Jon Huntsman appeared at the Statue of Liberty this week to announce he was running for president. Who is Jon Huntsman though? He’s a former Utah governor, recent ambassador to China, and holder of last place in the latest Gallup poll…for now. So why would Obama fear him? Quite simply, Huntsman is considered the most moderate of the GOP candidates, and thus the most likely to beat Obama in 2012 in the general election. However, Huntsman has to face the grueling Republican primaries and therein lays several problems. For one, the GOP has been shifting to the right since the 1990’s; Ambassador Huntsman’s approval for civil unions, supporting climate change legislation, and being in favor of an individual mandate could kill his chances. Another factor is his religion. He’s a Mormon, just like current front-runner Mitt Romney. They could end up splitting Mormon support, to their mutual detriment. All indications are, he has been adverse to dirty tricks and name-calling, techniques that are almost de rigueur in modern primaries. “I don't think you need to run down anyone's reputation to run for president.” At this point he seems to be, at best, a long shot. Still, should he get the nomination, we can expect a clean race. As it is, it will be a tough decision in 2012. Do we vote for the Republicans that got us into this mess or the Democrats who can't seem to get us out of it? Only time will tell.
Scientifically literate, a religious minority, and non-bigoted? Not a chance in Hell he'll get the nomination.
ReplyDeleteI wonder if Romney and Huntsman will provoke a highly-visible wave of ugly anti-Mormonism among the Republicans' fundie base -- which will drive millions of Mormons away from the party.