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The Spectacle Blog
Jon Huntsman’s Moment
Why he’ll find it’s hard — if not impossible — to get a second look.
In the penultimate paragraph of his bracing takedown of Mitt Romney and Newt Gingrich, George Will makes the case for Jon Huntsman. Huntsman’s domestic and foreign policies are conservative in the sense that William F. Buckley Jr. once described conservatism as the politics of reality.
On paper, this ought to be Jon Huntsman’s moment. The only way the former Utah governor was going to ever get nominated was if Romney was mortally wounded by a candidate with questionable conservative credentials and even worse general election prospects. That is the scenario that seems to be unfolding before our very eyes. Repubilcans should be ready to give Huntsman a second look.
Yet that is rather unlikely to happen for reasons the old shampoo commercial can provide: You never get a second chance to make a first impression. Huntsman was always going to face long odds for having taken an appointment, even if only an ambassadorship, from Barack Obama. Many, and perhaps most, Republican voters believe working for Obama in any capacity disqualifying. Hank Williams Jr. lost his gig on Monday Night Football when he sang their tune on John Boehner golfing with this president. The Obama connection might have been insurmountable in any event; it certainly gave Huntsman no margin for error.
Huntsman bought into the conventional wisdom of a too ideological, too brash, too loud Republican Party that was popular after 2008 and clung to it long after that conventional wisdom became obsolete. Since the Obama-McCain election was lost in the center, it seemed plausible to believe that’s where Republicans must look for their next majority. This view never entertained the likelihood that untrammeled liberal government would move the country, and even more so the GOP, to the right.
Egged on by John Weaver, Huntsman emphasized civility. He gave interviews for fawning profiles in glossy magazines, where liberals could read about how Huntsman was going to save his party from the radical right. He sent out tweets advertising that he wasn’t the kind of Republican who believed nutty stuff about evolution and climate change, in the process insulting the millions of Republican voters who hold such views. Even as he cranked out ambitious conservative policy proposals, he never built a convincing narrative about why he went from working for Obama to running against him.
This drives conservative policy wonks nuts. Here’s a guy who supports the Ryan plan, opposes farm subsidies and corporate welfare, and has perhaps the most conservative tax plan that could realistically pass Congress, and he’s getting blackballed over some snarky tweets? But this ignores the reasons regular people, who are neither wonks nor systematic political thinkers, choose their candidates.
Huntsman is polling respectably in New Hampshire and could get a bump from going one-on-one with Newt, so we’ll see. But for Huntsman, the challenge was always going to be proving he wasn’t Obama’s man in the GOP. His failure to meet that challenge on first look will likely prevent a second.
View all comments (44) | Leave a comment
More Blog Posts by W. James Antle, III
http://spectator.org/blog/2011/12/06/jon-huntsmans-moment
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Bill| 12.6.11 @ 4:27PM
Jon Huntsman is a political junkie; I wouldn't bet $1 on him. He served in China under Obama; means Obama was his ex-boss, and now he wants to defeat Obama. That's a joke.
Huntsman needs to end his campaign; otherwise he will become another Herman Cain.
Huntsman has NO chance.
Jack in Wi| 12.6.11 @ 5:07PM
Huntsman is the rich Mormon plant put on stage to split the Libertarian vote. Gingrich like Cain was put on stage to split the conservativevote. Thus Mitt would pick up the nomination. It may still work, but Newt and Cain got too big for their britches.
martin j smith| 12.6.11 @ 4:34PM
No,never, nechevo,nyet, under no circumstances --would I ever even think about voting for this phoney person.
SpiralArchitect| 12.6.11 @ 4:36PM
Newt & Mitt could strangle each other on Celeberty Death Match & Paul would still be left.
Granted Huntsman might advance out of the second tier in such a scenario.
Old Soldier| 12.6.11 @ 4:39PM
Not a bad scenario. Better yet, they all fail and the convention nominates a decent candidate like Barbour or Jindal.
somnolence| 12.6.11 @ 4:47PM
Actually every name I've heard mentioned on this page thus far is a joke of some sort. John McCain The Second Coming is upon us.
somnolence| 12.6.11 @ 4:47PM
Paging SARAH!
emo| 12.7.11 @ 6:40PM
you mean the QUITTER
JimP| 12.6.11 @ 4:52PM
A Huntsman homage? Huntsman doesn't get any conservative cred because he is not believable as a conservative, just like Mitt, regardless of what he says or policies he now promotes. He gets no poll numbers because all the establishment moderates have already cast their lot with Mitt? All us cretinous conservative morons who didn't believe in AGW are now proven correct by the AGW email scandals, and there are gaps in evolution theory, but you will never hear about it from the elites, like Huntsman. I'm content to wait for the email scandals that prove the evolutionists' conspiracy to supress the evidence of intelligent design. Meanwhile, I'll oil up my guns and say my prayers and vote for anyone but Huntsman or Romney, the Rockefeller twin Republicans.
chuck| 12.6.11 @ 5:00PM
Who? You mean that spit polished turd at the end of the stage that everyone ignores? I tried to listen to what he had to say, but I fell asleep 15 seconds into it.
WL| 12.6.11 @ 5:00PM
No, Mr. Antle, we ALREADY gave him a first look MONTHS AGO. The problem is that you people are just about as out of touch as Obama, you know, The guy who we got because of 10 years of MODERATE GOP FAILURE!!!!!!!
Huntsman will never get my vote. He doesn't matter to ANY OF US...other than about almost nearly just about 1%. But you people keep hawking his candidacy for some reason. I bet he gets about .5% of the actual vote in most states...and the vote from you guys. That's about IT...
Just leave us alone with this clown. I would hope that you guys are trying to push this moron on us because he might take some of the Romney vote, but that isn't even NEAR the truth...
He's your backup plan. Newt is a poot, but unless a conservative gets going out of the starry sky somewhere...I'm with him over Bain Capitol and Baracks phony ambassador.
Mike Hawk | 12.6.11 @ 6:04PM
Huntsman is a pale figure of a RINO with no spine, no cajones and no guts. He is McCain without the persona. No wonder nobody finds him attractive. In a room full of people, nobody would notice him. In a room by himself you would think nobody was there.
Peter Yankov| 12.6.11 @ 6:28PM
Don't give us the civility crap Mr. Antle. It's a loser. When the Democrats go on their offenses with their vile accusations and lies the Republican base wants to see a leader who fights back. If W had responded with a little aggressiveness his last two years might have been different. If McCain had dropped the 'civil' campaign and run like he did in trashing JD Hayworth he probably would have beat Obama. We don't want civility seeking moderate weenies in leadership. Huntsweenie is a loser.
Jane| 12.6.11 @ 7:15PM
John Huntsman is cuddly and adorable. A man's man and he would make a great President. Even conservatives like his economic program and I do too and I love the man.
JimP| 12.6.11 @ 8:06PM
This is sexist, isn't it? Is this what liberated women have come to? Evaluating a candidate based on his cuddly sex appeal? LOL
Short Mort| 12.6.11 @ 8:26PM
This has to be pure blatant sarcasm. It can't be real.
chuck| 12.6.11 @ 11:19PM
It's real. It's just Clint, he found a new man-crush.
Appleby| 12.7.11 @ 6:11AM
I remember being horrified at the age of 13 hearing women speak thus about JFK. Surely we women have progressed beyond that by now! This is not Dancing With The Stars, you know. I have seen a few interviews with Huntsman and he strikes me as a city counselor or perhaps an amiable school board delegate, but put him next to Netanyahu and he would fade away to a pale shadow.
Sometimes I think there should be a Q School for voters.
GregA| 12.6.11 @ 7:39PM
He looks like Mitt Romney on a bad hair day.
Chester Keukalevitch| 12.6.11 @ 8:11PM
Right, and Barry Hussein Obama looks more Presidential than the lot of them.
bill| 12.6.11 @ 8:20PM
Huntsman is disgrace, once worked for Obama, and now he wants fame, he will get his 15 minutes of shame, like Herman Cain. GOP voters already rejected Huntsman plea, and that's why he is polling at the bottom, he has got absolutely no chance.
Huntsman is shameless.
Michael the Smerc| 12.6.11 @ 8:43PM
I hate you conservatives. Ever since you threw my pal Alen Specter overboard. I'm the king of moderate afternoon radio even though nobody listens. I got rid of Hannity in Philly so the future is golden. Huntsman isn't a bomb thrower like the rest of you radical rightwingers. Moderates are the future tsumani and that's why I'm an independent now. I'm better than Rush and will show him up. I love me. Re-elect Obama.
Kevin| 12.6.11 @ 9:52PM
No one trustworthy or in any way conservative, would have been a member of the Obama Regime. Huntsman, is an Obama 5th column, within the GOP. Buy a clue Antle....
Kate| 12.7.11 @ 2:53AM
"Many, and perhaps most, Republican voters believe working for Obama in any capacity disqualifying." What a sad commentary on the state of our politics and culture, but the previous comments indicate that there is some truth to it. It wasn't always that way.
"In any capacity." There is a huge difference between being an ambassador and holding a domestic policy-making position. Huntsman served in Asia, where he had spent much of his career (private sector and government). He knew the region well, speaks Mandarin, and was an experienced trade negotiator under President Bush. In other words, he had a lot to offer his country (and a new president) in China. Huntsman was considered a GOP rising star after the 2008 election. He could have avoided any risk and remained Utah's governor, where he had very high favorability ratings. Instead he showed some political courage and did what he thought was right -- he crossed party lines to serve his country when asked. We should thank him for stepping up when asked and making a contribution. Holding Huntsman's 0verseas service to the current administation against him says more about us than it does about him.
The fact that a Democrat appointed Huntsman as US Ambassador to China does not nullify Huntsman's mainly conservative record in Utah.
I recognize that many conservatives are still bothered by Huntsman's climate change tweet and willingness to be profiled in Vogue magazine (let's not forget that candidates who don't have national name recognition need whatever free media coverage they can get). I am not at all bothered by this, but the sentiment exists. I have two questions for those who still hold these things (which pale in comparison to Gingrich's and Romney's transgressions) against Huntsman:
(1) Do you want to defeat Obama in 2012?
(2) Do you want a president who has been conservative on most issues, particularly economic issues?
If the answer to both is yes, then it's time to get serious and consider Jon Huntsman. If not, we can either lose the general election with Gingrich (which we surely will) or take our chances and hope for the best with Romney.
Moe Blotz| 12.7.11 @ 8:13AM
Perhaps Barry enlisted Mr.Huntsman in order to kill his political career, not for his Sino-excellence.
Bob K.| 12.7.11 @ 5:04AM
Mr. Antle,
Why all this sudden shilling for Huntsman? Did he learn something in the last 3 months? What did you beltway pundits miss about him earlier?
Ya gotta own up to your earlier mistakes about him if you want to sell him now.
mgh| 12.7.11 @ 1:17PM
Huntsman should get second look because of character. Are you repubs willing to overlook a serial adulterer, law-breaking disgraced greedy ass, and slaughter a man with character who has real conservative policies put in place as Governor?
Mike Hawk| 12.7.11 @ 6:26PM
Why bring Clinton into this? He's gone.
martin j smith| 12.7.11 @ 7:37AM
John Huntsman's moment in the toilet.
Bob Grant| 12.7.11 @ 9:18AM
My first glimpse of John Huntsman was the shot of him in an outdoor store sporting hunting/fishing garb. Pandering at it's worst. And so cliche'.
His delivery is more like selling used cars than a candidacy.
The more I look at him - however - the more he impresses me, although I seriously doubt he'll ever win my support simply because I can't trust him on global warming and other issues.
He's dead right on China because when the popular tide is to implement trade restrictions, he takes the pragmatic (and correct) position of more free trade with the country. He knows full well as China moves to a consumption-based economy, the trade balance will move in the US's direction and will benefit mightily.
Windbag Donal Trump is dead wrong on China and kudos to Mr. Huntsman for calling him out on it.
roadmaster| 12.7.11 @ 9:52AM
He immediately dropped out of contention with me, even before he announced, simply because the Down Stream Media started pushing him. They LOVE GOP moderates - they'll bend over and take it any time.
mgh| 12.7.11 @ 1:18PM
Huntsman should get second look because of character. Are you repubs willing to overlook a serial adulterer, law-breaking disgraced greedy ass, and slaughter a man with character who has real conservative policies put in place as Governor?
Mike Hawk| 12.7.11 @ 6:28PM
Why bring Clinton into this? He's gone.
Radioman777| 12.7.11 @ 9:58AM
You normally don't accept a job from someone you're opposed to. That's just common sense.
Bo| 12.7.11 @ 1:13PM
Everybody that joined the military since Obama became President is a RINO at best?
Dai Alanye | 12.7.11 @ 1:19PM
Huntsman, eh? This solves the mystery of Antle's political preferences, at least.
But Huntsman's persona makes him impossible to elect were he the second coming of Reagan in regard to policies. Americans don't want a snark merchant in the White house, and that is exactly how Huntsman presents himself.
Eduardo| 12.7.11 @ 3:16PM
There is something about Huntsman that makes me dislike him. This may be petty of me since this dislike is not based on his politics, official record, intellect, experience, statements he made or whatever. But the dislike is real, and it is viseral. And there you have it. Somehow, Huntsman reminds me of John Edwards, insofar as both men seem too smooth and phony for their own good. Does anyone else pick up this vibe?
Chef Schnauzer| 12.7.11 @ 6:03PM
I think it's back to the drawing board. Huntsman (as a conservative candidate) is just a joke. Go read Newt's Tuesday morning interview - he is no conservative. I don't think a real conservative has a shot at the nomination this time. It will not vote for or contribute to 'the Republican's best shot' - I will only ONLY vote for conservatives. Since Nixon the useless party jackasses have jerked conservatives around - I'm getting off the ride. I will stand for values and responsibility and I will be true to my God and myself. Party be damned.
Russell| 12.7.11 @ 6:35PM
It is brave of Antle to raise the specter of 'nutty stuff about evolution and climate change' here at the font.
Could Huntsman have learned something in China, whose great leap forward into capitalism is overseen by a politburo consisting almost entirely of science-savvy engineers?
emo| 12.7.11 @ 6:38PM
His record and positions are actually quite conservative. But for some reason he chose to launch his campaign by sticking conservatives in the eye by running on AWG and implying most conservatives are creationists. No matter how conservative he may be, he doesnt deserve a second look
POST American| 12.7.11 @ 10:14PM
-----------------BOTTOMLESS LINE-------------------
Speaking of John 'HUNTS--MEN'
'GOV'T Activating FEMA CAMPS Nationwide'
(INFOWARS hours ago)
-------------------------REALLY
---------------HUAC/ Nuremberg 2012----------------
------------------------------------------TRULY
datechguy | 12.7.11 @ 10:27PM
I don't think the: "I'm really one of you even though I tell everyone you're an uneducated idiot." card really plays well with voters.
T| 12.7.11 @ 10:43PM
Huntsman is more conservative than Romney or Newt, but primary voters don't seem to recognize that fact. Newt tells you what you want to hear, but he won't really do what you want him to do. He is fooling many Republicans.
NomNomNom| 12.7.11 @ 11:22PM
Former Gov. Huntsman and Gov. of Idaho Otter were the main agencies behind the sale of 50 square miles of Idaho to the Chinese complete with an airport they get to use without oversight.
His billionaire father is now financing his campaign. Here is what his brother had to say about Huntsman Sr.'s company for which he presently works and Jon jr, formerly worked: “We now employ more people between China and India than we do in North America, which is really quite phenomenal when you consider that about 90 percent of our associates 10 years ago were in North America.”
Then there is his cousin, the lead in attempting to arrange the Dubai Ports World debacle. http://www.redorbit.com/news/t.....index.html
The nail in the coffin is his backing by Lynn Forester de Rothschild, and her attempt to put Huntsman on the ballot in every state (see "Americans Elect" & "No Borders") : but on a bipartisan ticket where he would choose his vp from another party.
I'm just not interested in backing another banker's tool.