Is there a "Huntspiracy"?

[Simfan34]

I've been seeing claims of Huntsman getting disproportionate media attention, questionable debate inclusions, even frontrunner-esque treatment, and I must ask: is something up? Is the media trying to prop up Jon Huntsman? And if so, why? Ratings? Malice? Personal adherence?

[Fmr. Pres. Duke]

I don't hear him mentioned in the news all too often, but I do think it's funny how he's always included in the debates despite never meeting the publicly announced thresholds.

[Simfan34]

I don't hear him mentioned in the news all too often, but I do think it's funny how he's always included in the debates despite never meeting the publicly announced thresholds.

The thing is, he does, but some claim they were contrived to include him and exclude others.

[King]

Obviously.  He's constantly mentioned on shows as someone who "could emerge" and "not to count out" despite being completely dead in the water.

[Simfan34]

But why?

[Likely Voter]

well if the "liberal media" were conspiring, they surely wouldn't want to push Huntsman as he is the candidate that supposedly the Obama team are most concerned about in a general election.

He is another one of those candidates that the media elite think people "should like" but dont seem to go anywhere,  like Paul Tsongas (92), Bill Richardson (08)

[TJ in Oregon]

But why?

I think the media, which is primarily a liberal organization (with obvious exceptions) looks at the entire Republican field and would feel bad about disliking all of them, so they choose Huntsman as their favorite because he is by far the most likeable for a liberal. I think it’s part of human nature and our political process to reinforce how “bad” someone/something is by pointing out a more preferable alternative. To liberals, Huntsman is that alternative. He’s way more palatable to liberals than any of the others.

[NCeriale]

They secretly have had it with Obama and are looking for an (R) to root for.

[Mr. Morden]

http://www.theatlantic.com/politics/archive/2011/08/why-the-press-loves-jon-huntsman-but-ignores-ron-paul/243910/

[Politico]

They secretly have had it with Obama and are looking for an (R) to root for.

This. After it is completely clear Huntsman is going nowhere, expect a lot of Romney fan boyism. Not because they will particularly like Romney, but because he will be the most tolerable candidate left standing. I mean, if the choice is Perry, Bachmann, maybe Palin, or Romney, what do you expect?

[The_Texas_Libertarian]

From what I've seen of Huntsman he appears to be all about the issues and not about the personal attacks.  That's why I like him, he doesn't focus on attacks of character like the other GOP candidates do.  An Obama-Huntsman debate would be a great one (three?) to watch

[argentarius]

Definitely, especially when compared to Gary Johnson. The excuses are pathetic too. Why is it more interesting that a republican believes in man-made global warming and evolution than when a republican believes in both of those and that we should legalise drugs?

[milhouse24]

Huntsman is also very rich, and I'm sure his wealth is helping to grease the wheels of the PR machine.  He's fairly photogenic and doesn't have a mullet like T-paw.  I agree that liberal news orgs are pushing him because of his liberal/moderate stances on the issues like climate change, which are big liberal issues that journalists care about, but no one else really does when compared to jobs and the economy.

[anvi]

http://www.theatlantic.com/politics/archive/2011/08/why-the-press-loves-jon-huntsman-but-ignores-ron-paul/243910/

This piece by Friedersdorf is excellent.  Thanks for sharing.

Granting Friedersdorf's critiques, I think it's good that Huntsman is playing the role in the GOP campaign that he has settled on.  But that anemic "jobs" plan (exclusively a tax cut package) of last week was a real dud. 

[sentinel]

He's the smartest dead fish in the pond.

[Guderian]

He's culturally in tune with media establishment and he has nice hair. EOD.

[7,052,770]

If the media were Republican and smart, it would definitely promote Huntsman, as he's the most likely candidate to be able to beat Obama.

[Bleeding heart conservative, HTMLdon]

Because he's a curiosity.  Its strange to have a candidate willing to tell the truth when lies are the only way to increase polling numbers.

[🐒Gods of Prosperity🔱🐲💸]

The attention isn't completely out of proportion.

Paul's lack of attention is more striking.

[California8429]

Whenever I see the news it's Romney, Perry, Huntsman, and then now dimming out Bachmann.

So yes

[NCeriale]

They want to build him for this reason: Huntsman is not a religious candidate. His views on climate change and evolution and gay rights make him someone that the media wants to root for.

They figure that a Republican in 2016 assuming Obama's reelection is a given and they don't want another George Bush. But now with Obama's reelection odds sitting somewhere between Tim Kaine winning the Virginia Senate race and Jesus coming back, they are trying to build him up.

it's similar to Bruno's support for Vinick in the West Wing: he's an attractive candidate who they believe can be a uniter.This line of dialogue does seem tired but persistent.

Also, they see this as a chance to move the Republican Party to the center on the social issues which is why a lot of Democrats are rooting for him given the political inevitability of a Republican president possibly sooner than later. They don't want to have to fight over the social issues and they don't want to have to care about what Pat Robertson thinks anymore

[argentarius]

They want to build him for this reason: Huntsman is not a religious candidate. His views on climate change and evolution and gay rights make him someone that the media wants to root for.

Gary Johnson:
Believes in evolution
Believes in climate change
Is gay-friendly
Was a 2-term governor

Why won't the media cover him (he's living off scraps right now while Huntsman is wasting his large amount of coverage)?

[Marokai Backbeat]

Huntsman is the type of Republican that a lot of the media, particularly in the beltway, loves to pretend still actually exists in large numbers. Mild mannered, serious, 'moderate', and so on. Ironically, the more he's included despite his constant 1-2% polling just further reinforces that his supposed brand of Republicanism does not exist anymore the way the beltway media thinks that it does.

[NCeriale]

Huntsman is the type of Republican that a lot of the media, particularly in the beltway, loves to pretend still actually exists in large numbers. Mild mannered, serious, 'moderate', and so on. Ironically, the more he's included despite his constant 1-2% polling just further reinforces that his supposed brand of Republicanism does not exist anymore the way the beltway media thinks that it does.

Very good point

[WillK]

They want to build him for this reason: Huntsman is not a religious candidate. His views on climate change and evolution and gay rights make him someone that the media wants to root for.

Gary Johnson:
Believes in evolution
Believes in climate change
Is gay-friendly
Was a 2-term governor

Why won't the media cover him (he's living off scraps right now while Huntsman is wasting his large amount of coverage)?

Johnson also advocates for legalizing marijuana. 
I think the mainstream media writes him off as a result.