McCain: "I Never Met Bill Cunningham." Fmr. OH Congressman: "Cunningham 'Extremely Important' Part Of McCain Campaign"

Update 2/27/08 - Well, well, well...

When this story first started coming out today, I noticed McCain was quoted as saying:

McCain said he didn't know who decided to allow Cunningham to speak but said he was sure it was in coordination with his campaign. He said he didn't hear the comments and has never met Cunningham, but "I will certainly make sure that nothing like that happens again."

And yet, the Washington Post quotes former Ohio Congressman Rob Portman as saying:

Immediately afterward, former Ohio congressman and former Bush administration official Rob Portman praised the supporter, talk show host Bill Cunningham, as an "extremely important" part of the McCain campaign.

How can Cunningham be an extremely important part of Sen. John McCain's campaign and yet McCain himself has never met him? Was Portman speaking from personal opinion or is there more to Cunningham and McCain's relationship than we know yet?

When you consider that Portman's name has been floated as a possible Vice President pick for John McCain, it would seem he might know a great deal about McCain's campaign to make a comment about the importance of Cunningham within McCain's campaign.