetts for nothing," said Portman. "It's got an 85% Democrat legislature, yet he cuts taxes 19 times working with them. He starts out with a budget deficit of $3 billion, he turns it around into a surplus and a rainy day fund of $2 billion. That's the kind of leadership we want, somebody who can bring people together and solve problems."

Portman, who was introduced as "potentially the next vice president of the United States," remained dismissive of the notion when speaking to reporters inquiring about his political future.

"I'm here helping Mitt Romney, I'm not here talking about myself," he said when asked what sets him apart from the other names being talked about as joining the national ticket.

But in terms of most utilized surrogates, Portman is near the top of the list. In addition to the numerous events and fundraisers in which he's participated on Romney's behalf in his home state, the former Office of Management and Budget Director under George W. Bush has also visited North Carolina, New Hampshire, and Pennsylvania.

And asked whether or not he is ready for a new job, he again sidestepped the question.
  
"I'll let the Romney folks talk about readiness. As I have said before, Romney has plenty of choices -- a lot of people out there who can do the job. And, ultimately, people are voting for the president and not the VP."

MINSTER, Ohio -- As President Barack Obama and chief rival Mitt Romney pumped the breaks on partisan politics today, a frontrunner believed to be on the shortlist to become the next Republican vice presidential nominee showed no signs of toning down his rhetorical attacks.

Rob Portman, widely acknowledged to be a top contender to become Romney's VP pick, critiqued the president for recently saying, "If you've got a business, you didn't build that" and accused the Obama campaign of running misleading ads. Though the Ohio senator released a written statement earlier in the day regarding the massacre in Aurora, Colo., he did not address the shooting until he received a question during a media availability Friday afternoon.

When asked if the recent violence at all sheds light on the pettiness that has recently defined the presidential race, Portman said, "It certainly shows what's really important which is our families." But he added that he was "concerned about the tenor of the Obama attacks" and that misleading ads have shown that the Obama campaign "is not worthy of the incredible problems we face as a country."

During brief remarks in Florida earlier in the day, Obama offered condolences to the families of the victims and told the crowd, "There are going to be other days for politics."

Similarly, a campaign event Romney had scheduled in New Hampshire turned into a brief statement from the presumptive Republican nominee. "Ann [Romney] and I join the president and first lady -- and all Americans -- in offering our deepest condolences to those whose lives were shattered in a few moments of evil in Colorado," he said.

The president, Vice President Joe Biden, First Lady Michele Obama and Ann Romney all canceled events on Friday. The Romney campaign also canceled planned radio interviews.

“Jane [Portman] and I join all Americans in expressing our condolences to the families and friends of those whose lives were cut short by the senseless act of violence in Colorado last night. They are in our prayers this morning, as are those victims who were injured and a community now in grief," read the statement released from Portman's office.

Portman also expressed caution about any impact the shooting at a midnight showing of "The Dark Knight Rises" should have on gun control laws. "Let's see what the situation was. I don't know what the details are. I don't think we should make it a political discussion at this point," he said.

The Buckeye State senator is spending Friday in the western part of his home state, spending time with local business leaders. 

He'll attend a fundraiser for Mitt Romney in Lima, Ohio, tonight. 

LEBANON, OH -- Ohio Sen. Rob Portman said Monday he has "no idea" whether Mitt Romney has chosen a running mate, a decision that could come this week before the presumptive Republican presidential nominee takes his campaign overseas.

Portman spoke to supporters and media at the Romney Victory Office here ahead of President Obama's campaign stop in Cincinnati today. It is the second time in the past three days the Ohio senator has campaigned for Romney in the southwest corner of his home state, an area that will be pivotal in deciding whether the Buckeye State goes for Romney or Obama this fall.

Despite his continuing role as a high profile surrogate for the campaign, he has remained mum on any speculation about the prospects of him taking on a bigger role as running mate.

A report from The New York Times this morning suggested that the former Massachusetts governor may have already chosen his No. 2, but senior Romney adviser Eric Fehrnstrom has since told reporters that no decision has been made.  But -- just to keep the VP buzz at a heightened alert -- Ferhnstrom told the Associated Press, "Technically it could, but the governor hasn't made a decision. It will only happen after he makes a decision."

Near the top of almost every list of possible running mates is Portman, whose deployment today to bracket the president is another sign of the high esteem with which he is held by the Romney.  But the first-term senator again declined to divulge any information about his VP prospects, and if he's the guy, he doesn't know it yet.

"I have no idea," Portman told reporters when asked if he thought Romney had made a decision. "I also have to add that people vote for the presidential candidate, not the VP," he said.

Portman's deployment in Ohio in recent days has focused on refuting the negative ads running against Romney in a state that is more saturated with political ads than nearly anywhere else in the country.  "He's attacking Mitt Romney on a personal basis," he said of the president. "Why? Because he doesn't want to talk about his record."

Portman, who held today's event adjacent to The Golden Lamb, a hotel and restaurant owned by his family that is the longest continuously running business in the state, has sought to portray Obama as out of touch with small business owners. 

"He's in Cincinnati today, I'm glad he's coming to Ohio.  I really am. I hope he'll go on the shop floor and talk to some workers in the greater Cincinnati area. I hope he'll come out to Warren County and talk to some small business owners," he said. "But if he does that, you know what he's going to find, he's going to find the private sector is not doing just fine."

It is going to be a busy week in the state. On Wednesday, Romney will hold fundraisers in the state and a rally in Bowling Green, OH. On Wednesday, former Florida governor Jeb Bush will be here to fundraise for Romney. But with the Senate in session, it is unlikely Portman and Romney will be together again until after Romney gets back from his overseas trip.

The amount of attention Portman's home state will get between now and the election is an advantage that has helped lift him to the top of VP list. It is something that is not lost on him.

"Southwest Ohio is incredibly important, we're going to be in the middle of it again...given where we are as a country, the direction we're heading, for our kids,for our communities and for our country, we have got to have a change," Portman said. "And that's where Warren County, greater Cincinnati, southwest Ohio, are going to play a key role."  

WASHINGTON -- Ohio Sen. Rob Portman's biggest asset as a potential running mate for Mitt Romney has traditionally been seen as his depth of experience in government and knowledge of the economy.

But Portman, speaking to an audience of hundreds at the American Builder and Contractors Association conference here in Washington, tried his hand at an important secondary role for vice presidential nominees: attack dog.

The Ohio pol talked about the difficulties his father faced when he started a forklift dealership in Cincinnati when Portman was five-years-old, a risk he says he dad may not have taken today because of the "anti-business rhetoric" and regulations imposed by Democrats. Those hurdles were compounded on Monday, Portman said, by President Obama's call to let the Bush-era tax cuts expire for Americans making over $250,000.

"We saw it again yesterday, just right across the way here," Portman said at the Capital Hilton, located just blocks from the White House. "We had the president of the United States telling us again that the way to get out of these economic problems we’re in is to raise taxes on small business owners. And some of them are in this room."

For all of his efforts to sharpen his rhetoric toward the president, Portman's edge was less pronounced than some of the other rumored short-listers, namely Florida Sen. Marco Rubio or New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie.

"We gave him the ball," Portman said of the president. "The American people gave him the ball. At a time when he was inheriting a tough economy, let's be honest. But in my view he fumbled the ball.  It's time to give the ball to somebody else who has a game plan whose got a strategy to be able to turn things around, who understands because he has the experience and a record and the public policy positions to do it.  That's why I'm supporting Mitt Romney."

There was no crescendo in his voice, and admitting that Obama inherited "a tough economy" is not on any list of GOP talking points. But his mild manner is often cited as a reason why Portman is so well-liked on both sides of the aisle.

Though Portman may have trouble stirring up more than moderate applause in front of big crowds, it likely is of little consequence to the presumptive Republican nominee. Romney is believed to be looking for someone with the readiness to serve as commander in chief, and Portman's time in the House and Senate, along with serving as U.S. trade representative and director of the Office of Management and Budget fits the bill.

Upon exiting the conference this morning, Portman told ABC News that he had met with Romney aides while in Boston a day earlier raising money for the Romney Victory fund.  A Portman aide told NBC that the face-to-face time was for "fundraising meetings and financial events” and downplayed the notion he was there for anything related to the vetting process.

And while other Romney surrogates may be able to fire up a group of supporters, few can be as specific as Portman when it comes to how to fix the economy.

Along with lowering the tax burden on small businesses, Portman urged to reform a tax code that is "now 9 times longer than the Bible, and not nearly as interesting." For as bad as things might be now, the senator said all is fixable with the right leadership.

"We all love this country. I think the president loves this country.  I believe he thinks he's doing the right thing. But frankly, I dont think he gets it."

As Mitt Romney approaches his announcement of a running mate, a series of clues about whom he might pick continue to seep into the media.

The presumptive Republican presidential nominee's campaign confirmed, per NBC's Garrett Haake, that New Hampshire Sen. Kelly Ayotte (R) would meet with Romney and march with him at a Fourth of July parade tomorrow in Wolfeboro, N.H.

Brian Snyder / Reuters

New Hampshire Sen. Kelly Ayotte plans to meet with presumptive GOP nominee Romney and march with him at a Fourth of July parade in Wolfeboro, N.H.

Ayotte is one of several rumored short-listers who have appeared with Romney on the campaign trail; these ventures have been interpreted as informal tryouts for potential GOP tickets. A slew of other vice presidential hopefuls joined Romney on his bus tour through the Midwest last month.

Meanwhile, this morning on CNBC, New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie seemed to warm to the idea of serving as Romney's pick for a vice president.

"I love being governor of New Jersey, you can tell," Christie said. "But the fact is, if Gov. Romney picks up the phone and calls, you have to answer the call and listen at least."

Romney himself has said little about the vetting process since being forced to acknowledge in June that his campaign was evaluating Florida Sen. Marco Rubio, among other candidates, for the VP nod.

The list of other top-tier candidates is considered to include Ohio Sen. Rob Portman (R) and former Minnesota Gov. Tim Pawlenty (R).

Another governor long rumored to be among favorites for the vice presidential nod is Bob McDonnell of Virginia. It might be difficult for him to serve as Romney's running mate, though, in his new role, announced Monday, as chairman of the platform committee at this summer's Republican National Convention.

Updated 1:00 p.m. - Among the flurry of conservatives vowing to redouble their efforts to repeal President Obama’s health reform law was the handful of Republicans whom Mitt Romney might pick as a running mate.

Below is a rundown of portions of their statements, which we will continue to update throughout the day.

Ohio Sen. Rob Portman:

While the Court has deemed the law constitutional as a tax on the American people, it is still flawed policy that is unaffordable for our families, our small businesses, and our government.  The President's one-size-fits-all health care spending law is the centerpiece of a failed agenda that has increased economic uncertainty, stalled job creation, and deepened the spending hole that Washington has dug. 

Florida Sen. Marco Rubio:

What's important to remember is that what the Court rules on is whether something is constitutional or not, not whether it's a good idea. And while the Court has said that the law is constitutional, it remains a bad idea for our economy, and I hope that in the fall we will have a majority here that will not just repeal this law, but replace it with real solutions that will insure more people and cost a lot less money.

Wisconsin Rep. Paul Ryan

Today’s decision strengthens the case for repeal and replace. With the right leadership in place, I am confident we can advance real health care solutions for the American people. It is now in the hands of the American people to determine whether this disastrous law will stand.

Virginia Gov. Bob McDonnell:

Today's ruling crystallizes all that's at stake in November's election.  The only way to stop Barack Obama's budget-busting health care takeover is by electing a new president. Barack Obama's health care takeover encapsulates his Presidency: Obamacare increases taxes, grows the size of government and puts bureaucrats over patients while doing nothing to improve the economy.

New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie:

Today's Supreme Court decision is disappointing and I still believe this is the wrong approach for the people of New Jersey who should be able to make their own judgments about health care. Most importantly, the Supreme Court is confirming what we knew all along about this law - it is a tax on middle class Americans.

New Hampshire Sen. Kelly Ayotte:

By imposing a coercive tax on the American people, the president's health care law represents an unprecedented federal overreach into individuals' personal lives. ... If we don't repeal it, Americans can expect to see higher costs, less choice and fewer jobs.  I will continue to fight to repeal this law and replace it with market-based reforms that reduce costs and expand consumer choice.

Louisiana Gov. Bobby Jindal:

Ironically, the Supreme Court has decided to be far more honest about Obamacare than Obama was.  They rightly have called it a tax. Today's decision is a blow to our freedoms. The Court should have protected our constitutional freedoms, but remember, it was the President that forced this law on us.