Two days ago, Jon Huntsman appeared on CBS’s “The Early Show” and mentioned his support for Speaker John Boehner’s debt limit plan. His campaign notes, “Jon was the first Republican presidential candidate to support the plan and is the only Republican candidate standing in support of Speaker Boehner’s plan.”
This morning, Huntsman spokesman Tim Miller is taking some jabs at Mitt Romney. Romney’s communicators adviser, Eric Fehrnstrom, Tweeted this morning, “Romney is a social media leader.”
Miller responded, “Too bad he’s not willing to be a leader on debt ceiling debate.”
He also enjoyed Tim Carney’s observation, “If you took Obama’s plan and Romney’s plan, and just met in the middle, you’d be in the middle of nowhere.
For what it is worth, Romney said in an Ohio stop earlier this week, “My position is very clear, which is, I favor a ‘cut, cap and balance’ program for federal spending,” ignoring follow-up questions.
UPDATE: Huntsman, last night on Greta: “I think the Boehner bill is the only act in town. It is sound, given every other alternative or lack of alternatives. It cuts, it allows us to meet our obligations, and most importantly, it begins to address entitlements.”
I don’t know if the Boehner plan is popular among Republican primary voters, but it seems clear that Huntsman feels he can stand out in the crowd by taking a clear position. Yesterday, Michele Bachman made clear she would not vote for the Boehner plan.
Why is Huntsman dragging presidential candidates into this mess?
Whatever happens, it can't be good for the GOP candidates (upside if the candidate takes the right position is that the candidate won't suffer the wrath of the base; downside if the candidate takes the wrong position (and, God forbid, House GOP loses the fight in the court of public opinion) is that the candidate will suffer the public's wrath along with the House GOP).
And this is on an issue where none of the GOP candidates (Ron Paul and Bachmann excepted) have any influence over the outcome.
If Huntsman is willing to damage the entire GOP field at such a marginal benefit to himself (presumably for publicity; so few people have heard about the former Utah governor), how presidential can he be?
Huntsman has no shot. If you wanted to humor the idea, it would be that Romney stands in his way and that Romney's loss is Huntsman's gain. They're both Mormon and both perceived as moderate.
Romney would be silly to respond to anything Huntsman says, but it doesn't really matter because Huntsman isn't going anywhere.
If taking a position "damage[s] the entire GOP field" the same criticism should apply to Bachmann.
ONE candidate in the field openly supports a REPUBLICAN bill and you people think he's a RINO!
Some of us don't mind having someone in the race who hasn't signed those pledges which turn the signers into robots unaccountable only to the people who drafted the pledges.
Not every policy question can be answered with a bumper sticker slogan.
Huntsman is the same bozo who wants to blow up the economy with his wacky worship in the Church of Global Warming. Make no mistake: there is not a dime's worth of different between Huntsman and Obama. None whatsoever.
One would hope the GOP learned its lesson in 2008 when it nominated a hardcore Democrat (John McCain) to run for President. The result of that fiasco was to deliver the country into the hands of a Marxist community organizer.
Should Huntsman get the GOP nod, Obama can count on a 57-state landslide victory.
You will be shocked to discover that in his youth Huntsman joined a band that all dyed their hair green, they must have been influenced by the punk rock, here is a picture of them the Gene Wilder. External Link
Green hair, eh? Today's picture of Romney and Huntsman together on the NRO home page is not much better. They both look like aliens with pointy chins, dressed in human garb.
If I could analogize Huntsman, I'd call him this campaign's Photoshopped Candidate. I don't know that I've ever seen a more counterfeit man in my life. It also seems that my assessment of Huntsman is shared by quit a few other conservatives.
I do not trust either of these men to be less a chamelion that BO has been. If the GOP doesn't shore up it's solidarity behind a winning conservative candidate, we WILL have 4 more year of "Yes we can" (go lower than ever in American history.) The ball is in the GOP's court.
"Why is Huntsman dragging presidential candidates into this mess?"
Perhaps because it is the most heated political issue of the year and it would be nice to know how the GOP Presidential candidates would act. At least we know where Bachmann, which is a de-facto default, and Huntsman stands which is more than we can say about Romney who supported a plan that immediately got knocked down in the Senate.
"At least we know where Bachmann, which is a de-facto default"
By what definition? Default would be a deliberate choice on Obama's part. Any responsible person would pay the interest on the debt first, as well as paying our troops, and our seniors. Obama never speaks of the millions of bureaucrats who suck up a big part of our resources. We need to cut entire departments from the Federal gov't - by attrition or more severely. And no one will be engangered the slightest by doing so.
I'm tired of being presented with false choices. Congress derives much of its power through the monies it disperses. THAT supply needs to be cut. Then maybe we'll get some quality work out of them, and there won't be any desire to stay in office for an entire lifetime.
Amen!
I am so tired of watching even Fox news talk about the looming default! There is no default except for one the President creates. If we were in so much danger of default then why didnt we default with the last budget?
The truth is that we are debating how much of a 9 trillion dollar increase in spending to implement.
Romneys not the only one not saying anything....Where's Perry, Palin or Pawlenty on this deal, or is the real reason for this article to tantelyze the tea parties appetite for a bloody cage match between the mormon boys? Romney and Huntsman have nothing in common.
Romney and Huntsman are non-viable. Romney is 2012's McCain. In 2008, he could play off the duplicitous and treacherous McCain's lack of Conservative credibility but he is the leading stalking horse of the Leftist aka moderate Republican. Romney was William Weld handmaiden while Huntsman was Obama's.
Sure, Huntsman's not the most conservative of the GOP candidates. But he's got as good of a chance as any at defeating Obama in the general election.
Look, conservatives are fired up and well realize the need for a new president. By all accounts, independents will decide the next election. I think Huntsman's got a good shot of appealing to independents, and his record as governor proves he understands and will (largely) stick to conservative principles.
Bottom line: We need to give this guy a fair look. There is a real danger that we'll miss this opportunity to unseat a terrible president by nominating someone who has mastered conservative talking points but has no chance in the general election.
Of the 18 people watching Huntsman on CBS, only 2 might vote in a GOP primary. While that might double Huntsman's vote total, it has no real impact on anyone anywhere. This whole hyped-up Huntsman episode is puzzling. But it is wise that Romney not say anything about this debt fiasco, the more he speaks, the worse he sounds. Geez, he was better in 2008. Romney seems to be just too nice a man to take on the Chicago mob.
Why is Huntsman dragging presidential candidates into this mess?
Whatever happens, it can't be good for the GOP candidates (upside if the candidate takes the right position is that the candidate won't suffer the wrath of the base; downside if the candidate takes the wrong position (and, God forbid, House GOP loses the fight in the court of public opinion) is that the candidate will suffer the public's wrath along with the House GOP).
And this is on an issue where none of the GOP candidates (Ron Paul and Bachmann excepted) have any influence over the outcome.
If Huntsman is willing to damage the entire GOP field at such a marginal benefit to himself (presumably for publicity; so few people have heard about the former Utah governor), how presidential can he be?
Reply to this commentLinkReport AbuseHuntsman has no shot. If you wanted to humor the idea, it would be that Romney stands in his way and that Romney's loss is Huntsman's gain. They're both Mormon and both perceived as moderate.
Romney would be silly to respond to anything Huntsman says, but it doesn't really matter because Huntsman isn't going anywhere.
Reply to this commentLinkReport AbuseIf taking a position "damage[s] the entire GOP field" the same criticism should apply to Bachmann.
ONE candidate in the field openly supports a REPUBLICAN bill and you people think he's a RINO!
Some of us don't mind having someone in the race who hasn't signed those pledges which turn the signers into robots unaccountable only to the people who drafted the pledges.
Not every policy question can be answered with a bumper sticker slogan.
Reply to this commentLinkReport AbuseHuntsman is the same bozo who wants to blow up the economy with his wacky worship in the Church of Global Warming. Make no mistake: there is not a dime's worth of different between Huntsman and Obama. None whatsoever.
One would hope the GOP learned its lesson in 2008 when it nominated a hardcore Democrat (John McCain) to run for President. The result of that fiasco was to deliver the country into the hands of a Marxist community organizer.
Should Huntsman get the GOP nod, Obama can count on a 57-state landslide victory.
Reply to this commentLinkReport AbuseYou will be shocked to discover that in his youth Huntsman joined a band that all dyed their hair green, they must have been influenced by the punk rock, here is a picture of them the Gene Wilder. External Link
Reply to this commentLinkReport AbuseGreen hair, eh? Today's picture of Romney and Huntsman together on the NRO home page is not much better. They both look like aliens with pointy chins, dressed in human garb.
Reply to this commentLinkReport AbuseIf I could analogize Huntsman, I'd call him this campaign's Photoshopped Candidate. I don't know that I've ever seen a more counterfeit man in my life. It also seems that my assessment of Huntsman is shared by quit a few other conservatives.
Reply to this commentLinkReport AbuseI didn't know Huntsman was still running for President.
Reply to this commentLinkReport AbuseI do not trust either of these men to be less a chamelion that BO has been. If the GOP doesn't shore up it's solidarity behind a winning conservative candidate, we WILL have 4 more year of "Yes we can" (go lower than ever in American history.) The ball is in the GOP's court.
Reply to this commentLinkReport AbuseChildren of the Corn
Reply to this commentLinkReport Abuse"Why is Huntsman dragging presidential candidates into this mess?"
Perhaps because it is the most heated political issue of the year and it would be nice to know how the GOP Presidential candidates would act. At least we know where Bachmann, which is a de-facto default, and Huntsman stands which is more than we can say about Romney who supported a plan that immediately got knocked down in the Senate.
Reply to this commentLinkReport Abuse"At least we know where Bachmann, which is a de-facto default"
By what definition? Default would be a deliberate choice on Obama's part. Any responsible person would pay the interest on the debt first, as well as paying our troops, and our seniors. Obama never speaks of the millions of bureaucrats who suck up a big part of our resources. We need to cut entire departments from the Federal gov't - by attrition or more severely. And no one will be engangered the slightest by doing so.
I'm tired of being presented with false choices. Congress derives much of its power through the monies it disperses. THAT supply needs to be cut. Then maybe we'll get some quality work out of them, and there won't be any desire to stay in office for an entire lifetime.
Term limits would be nice.
Reply to this commentLinkReport AbuseAmen!
Reply to this commentLinkReport AbuseI am so tired of watching even Fox news talk about the looming default! There is no default except for one the President creates. If we were in so much danger of default then why didnt we default with the last budget?
The truth is that we are debating how much of a 9 trillion dollar increase in spending to implement.
Romneys not the only one not saying anything....Where's Perry, Palin or Pawlenty on this deal, or is the real reason for this article to tantelyze the tea parties appetite for a bloody cage match between the mormon boys? Romney and Huntsman have nothing in common.
Reply to this commentLinkReport AbuseWell, I guess you missed Palin...
External Link
She warned the GOP freshmen elected by the TEA Party to not forget where they came from, or they would get themselves "primaried."
Reply to this commentLinkReport AbuseHuntsman just wants to get his name out there to raise his dismal standings.
Reply to this commentLinkReport AbuseRomney and Huntsman are non-viable. Romney is 2012's McCain. In 2008, he could play off the duplicitous and treacherous McCain's lack of Conservative credibility but he is the leading stalking horse of the Leftist aka moderate Republican. Romney was William Weld handmaiden while Huntsman was Obama's.
DOA.
Reply to this commentLinkReport AbuseHuntsman vs. Romney? Why not say the Municipal Park Little League vs. the Atlanta Braves? Or are we still pretending Huntsman is a viable candidate.
Reply to this commentLinkReport AbuseSure, Huntsman's not the most conservative of the GOP candidates. But he's got as good of a chance as any at defeating Obama in the general election.
Look, conservatives are fired up and well realize the need for a new president. By all accounts, independents will decide the next election. I think Huntsman's got a good shot of appealing to independents, and his record as governor proves he understands and will (largely) stick to conservative principles.
Bottom line: We need to give this guy a fair look. There is a real danger that we'll miss this opportunity to unseat a terrible president by nominating someone who has mastered conservative talking points but has no chance in the general election.
Reply to this commentLinkReport AbuseOf the 18 people watching Huntsman on CBS, only 2 might vote in a GOP primary. While that might double Huntsman's vote total, it has no real impact on anyone anywhere. This whole hyped-up Huntsman episode is puzzling. But it is wise that Romney not say anything about this debt fiasco, the more he speaks, the worse he sounds. Geez, he was better in 2008. Romney seems to be just too nice a man to take on the Chicago mob.
Reply to this commentLinkReport Abuse