CNN’s John King kicks off “The Contenders” series: Sen. Rob Portman and Gov. Tim Pawlenty

CNN chief national correspondent John King traveled to the key battleground state of Ohio to speak with Sen. Rob Portman and former Gov. Tim Pawlenty. Today King will kick off “The Contenders” series, beginning with his interview with Gov. Pawlenty, on The Situation Room with Wolf Blitzer, 4-7 p.m. ET.

The 2012 campaign is the seventh presidential election that King has covered. In 2008, King was the first to report on Pres. Barack Obama’s selection of Joe Biden as his running mate. Earlier in his career, King broke the news of Michael Dukakis’ selection of Lloyd Bentsen in 1988 and Clinton’s selection of Al Gore in 1992.

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