Huntsman "leaning towards a run."

[Marty4Bayh]

hi all, i'm new here

excellent, america needs more real moderates like huntsman

/marty

[WBCKansas]

hi all, i'm new here

excellent, america needs more real moderates like huntsman

/marty

Why? Are you a sinner?

[Southern Senator North Carolina Yankee]

Didn't America have to deal with one Mormon already? I mean really. Mormons are sinners.

Who says so?

God. And Fred.

Both are right.

Are you a sinner? I'm assuming you are because your're a republican

And why should one mans opinion determine the eligibility of a President?

Yes, I am. But thats none of your business.

Fred Phelps is the only right choce for President. If only Helms, Thurmond, and Byrd were alive

Who is Fred Phelps? 
.
.
.
Oh wait, is that the guy who makes his family members hold signs protesting anything and everything bad as punishment from God for tolerating gays?  Or is that someone else?

The Olympic swimmer?

And no, I will not use Google!

That's not nice making fun of Fred. Meanie.

How can you call someone else mean, when you are calling people sinners just for supporting certain candidates?

[Yelnoc]

Didn't America have to deal with one Mormon already? I mean really. Mormons are sinners.

Who says so?

God. And Fred.

Both are right.

Are you a sinner? I'm assuming you are because your're a republican

And why should one mans opinion determine the eligibility of a President?

Yes, I am. But thats none of your business.

Fred Phelps is the only right choce for President. If only Helms, Thurmond, and Byrd were alive

Who is Fred Phelps? 
.
.
.
Oh wait, is that the guy who makes his family members hold signs protesting anything and everything bad as punishment from God for tolerating gays?  Or is that someone else?

The Olympic swimmer?

And no, I will not use Google!

That's not nice making fun of Fred. Meanie.

I'm serious.

[WBCKansas]

I'm sorry for hating Mormons. I like Mormons now.

I don't like WBC now. I promise to be good!

I'm a nice guy, they took advantage of me in WBC.

[Frodo]

Let's assume Ambassador Jon Huntsman, Jr. controls his ambitions, and holds off on running for President until the end of President Obama's second term.  

Assuming also that Mitt Romney loses in the primaries in 2012, would that hurt Huntsman's chances in 2016 as a fellow Mormon, or is that only true if Romney wins the primaries but goes down in humiliating defeat to President Obama in the general election?

[Brittain33]

I'm sorry for hating Mormons. I like Mormons now.

I don't like WBC now. I promise to be good!

I'm a nice guy, they took advantage of me in WBC.

Uncreative troll is uncreative.

[krazen1211]

Let's assume Ambassador Jon Huntsman, Jr. controls his ambitions, and holds off on running for President until the end of President Obama's second term.  

Assuming also that Mitt Romney loses in the primaries in 2012, would that hurt Huntsman's chances in 2016 as a fellow Mormon, or is that only true if Romney wins the primaries but goes down in humiliating defeat to President Obama in the general election?

I doubt it matters either way. Neither party has looked too badly on Presidential losers.

I can see why Huntsman would throw his hat in the ring. He needs more name recognition.

[Mr. Morden]

http://www.politico.com/news/stories/0111/48454.html

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[Yelnoc]

http://www.politico.com/news/stories/0111/48454.html

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I didn't expect him to actually go through with it.  Wow....

I wonder what his primary strategy would be?  Which demographics would he appeal to and states would he target?

[Bull Moose Base]

A Daily Kos story today pointed out that Glenn Beck (a Mormon) is close with Huntsman's father.  I wonder if Beck would endorse him/vouch for him among the Tea Party folks.  It'd be interesting to see how Beck, steeped in and consistently stoking conspiracy theories, dealt with Huntsman's record supporting climate change legislation, assuming Huntsman doesn't flip on it a la Pawlenty, (as well as Huntsman's acceptance of stimulus money, support for Civil Unions, work in the Obama Administration, etc.).  Conversely, I wonder if accepting a Beck endorsement would undermine Huntsman's appeal to moderates.

As for his strategy, I assume it rests on pulling an upset or strong second in New Hampshire, which seems the logical launch for social moderates.  His campaign team seems like it'd largely be recycled from the same folks who persuaded McCain to skip Iowa with good results.  And with Romney, the prohibitive frontrunner in NH, today's ruling by a Florida judge striking down ObamaCare based on the mandate is a boon to Huntsman.  Maybe he has a chance after all.

(And I hate to break it to you IY but Huntsman strikes me as a bit more problematic for Daniels than Romney since Romney already has a big head start in fundraising, staffing, campaigning, fame and New Hampshire favorability.)

[Yelnoc]

A Daily Kos story today pointed out that Glenn Beck (a Mormon) is close with Huntsman's father.  I wonder if Beck would endorse him/vouch with him among the Tea Party folks.  It'd be interesting to see how Beck, steeped in and consistently stoking conspiracy theories, dealt with Huntsman's record supporting climate change legislation, assuming Huntsman doesn't flip on it a la Pawlenty, (as well as Huntsman's acceptance of stimulus money, support for Civil Unions, work in the Obama Administration, etc.).  Conversely, I wonder if accepting a Beck endorsement would undermine Huntsman's appeal to moderates.

As for his strategy, I assume it rests on pulling an upset or strong second in New Hampshire, which seems the logical launch for social moderates.  His campaign team seems like it'd largely be recycled from the same folks who persuaded McCain to skip Iowa with good results.  And with Romney, the prohibitive frontrunner in NH, today's ruling by a Florida judge striking down ObamaCare based on the mandate is a boon to Huntsman.  Maybe he has a chance after all.

(And I hate to break it to you IY but Huntsman strikes me as a bit more problematic for Daniels than Romney since Romney already has a big head start in fundraising, staffing, campaigning, fame and New Hampshire favorability.)

Yeah I know.  But then I don't know much about Huntsman.  I may or may not have a fall back in the GOP primary.

[RIP Robert H Bork]

Didn't Huntsman endorse McCain for president in 2008, instead of Romney?

[Bull Moose Base]

Didn't Huntsman endorse McCain for president in 2008, instead of Romney?

Yeah, he was a co-chair on his campaign I believe.

[Mr. Morden]

It's (sort of) official: Huntsman will step down as ambassador this year:

http://thecaucus.blogs.nytimes.com/2011/01/31/huntsman-to-step-down-fueling-speculation-about-presidential-bid/?smid=tw-thecaucus

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[Bull Moose Base]

It'd be interesting if Huckabee and Huntsman and/or Pawlenty were the last men standing in the primary.  3 guys who supported Cap and Trade a couple years ago.

[California8429]

Holy cow he is really serious. Run Hunty Run!

Seriously this will make it much more interesting, splitting the base with Romney. Plus, I think he's all around a decent guy, he'd also make a good SOS

[RIP Robert H Bork]

Holy cow he is really serious. Run Hunty Run!

Seriously this will make it much more interesting, splitting the base with Romney. Plus, I think he's all around a decent guy, he'd also make a good SOS

Pretty much. As his McCain 2008 endorsement shows, Huntsman isn't as friendly with Romney as I would have expected. I wonder how much he would take of Romney's "base".

[California8429]

Holy cow he is really serious. Run Hunty Run!

Seriously this will make it much more interesting, splitting the base with Romney. Plus, I think he's all around a decent guy, he'd also make a good SOS

Pretty much. As his McCain 2008 endorsement shows, Huntsman isn't as friendly with Romney as I would have expected. I wonder how much he would take of Romney's "base".

Well he's Mormon, and utah's polls show him constantly winning 2-1. So There's Idaho and Utah as a start. Cuts romney's support in half in Nevada. Hurts him in Colorado and makes the caucus competitive.

[jbgator]

It's official: http://tpmdc.talkingpointsmemo.com/2011/01/huntsman-resigns-officially-stage-now-set-for-2012-run.php

[exopolitician]

If this were 2016, I wouldn't think twice about Huntsmans decision to resign. Right now I just think it's a little impulsive. I honestly doubt he'll do very well in the primaries, his brand is not what the GOP is looking for right now it seems.

[xavier110]

Well, this is a dumb move on his part.

[DrScholl]

He won't get out of the primary.

[Oakvale]

I'm guessing he wants to make a decent impression on the electorate to prepare for a 2016 run. Otherwise he's just deluded.

[Psychic Octopus]

Hmm, interesting. Perhaps he is serious after all. As much as I like him, we aren't nominating him this cycle; he's far too moderate. Probably the biggest surprise of the 2012 field so far, in my opinion. He'd no doubt make a great president, though, and I have a fall back guy if Daniels chooses not to run/drops out/does not win the nomination.

I'm guessing he wants to make a decent impression on the electorate to prepare for a 2016 run. Otherwise he's just deluded.

My guess as well. Perhaps he thinks that if he makes a strong enough showing he can be considered a frontrunner for 2016 while splitting the vote and ensuring a more conservative nominee this time around (Gingrich or DeMint or someone of that stripe) to be smacked down by Obama, thus prompting them to look for a more centrist candidate. Just speculating on strategy, but perhaps he has motives similar to this.