Opinion of the Candidate - Jon Huntsman

[Foucaulf]

[Jon Huntsman] = ewww

While you may think that about [Huntsman], when compared to [Mitt Romney?], he has both a serious name and looks very intelligent and coherent.

My pet theory is that Huntsman is the Internet candidate like Ron Paul was before '08. Paul was then on the fringe of the Republican Party and had no chance in hell of winning, but found himself with a cadre of supporters. After the election he became chummy with the Tea Party types, and after 2010 found himself exponentially closer to power.

Huntsman is now on the fringe of the Republican Party and has no chance in hell of winning, but is finding himself with a cadre of supporters. Out of elected office, Huntsman cannot move closer to power like Paul, but he could be responsible for galvanizing another movement.

[Foucaulf]

The problem with this discussion is that Huntsman has not won over the media at all. Maybe I don't watch enough cable news, but Huntsman was forgotten right after his candidacy announcement. The media would rather cover the Romney-Bachmann dichotomy emerging from a chaotic field of candidates. I'm sure a bunch of journalists love him privately, but he's not good enough for a story.

I do not question the fervour with which Huntsman supporters root on their candidate, and it is  this fervour that I find interesting. Like Paul, Huntsman types claim their supremacy on reason and being informed. To differentiate Paul supporters as "ideologues" is disingenous on Huntsman supporters' part; I can't see any candidate acting in a pragmatic manner when they resort to lashings at Obama.

I do not care about this political charade enough to evaluate each candidate's platforms. What I am interested in is observing the primary as a reflection of the party's dynamics. I see here a minority supporting their candidate in hopes that his success will increase its clout in the future.