Slow Blogging, Stuffed Giraffes, Hobbits, Rob Portman & Log Cabin

Bruce may be suffering from blog burnout, but I have notes for countless topics I wish to address. I had thought I would blog while in the Buckeye State last week, especially about my standing-room only talk to a joint meeting of my the oldest PatriotNephewWest’s conservative club and his school’s Gay-Straight Alliance. It was heartening to see how well I was received in the heartland. And a sign of how things are improving for gay people even during the Administration of the diabolical W. More on this anon.

I would have liked to blog more, but did not always have access to the Internet. My e-mail accumulated (as did my snail mail). I did not get to follow the blogs as closely as I normally do nor have the time to blog, preferring to spend time with my family, especially the youngest PatriotNephewWest who seems to have grown quite fond of his uncle from California. On Monday, I went on a quest for the last (normal-sized) stuffed giraffe in all of Cincinnati so that each of the Twin PatriotNiecesWest could have a stuffed version of their Uncle’s childhood favorite animal. (Perhaps more on that quest anon). And much as I love blogging, I much preferred taking the second eldest PatriotNieceWest to see Ice Age: The Meltdown and reading to her the first chapters of a book I had been waiting to give her for nearly her entire life. I’m delighted to report that she seems to enjoy this classic as much as I do.

I was also delighted to learn yesterday morning while waiting at a gate in the Greater Cincinnati Airport (for my flight back to LA) that the president had tapped a man native to that city, a town from where I also hail — a graduate of my high school, indeed, a man who, as a youth in Upper School was an assistant coach to my Lower School soccer team, to serve as his budget director. It’s a good sign that the president picked Rob Portman as Director of the Office of Management and Budget. By naming Portman to this important post, this president (who has not always done a good job of reaching out to Congress) recognizes he needs to better his relationships with the legislative branch. Until assuming his current post as U.S. Trade Representative, Portman had served for twelve years in the U.S. House of Representatives where he was well-regarded on both sides of the aisle. With a close friend in this position, a friend who is also close to Congress, the president could make some real headway on budget reform.

Rob Portman is a man to watch. Should Democrat Ted Strickland be elected Governor of Ohio this fall, watch for Portman to challenge him in 2010. Or perhaps he’ll run for George Voinovich’s Senate seat should that former Governor step down.

Let’s hope that there are more such appointments at the White House. The president did promise that more changes would be coming. As I’ve said before, among other things, the president needs to do what the first (and greatest) Republican president did after Antietam — Fire McClellan.

I hope to resume regular blogging soon, especially as the Log Cabin “convention” approaches, but have a few obligations in the next few days which might delay that. I am amused that a group that bends over backwards to embrace the agenda of the D.C.-based left-leaning gay groups calls itself conservative while it invites as speakers a man known these past two years for his hysterical attacks on the Republican president and a bishop who seems more interested in speaking to gay groups than in addressing a Republican agenda.

And unhinged Bush-bashing continues apace in the MSM.

I also hope to write more thoughtful pieces on gay culture and marriage, particularly given what I experienced at my nephew’s high school and with my three married brothers who live in the Buckeye State.

-Dan (AKA GayPatriotWest): GayPatriotWest@aol.com