From The Hill:
The White House is showing no signs of letting up on its campaign for Ambassador Jon Huntsman’s presidential prospects - if anything, it’s in pile-on mode.I know almost nothing about Huntsman, but I'm certainly not going to like/dislike him based on what comes out of the White House's billion dollar spin machine, which already is in campaign mode.
Chief of Staff Bill Daley on Sunday heaped praise on Huntsman (R), Obama’s ambassador to China who is resigning his post and is said to be mulling a challenge to his boss for the presidency.
“He’s done an excellent job on behalf of the Obama administration,” Daley said on NBC’s “Meet the Press,” where he was barely able to suppress a smile as he spoke.
Then Daley went into overdrive. “[Huntsman’s] support of the Obama administration, his support of the president, the things he did on behalf of the administration, and the closeness in which he worked with the president is most appreciated. And I’m sure he’ll talk about that in the Republican primary.”
So tell me about Jon Huntsman.
Update 3-7-2011: Jim Geraghty, How Jon Huntsman Could Debut With a Bang and Will the White House’s Embrace of Huntsman Work?
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He's Mitt Romney Lite. Anyone who likes Mitt Romney but has a problem with, say, MassaCare, is going to like Jon Huntsman.
ReplyDeleteHonestly, I wouldn't have a problem with Amb. Huntsman getting the nomination, except that he's not Mitt Romney. Maybe it's the fact that he was in China for two years, but he hasn't done nearly as much to help conservatives get elected this last time around, his programs enacted as governor weren't as bold (boldness counts), and he's just a little to left of Romney. But, like I said, that wouldn't necessarily make him a bad candidate.
The word "patsy" comes screaming to mind. If the White House is pushing him, they obviously think he'll be easy to beat, and in this case, I agree with them. The Republicans are horrible about letting the media and the Democrats (but I repeat myself) pick their candidates. That has to stop.
ReplyDeleteAs for the man himself, meh.
Does the White House really want to play campaign mode? Fine. We'll play. Let's begin:
ReplyDelete27 months of Obama has brought us
An economy in shambles.
A foreign policy in tatters.
The Democrat Party broken, having lost 700+ seats
The crown jewel of his presidency declared unconstitutional with over half the states suing to get out
Gas, food, clothing prices skyrocketing
Two endless wars, Afghanistan now with a record death toll
The Middle East in turmoil and the President throws a Motown concert with his corporate millionaire Democrat pals.
OK, Obama. Your turn. Now tell us all the great stuff you've done.
He is the suspenders of the belt and suspenders strategy. If Obama were to lose, libs don't want a conservative opponent for Obama.
ReplyDeleteI agree with KK. He's a moderate mediocrity that almost no one has heard about. He's the Obama / Main Stream Media (but I repeat myself) choice for Republican candidate.
ReplyDeleteI can't see anyone on the Right being at all excited about him, can't imagine he has much of a chance.
What I would like to know is who did he consult with about this? Where is his root money coming from? Who are his friends in the GOP? Why on earth is he running?
ReplyDeleteHow can the GOP win in 2012 with such a large cast of B-grade candidates? I really don't think the Republicans want to win. They appear to be using 2012 to clear the field for Jebbie in 2016.
Arroyo Seco Felipe, "Where is his root money coming from?"
ReplyDeleteCan you say LDS? That's my guess.
This may be a bit off topic but I'm bored and need to say something. I once had a Colt Huntsman .22 pistol. It was a great little gun My dad bought it in a pawn shop in St. Johnsbury, VT in 1956 for $25.00. About 15 years ago I lent it to my derelict brother and his worthless roommate stole it. I'm still pissed about it.
ReplyDeleteHuntsman speaks fluent Mandarin from his time in Taiwan as a Mormon Missionary, according to my Utah-born co-worker. He has a broader appeal than Romney with younger indie and republican voters. He's a fiscal conservative though his social stance isn't clear. I can't imagine evangelicals would consider casting a vote for a candidate they consider an apostate.
ReplyDelete49erDweet,
ReplyDeleteYour guess would be wrong. The LDS church doesn't give money to ANY political candidates. They occasionally donate to causes they support, such as Proposition 8.
@b157djl - thanks for the stream of consciousness
ReplyDeleteHuntsman is Obama's ideal candidate for the GOP nomination, he won't challenge Obama, he's a RINO and inspires absolutely NO passion amongst the voters. He's pro-outsourcing, pro-amnesty, he loved TARP, and he was foaming at the mouth to allow the stimulus money to be funneled overseas, to his Chinese government and factory friends. Obama hand picked him as ambassador to China, because he knew Huntsman would be the perfect conduit to fleece the US taxpayer for China and the corporate dupes who manufacture there.. too naive to pick up on the fact that once the US is no longer powerful enough to protect them, they will be stripped of any intellectual and physical property in China, or India, or in any of the third world cesspits they've decamped to.
ReplyDeleteThe big thing I don't like about Huntsman is his support for Cap & Trade. We can find compromise on immigration. His views on homosexual unions are mainstream with under 40s crowd (Civil unions, no on marriage so far). The cap & trade bit really really irks me though. If he went more conservative on that I'd definitely consider supporting him.
ReplyDeleteClayton: Thanks. Misspoke. Should have added the word "...sources".
ReplyDeleteHe is Kevin Rudd.
ReplyDeleteJon not John
ReplyDeleteI just read this:
ReplyDeletehttp://thehill.com/blogs/blog-briefing-room/news/147691-daley-lavishes-praise-on-huntsmans-support-for-obama
My opinion - he is praised by the Administration, so therefore he is bad for this country. They either seem him as: a) an easy target and opponent to take down in 2012; or b) an acceptable puppet who will do what they want, should The One lose.
I say, no thanks. You can keep him.
@Steve Thanks corrected
ReplyDeleteThe Huntsman PAC, in waiting...
ReplyDeleteHorizon PAC
The staff:
Peter Spaulding - a Huntsman adviser and New Hampshire activist who backed John McCain in 2008.
Peter J. Spaulding
John Weaver - McCain's former top strategist
John Weaver, Wikipedia
Susie Wiles - the Florida-based Republican strategist who runs Horizon PAC
"Susie Wiles, former communications chief to Jacksonville Mayor John Peyton, served as his campaign manager"
"Rick Scott, the victorious 45th Gov. of Florida, has hired Susie Wiles, a well-connected Republican consultant from Jacksonville, to lead the campaign, which will be based in Fort Lauderdale."
Tim Miller - Horizon PAC spokesman
The embalmed wing of the Republican Party. These people are Democrat Party enablers and place holders.
I don't know much about Huntsman, but his father is a highly successful businessman, and his own record as Governor in Utah was very pro-business in his years - elected twice by large margins.
ReplyDeleteHe has been Ambassador to both China and Taiwan, which would be important to have in the W House, but his social views are mixed - pro-life, anti-gay marriage, but also favors civil unions. He's also a Neo-Conservative from what I can tell.... which is good news.
On The Issues, Jon Huntsman
ReplyDelete"Back when Utah had a governor who thought global warming existed, and who also though we might need to take significant steps regarding our air pollution"
One Utah
(Huntsman) "is giddy over the prospect of a Vicente Fox visit, hoping that it's sooner rather than later. Apparently the gov. has a "Utah-Mexico Alliance for Prosperity" plan which will involve more direct flights as well as more ties between that Third World country and First World Utah. Fox had kind words for Utah's new "driving privilege card system", which gives special driver's licenses to those who are in this country illegally: "He thanked us for compromising and continuing mobility in our state," Huntsman said.
Well, it's always good when the leader of a corrupt Third World country thanks you for allowing his citizens who are in your country illegally to have driving privileges, isn't it?
Huntsman also supports "immigration reform" and he wants to schedule a summit. There are 200,000 Mexicans in Utah."
Jon Huntsman, 24Ahread
"Meanwhile, the former Utah governor has gone on record as trashing the performance of congressional Republicans and in 2009, welcoming with open arms the very stimulus dollars that fellow GOP governors threatened to reject."
ReplyDeleteWhoRunsGov.com, WaPo
I'm keeping an open mind as well. I must say that I don't understand the cw mindset that, by accepting the WH ambassadorship to China, Huntsman has inevitably undermined his candidacy. You could just as easily frame it as the case that Huntsman had a unique understanding and qualifications regarding this important relationship with no comparable nominee on the Democratic side.
ReplyDeleteFWIW, I despise the snarkiness of the WH too. That microexpression suppressed smile of Daley's (Obama also when speaking of Romney the other day) indicates to me that they are gleefully planning these little bombs. I'm an optimist, so I'm hoping that even if viewers don't go down the cognitive trail of "why are they saying these things" they will still recognize the meanness and pettiness and take note.
EasternShoreGirl
No.
ReplyDeleteHuntsman will not win the republican nomination in this political climate. The GOP might love to run another big government, big spending RINO they can market as a "centrist" (they just can't let go of that 2008 playbook), but I sincerely doubt that the TEA Party or indies are looking for another Romney/McCain/useless flaccid "centrist." Primaries draw people who are both (relatively) informed and engaged. Add in that the 2012 presidential primaries will be dominated by people determined to roll back everything Obama has touched . . . and someone like Huntsman (and they're a dime a dozen) is a nobody. (But I was way wrong about MA last November, so take that with the necessary grain of salt.)
I am surprised that no one vetted Mr. Huntsman enough to know that he is Jon Huntsman Jr. Jon Huntsman Sr. is a multi-billionaire and has vast,varied industries which create a lot of jobs--overseas & most are located in China.
ReplyDeletehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jon_Huntsman,_Jr.
Another little rich brat whose only employment experience, other than nominal keyboard gigs, was in the FAMILY BUSINESS.
We have another George W. Bush, John Kerry, ELITIST here!
He showed how incompetent he was even as an Ambassador to China by wearing a CIA-style black leather jacket & shades&thinking he was disguised enough to stir up a Jasmine Revolution.How CONSPICUOUS do you think THAT was? He made the Chinese angry --not a good idea when we owe as much money to China as we do.
If China needs a guy to govern us if they decide to call in our loans & take the collateral --he'd be a good puppet go-between.
He SAYS he is a REPUBLICAN and here is a DEMOCRATIC administration endorsing him & laughing at him.
THERE IS NO DIFFERENCE--THEY ARE BOTH NEOCONS/RINOS --will keep playing forward the 1989 George H.W. Bush/Soros New World Order agenda as will Romney and Gingrich.
WE NEED MEN LIKE RICK PERRY,ALLEN WEST,MARCO RUBIO,JIM DE MINT,JOHN BOEHMER,RON PAUL IN THE WHITE HOUSE...
HERE IS INFO ON MR. HUNTSMAN, FATHER OF JR.:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jon_Huntsman,_Sr.
HERE IS THE HUNTSMAN CORPORATION WEB SITE:
http://huntsman.com/
We need someone who is more interested is SAVING this country instead of some rock star, CIA wannabe BRAT!
Electing THIS would be as big a mistake as electing OBAMA, whoever he really is.
Being from Utah. I can say China is the perfect place for that Algore worshiper
ReplyDeleteIf we want a foreign policy wonk as our candidate, I suggest that John Bolton is far more dynamic and far more qualified.
ReplyDeleteHahaha, an excellent video on Huntsman:
ReplyDeletehttp://www.verumserum.com/?p=24834
The Rhino in the background was good, he is an AGW believer! An ObamaCare lover.