In 1999, I was interviewing General Barry McCaffrey, who was serving as President Clinton’s “drug czar.” (Do we still have them?) He had been a hero of the Gulf War. In the course of our interview, he brought up a young Republican congressman from Ohio. “I hope he’s president of the United States in another twelve years. He’s one of the finest public servants I’ve met in America.”

He was talking about Rob Portman. I agree with McCaffrey: He’s one of the finest public servants in America. And he has done a lot more since he was in the House: U.S. trade rep; OMB director; Senate. But he’s not going to be president, apparently.

He announced he will not seek the Republican nomination in 2016. He will run for reelection to the Senate instead.

I thought he would have been an excellent cabinet member in a Romney administration — State, Treasury, or Defense. If a Republican is elected president in 2016, Portman will probably not serve in the cabinet. I imagine that, as he campaigns for reelection, he’ll have to pledge to serve out his term. How can you abandon your seat days after being reelected, even to take a vital national post?

I don’t agree with Portman on every issue. He doesn’t agree with me on every issue! Do you know this old expression? “No one’s perfect but thee and me, and I’m not so sure about thee.” But there are few people in politics as bright, as versatile, and as capable. There are few with a temperament so . . . what’s the word? Healthy.

Thomas Brackett Reed was a big Republican figure in the last quarter of the 19th century. Asked if his party would nominate him for president, he cracked, “They could do worse, and probably will.” Yes. And the idea that Barack Obama can be president, and not Rob Portman, is — what’s the word? I’ll settle for “frustrating.”