Huntsman Big Rollout in JC, NJ today

[Benny B]

Not going to be easy for this guy, given that he WORKED FOR OBAMA, and often praised his policies. 

How to Think About Jon Huntsman
By Joshua Green

Even before he declares his presidential candidacy later this morning, the Jon Huntsman boomlet is well underway. The latest evidence: Matt Bai's profile of him in this weekend's New York Times Magazine, which gives a good sense of Huntsman and what he's about. A three-part Esquire profile is also rumored to be in the works. (My own much shorter take here.)

At this early stage, Huntsman's candidacy is primarily being driven by the media--he barely registers in the polls--and one reason for all the attention is the challenge he's expected to pose to the frontrunner, Mitt Romney. From a press perspective, the story is irresistible. Both are handsome and wealthy business executives who hail from prominent Mormon families and succeeded as governors; it's also sometimes said that both are moderates, although that's a slippery and malleable term in today's Republican circles. The insider thinking is that Huntsman and Romney are vying for the same space and only one of them can occupy it.

That's all true, up to a point. But I've come to believe that emphasizing the similarities between the candidates does a disservice to the reader because Huntsman and Romney are trying to do two very different things--and are, in fact, quite dissimilar, although each is maneuvering in the direction of the other.

Huntsman was initially touted by the press as the great moderate hope who believes in global warming, civil unions for gays, and speaking out against Republican extremists. But while he's proved to be moderate in temperament, Huntsman appears to be making every effort to appeal to the right wing, by, for instance, endorsing Paul Ryan's budget. He's also subordinated the global warming stuff, emphasizing the reasons not to act--the regulatory burden, the lack of international cooperation--over the ones that initially provoked him. If Huntsman is to have any shot at the nomination, he'll need to win over a lot of conservatives.

[Fallsview]

On a lighter note...it's Juliette Lewis' birthday today!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[Dr Dutch]

On a lighter note...it's Juliette Lewis' birthday today!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Juliette Lewis' a hottie, now this is what I call positive!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[240 is Back]

d

[Benny B]

I don't what this Mormon from Utah expected as far as crowds. Nobody from New Jersey gives a DAMN about Huntsman. 

Huntsman's Paltry Crowds
By Joshua Green

A few weeks ago, I was up in New Hampshire for Jon Huntsman's maiden swing through the state as a possible -- it's now official -- presidential candidate. The rest of the national press corps seemed to be there, too. At many of the events, we reporters outnumbered actual voters, sometimes vastly. (Matt Bai describes this crush of media folks in the lede to his new Huntsman profile.) That's somewhat understandable for a candidate like Huntsman who has potential, though not yet many supporters. I wasn't at Huntsman's announcement speech in New Jersey this morning, but word on the ground is that, as in New Hampshire, there were still more members of the media present than actual voters. Needless to say, this is a problem he'll have to overcome in pretty short order if he wants to get any traction. And it's not as if there's some great mass of Huntsman couch potatoes sitting at home watching his motorcycle videos. The latest NBC/Wall Street Journal poll put Huntsman dead last among 10 candidates. 

[Benny B]