Theory on Huntsman

[Politico]

Obama has promised him Secretary of State in term two if he can help prevent Romney from getting the GOP nomination...

[Fuzzybigfoot]

lol

[○∙◄☻¥tπ[╪AV┼cVê└]

There are decent odds that Romney doesn't get the nomination.
However, Huntsman and his trio of supporters won't affect that.

[Politico]

There are decent odds that Romney doesn't get the nomination.
However, Huntsman and his trio of supporters won't affect that.

Huntsman is trying to drag down Romney's numbers in NH, and he is having slight success. The race is over if Romney can post 50% or greater in NH regardless of what happens in IA.

[Bacon King]

There are decent odds that Romney doesn't get the nomination.
However, Huntsman and his trio of supporters won't affect that.

Huntsman is trying to drag down Romney's numbers in NH, and he is having slight success. The race is over if Romney can post 50% or greater in NH regardless of what happens in IA.

I wouldn't assume that Romney getting >50% in New Hampshire will instantly guarantee his nomination. If a single Anti-Romney candidate wins big in both Iowa and South Carolina, it's within the realm of possibility for them to convert that momentum into an upset victory in Florida, which would be a huge blow for Romney's campaign strategy. Still, though, given that the field will probably still be fragmented at that point, I doubt such a scenario would be very likely.

I do agree, however, that a win for Romney in New Hampshire is essential. The possibility that Huntsman is in the race to keep Romney from winning NH also makes a lot of sense, especially given the numerous gaffes and endemic unpreparedness his campaign had for a while after he announced. It's entirely possible Obama made a deal like this with Huntsman. If so, pretty smart move for his campaign. It'd be entirely out of character for Obama, however. Hell, he didn't even promise Hillary Clinton a cabinet position in exchange for her sudden displays of unity at the DNC (interesting tidbit there, by the way- Hillary was actually leaning against taking the SoS nomination until the Obama transition team forced her decision by leaking that she had been "meeting privately with the President-elect regarding a cabinet appointment". Also, Obama would have preferred to have her lead the Defense Department, and would have pursued that instead if Gates decided not to stay).

Personally, though, I think Huntsman's plan has been to play both sides in an attempt to get the best possible result for himself. Huntsman's assuming Romney won't win Iowa, which would then allow him to leverage his NH support to bargain with Romney's campaign. He drops out and endorses Romney in exchange for a guarantee that he'll be nominated Secretary of State. Then, if Romney wins, he gets a big promotion from his ambassador job; if Romney loses the primary, he can declare the eventual GOP nominee to be "too radical for America," endorse Obama, speak at the DNC, and hope to be appointed SoS (or, at the very least, get his old ambassador job back); if Romney loses in the general election, he'd presumably spend the next four years attempting to position himself as a serious candidate for 2016.

Though, here's a related conspiracy theory I've heard recently: the Koch brothers are the masterminds behind Huntsman's campaign, because he'll take votes away from Romney and thus benefit Herman Cain (who, of course, has very close ties with Americans for Prosperity). Huntsman would presumably get rewarded with a Cain administration appointment, or maybe the Koch's promised if he ran they'd donate $1 billion each to the Huntsman Cancer Institute so maybe he's really just doing it all for the sick childrens.

I do respect Jon Huntsman (he's my fraternity brother, after all ) but a lot of his actions in the campaign so far have been inexplicable. Honestly, I don't think anyone knows what Jon Huntsman ultimate goal is in this election except for Huntsman himself.

[Simfan34]

There are decent odds that Romney doesn't get the nomination.
However, Huntsman and his trio of supporters won't affect that.

Personally, though, I think Huntsman's plan has been to play both sides in an attempt to get the best possible result for himself. Huntsman's assuming Romney won't win Iowa, which would then allow him to leverage his NH support to bargain with Romney's campaign. He drops out and endorses Romney in exchange for a guarantee that he'll be nominated Secretary of State. Then, if Romney wins, he gets a big promotion from his ambassador job; if Romney loses the primary, he can declare the eventual GOP nominee to be "too radical for America," endorse Obama, speak at the DNC, and hope to be appointed SoS (or, at the very least, get his old ambassador job back); if Romney loses in the general election, he'd presumably spend the next four years attempting to position himself as a serious candidate for 2016.

Though, here's a related conspiracy theory I've heard recently: the Koch brothers are the masterminds behind Huntsman's campaign, because he'll take votes away from Romney and thus benefit Herman Cain (who, of course, has very close ties with Americans for Prosperity). Huntsman would presumably get rewarded with a Cain administration appointment, or maybe the Koch's promised if he ran they'd donate $1 billion each to the Huntsman Cancer Institute so maybe he's really just doing it all for the sick childrens.

I do respect Jon Huntsman (he's my fraternity brother, after all ) but a lot of his actions in the campaign so far have been inexplicable. Honestly, I don't think anyone knows what Jon Huntsman ultimate goal is in this election except for Huntsman himself.

For which party?

[Bacon King]

After supporting a failed Romney candidacy, he'd have zero credibility if he tried to run in the Democratic primary.

If he serves in Obama's cabinet, though, I could see him switching parties, I guess, but if he gets to be Secretary of State (for either party) I really doubt he'd run for President again. Certainly not in 2016.

[sentinel]

Regardless of how realistic these conspiracies are --it would be pretty cool if one was true.

[Snowstalker Mk. II]

Dear Princess Celestia,

Today I learned that even Romney supporters can be f**king crazy.

[RogueBeaver]

A candidate at 0% in the polls preventing... Just put down the crack pipe please.

[Kaine for Senate '18]

Huntsman is trying to drag down Romney's numbers in NH, and he is having slight success. The race is over if Romney can post 50% or greater in NH regardless of what happens in IA.

Well that's just paranoid lunacy.

[🐒Gods of Prosperity🔱🐲💸]

Here's a theory:

Maybe he enjoys running for President and/or he feels like he's invested too much into it to call it quits as long as a respectable showing is still remotely possible.

[Politico]

I am not saying I necessarily believe any of this. I am just throwing it out there. I think we can all agree that Huntsman is the enigma of the race, and things are not always what they seem.

BTW, I have heard that NH polls are starting to show a double-digit level of support for Huntsman. Obviously the national polls are showing next-to-nothing support, but he is gaining traction in NH and is still getting airtime from folks like Wolf Blitzer.

[Politico]

Here's a theory:

Maybe he enjoys running for President and/or he feels like he's invested too much into it to call it quits as long as a respectable showing is still remotely possible.

This is the most likely case, but there is no harm in contemplating otherwise.

[Kaine for Senate '18]

This is the most likely case, but there is no harm in contemplating otherwise.

Perhaps not.  On the other hand, it makes you seem like (more of) a raving lunatic.

[Politico]

This is the most likely case, but there is no harm in contemplating otherwise.

Perhaps not.  On the other hand, it makes you seem like (more of) a raving lunatic.

Yes, because deals are never made in politics, especially at the highest levels where only the strongest survive.

You may now go back to drinking your Howard Dean-brand naïveté kool-aid.

[Kaine for Senate '18]

Yes, because deals are never made in politics, especially at the highest levels where only the strongest survive.

You may now go back to drinking your Howard Dean-style naïveté kool-aid.

Well that's just hilarious.

[Simfan34]

Huntsman's in this because I told him to.

[MASHED POTATOES. VOTE!]

Yes, because deals are never made in politics, especially at the highest levels where only the strongest survive.

You may now go back to drinking your Howard Dean-style naïveté kool-aid.

...

What

The

Fcuk?