“My name is Rob Portman, and they say I was on Gov. Romney’s short list of vice presidential candidates. Apparently, it wasn’t short enough.”

Then Portman launched into President Obama on economic issues ranging from the national debt to free trade.

You have to liberate the productive power of the American people through policies that encourage innovation, risk taking, investment and jobs. And you have to compete and win in the global economy. Gov. Romney understands this.

He claimed President Obama has been too distracted by expanding the size of the federal government in other areas to pay attention to developing trade agreements.

“Now why is this important? Because 95 percent of the world’s consumers live outside our borders. And to create jobs, our workers and our farmers need to sell more of what we make to those people.”

Portman was the U.S. trade representative under former President George W. Bush, as well as his budget director. His speech didn’t touch on that, nor did it mention the last Republican president. But in a flurry of responses, Democrats gave prominent attention to both.

Obama for America – Ohio Press Secretary Jessica Kershaw called Portman “a dedicated out outsourcer of American jobs to China and chief architect of the failed Bush economic policies.”

She also pointed to a Dayton Daily News analysis that shows Ohio exports hit a record level of nearly $25 billion in the first half of this year.

But Republican delegates, like former Ohio Attorney General Betty Montgomers say Portman’s resume adds weight to his criticism of President Obama.

“This is a really moving convention. Now that sounds odd to be in the middle of all this hoopla and say it’s moving. But because we are really addressing the most important election inour lives, listening to these people who are speaking from the heart, this isn’t alla bout winning and election, it’s about returning America.”

Portman’s speech was the last prominent role during this convention for Ohioan speakers. But Ohio will continue to get plenty of attention from both Mitt Romney and President Obama. In a span of three days, beginning Friday with a visit to Lordstown by Vice President Joe Biden, all four presidential and vice presidential candidates will be in Ohio.

Portman describes Armstrong as a good friend and advisor. Few details on the private Friday ceremony have been released. A spokesman for the Armstrong family says a public memorial service is a possibility.

Armstrong died Saturday, days after undergoing heart bypass surgery.

Ohio Senator Sherrod Brown does not like what President Obama agreed to with Senate Republicans on tax breaks. The agreement calls for $900 billion in tax cuts and extends Bush-era tax cuts for all including those making over $250,000 for two years. Also in the deal is an additional 13 weeks of unemployment checks to workers whose benefits would be cut. Brown feels the President could have negotiated for more.

“In many ways it seemed the President punted on third down I mean there could have been there was more negotiation to take place to get a better deal,” said Brown.

Brown worries that the $700 billion in tax cuts for the wealthy which will come from borrowed money will lead Republicans to again call for deep cuts in Social Security and Medicare. Brown says he plans to work to change the bill.

“I really do still feel there’s a way to fix this deal to make it better. The estate tax is basically eliminated for 99 point something Americans and it’s another huge tax cut for millionaires and it’s a huge tax cut for billionaires,” stressed Brown.

Brown says he wants President Obama to live up to his campaign promise to eliminate huge tax cuts.

Senator Brown stood in front of 279 North 21st with soon-to-be homeowners Mike Decker and Katie Arends. The couple is using a popular federal tax credit to buy a 1,500 square foot, two story house in a central city neighborhood. Brown says Decker and Arends are among 50,000 Ohioans who have taken advantage of the housing credit.

“Many, many of those 50,000would not have happened without the tax credit.”

With 50,000 credits given, at $8,000 per credit, the cost of the federal program in Ohio is $400,000,000. But, Brown says a recent six month extension of the program is needed even in the face of record federal government deficits.

“Well, this puts money directly into the community. It will help pull us out of the recession. The government just can’t pull back and balance the budget tomorrow.” Says Senator Brown.

Mike Decker says calls the federal tax credit a “deal-maker” for his purchase of the new home in the North of Broad neighborhood. Last year, Decker says he and Katie Arends looked for a condo in another neighborhood near downtown.

“We were in the process of purchasing a condominium in the Short North here in Columbus. That was right when the housing market really started to feel a lot of pronblems. That escalated and pushed us out of our financing and really shut that whole opportunity down for us.”

Decker says the tax credit is just going to add a little “kick” to his personal wealth.

Tom Borgerding WOSU News

People of all ages stood outside Ohio State’s Biomedical Research Tower on West 12-th Avenue. Some held signs in support of health care reform, one man wore a shirt with Barack Obama on the front – the president’s face painted like the joker in the last Batman movie – under the picture was the word “socialism”.

That man was in a heated debate with another man who supports a reform bill.

“Where in the Bill of Rights does it say I should pay for your health care?”

Next to them…another heated debate…this one a little less civil.

“Sorry, but you’re a liar. You’re a liar.”

Inside the building the mood was much calmer – people talked among themselves in hushed voices. As U.S. Senator Sherrod Brown entered a packed room many people stood to applaud him – others, though, held their applause but stood out of respect.

While other Ohio members of Congress have shied away from town hall-style meetings because of recent volatility, Brown told the crowd he wanted to hear what they had to say.

Brown supports the proposed health care reform bill. He says it must be passed to avoid a worsening crisis.

“As good as our medical research in this country is we’re spending way too much money and not getting enough money for what we’re spending,” Brown said.

About forty minutes into the forum the senator opened up the floor for question and comments.

One man said the federal government is good at creating a deficit and poor at running a business. And he questioned the timing of the bill and raised the issue of public trust in the government.

“Is this really the right thing is this economic environment to possibly cause more job losses, and possibly cause more budget deficits in this economy? And I just want to leave with just one last statement. The founders reminded us, a government that’s big enough to give you everything you want is large enough to take everything away,” he said.

But Marianne Steger from Hilliard supports the health care reform bill. She urged Senator Brown to continue to support a public option because in her words the “private system has failed”.

“And people who want to beat up on government, you’re beating up on veterans, you’re beating up on military people, you’re beating up on doctors and folks, and schoolteachers, police officers. Government does a lot of good things in this country and when the private market fails we need government to step in and give us an option that will not turn us away,” Steger said.

While many in the crowd became passionate while sharing their comments, Senator Brown remained reasonably calm. But a woman’s question about why insurance companies could be audited or penalized as part of the bill struck a chord with the senator.

“If an insurance company gets audited and there is a, there is a long profligate list of abuse by this insurance company you’re damn right they should be punished,” Brown said.

One woman expressed to Senator Brown her concern over a single payer system. Brown followed up with this:

“The president doesn’t support single payer so uhm.”

Several in the crowd questioned that statement. “Well, I’ve heard…Unlike the rest of you I’ve actually asked him that question,” the senator replied.

After the forum Becky Rayner said she and her husband just lost their health insurance and they cannot get private insurance because of pre-existing illnesses.

“I was just reassured. And thing were put more in a better understanding. And I’m more for it now than I was this morning,” Rayner said.

Melanie Leneghan did not get into the meeting but she stuck around anyway to hold up her signs.

“One says Obamacare, immoral, lies, lies, lies, we don’t want it’. The other says what’s your hurry’,” Leneghan said.

Like many others, Leneghan’s concern is a government run health care system. When Leneghan was told Senator Brown said the President does not support a single-payer system she pointed to her sign.

“Lies, lies, lies. They know darn well that if they put this plan into place private insurance will go out of business,” she said.

Comments like these will not likely be the last as the health care debate continues during the congressional recess.

The compressed natural gas – or CNG – filling station currently services about ten local government vehicles equipped to run on the fuel. SWACO Executive Director Ron Mills says the filling station is not yet a viable option for everyday citizens because of a lack of infrastructure.

“In the meantime, our plan is to focus on fleets of vehicles. Such things as the City of Columbus refuse collection fleet where those vehicles or trucks leave a common point every morning, and return that point every night,” says Mills.

Mills says the advantage of methane as a source of fuel is that it is already an abundant resource – America does not have a shortage of landfills. And he says, unlike corn-based ethanol, it does not take much energy to convert methane.

“The amount of energy that is used in the processing of that gas and compressing it, is minimal compared to the yield we get when used as a fuel.”

Mills says the cost to produce a unit of C-N-G equivalent to one gallon of gasoline would be about $2.25. He says making it locally has its perks as well. “Because we produce it here from gas that comes out of our landfill, it will not be subject to the wide swings in market price that we see in crude oil.”

Senator Sherrod Brown is introducing national legislation to encourage methane conversion in landfills around the country. Brown says the bill would create a $250 million grant program through the Department of Energy.

“To encourage municipal solid waste systems to follow the lead of SWACO with grants up to $5 million each. They’ll be competitive and they’ll work in ways that will create the kinds of alternative energy sources that we need,” says Brown.

Mills says the EPA reports that about 10% of the landfills in the United States could feasibly use this technology, and that it has the potential to reduce US dependence on foreign oil by 4%.