"Obama’s campaign manager: Huntsman was biggest threat"

[blacken700]

Obama’s campaign manager: Huntsman was biggest threat

By Thomas Burr at the Salt Lake Tribune

"SNIP.................... ...............


Washington • President Barack Obama’s campaign manager said Tuesday that he saw former Utah Gov. Jon Huntsman as the biggest potential threat to the president’s re-election.
 
Jim Messina said Huntsman’s appeal to moderate voters could have dug into the Democratic president’s margin with that swath of Americans, whom Obama handily took to win a second term.
 
"We were honest about our concerns about Huntsman," Messina said at an event sponsored by Politico. "I think Huntsman would have been a tough general election campaign."
 
Senior Obama adviser David Plouffe had expressed such concern even before Utah’s former governor launched his failed presidential bid, with one journalist noting that a Huntsman candidacy made Plouffe a "wee bit queasy."
 

[240 is Back]

Absolutely correct.   Imagine huntsman in those debates - a sincere, generous, gentle version of Romney who didn't pander, didn't sign pledges, didn't flip flop on everything.

But hey, GOP voters knew better, right? 

[24KT]

Obama’s campaign manager: Huntsman was biggest threat

By Thomas Burr at the Salt Lake Tribune

"SNIP.................... ...............


Washington • President Barack Obama’s campaign manager said Tuesday that he saw former Utah Gov. Jon Huntsman as the biggest potential threat to the president’s re-election.

OK 240, I am seriously impressed. Way To Go!!! You definitely called this one back in 2008 I believe. Well done!

What does your little crystal ball say next?

[tbombz]

pretty cogent analysis. i didnt think of that myself. back when rick perry was leading in the polls i was thinking he was the best the republicans had to offer. he turned out to be a bust. then romney got the nomination and i was thinking he could go right back to the same policies he advocated for massachusettes and would easily when the presidency by doing so. but mitt continued with the social conservative card and even hammered obama on a healthcare plan modeled after his own. another bust.  but huntsman.. yeah. now that probably could have done it.

[24KT]

I myself had never even heard of Huntsman until 240 brought him up in 2008. Laid out his credentials etc... China connection etc., and why he felt he would be the biggest threat to an Obama 2nd term. Looks like 240 has the super special political decoder ring. The GOP could have used his brilliant insights.

[240 is Back]

OK 240, I am seriously impressed. Way To Go!!! You definitely called this one back in 2008 I believe. Well done!
What does your little crystal ball say next?

I'm clueless on the 2016 race.   If Hilary runs, she can't lose.  If she decides to sit on the beach enjoying her millions$, then it's gonna be 2008 all over again... both sides having punch-outs for the nominations. 

Huntsman was a statesman, plain and simple.  The kind you see every few decades.  I laid out those reasons way way back.  He's still got to be the best 2016 bet on the GOP side - particualry one that is running from the extreme tea party ideals as fast as possible.  Wealthy, good looking, expert in chinese finance... and a dozen other reasons.  He's the one who could lead the GOP back to the promised land.  If they're smart enough to embrace him!

[240 is Back]

found it    I was on this guy's bandwagon in Oct 2009 in this post.  I know I started before that lol...

huntsman is worth hundreds of millions of $, good looking guy, lots of base support.

and now he's experienced in chinese finance, and he obviously knows how to work across the aisle.  NO doubt, obama was scared of this guy's potential in 2012.

At this point, he could resign in 2011, and suddenly he has the credibility of being a gov with a good record AND being THE expert in chinese finance...

He could be unbeatable in 2012. 

here it is

[garebear]

Yes, he probably would have been a better candidate.

However, there was no way he was going to come out of that primary on top. Just no way.

It's almost like he didn't realize which party he was running in.

[chadstallion]

Absolutely correct.   Imagine huntsman in those debates - a sincere, generous, gentle version of Romney who didn't pander, didn't sign pledges, didn't flip flop on everything.

But hey, GOP voters knew better, right? 

absolutely true.
I would have seriously thought about voting for him if he had been the candidate.

[240 is Back]

Yes, he probably would have been a better candidate.

However, there was no way he was going to come out of that primary on top. Just no way.

It's almost like he didn't realize which party he was running in.

its almost as if repubs thought they had to go far-right to win... then they chose mitt?   I dunno why.

If you want far-right, choose perry or bachmann or newt.
If you want moderate, choose huntsman.

Why choose the one candidate who is NEITHER?

[24KT]

its almost as if repubs thought they had to go far-right to win... then they chose mitt?   I dunno why.

If you want far-right, choose perry or bachmann or newt.
If you want moderate, choose huntsman.

Why choose the one candidate who is NEITHER?

Because they are the party of stupid that was not ordained to win.

[whork]

its almost as if repubs thought they had to go far-right to win... then they chose mitt?   I dunno why.

If you want far-right, choose perry or bachmann or newt.
If you want moderate, choose huntsman.

Why choose the one candidate who is NEITHER?

Because that candidate was willing so sell the lie they always sell

[Dos Equis]

He was terrible.  Looked good on paper.  Poor debate performance.  Ran a lousy campaign.  He barely got about 1 percent in RCP.  I'm not even sure he polled higher than Perry.   

[garebear]

He was terrible.  Looked good on paper.  Poor debate performance.  Ran a lousy campaign.  He barely got about 1 percent in RCP.  I'm not even sure he polled higher than Perry.   

Of course he didn't poll well.

He was a rational human being.

That's a no go to Republicans.

I think he said that he would, as president, address China in Mandarin.

Everybody probably thought he was a communist on that alone.

[Dos Equis]

Of course he didn't poll well.

He was a rational human being.

That's a no go to Republicans.

I think he said that he would, as president, address China in Mandarin.

Everybody probably thought he was a communist on that alone.

He didn't poll well because he performed poorly in debates, didn't have a focused campaign, made huge strategical blunders, lacked charisma, and overall just ran a lousy campaign.  He also came across as a little arrogant in one or more debates.  It's possible he can turn that around in 2016, but I doubt it. 

[blacken700]

He didn't poll well because he performed poorly in debates, didn't have a focused campaign, made huge strategical blunders, lacked charisma, and overall just ran a lousy campaign.  He also came across as a little arrogant in one or more debates.  It's possible he can turn that around in 2016, but I doubt it. 

sounds like romney 

[240 is Back]

He was terrible.  Looked good on paper.  Poor debate performance.  Ran a lousy campaign.  He barely got about 1 percent in RCP.  I'm not even sure he polled higher than Perry.  

yeah, romney was a much better choice against a shitty obama with horrible record in the midst of a great depression.

he didn't perform well because he refused to pander to the far-right base primary voters that show up to scream for bachmann, vote romney in primary, then stay home on election day.  No offence, but those 3 million of you that didn't bother to show up are pathetic - you handed obama another 4 years.

[Roger Bacon]

yeah, romney was a much better choice against a shitty obama with horrible record in the midst of a great depression.

he didn't perform well because he refused to pander to the far-right base primary voters that show up to scream for bachmann, vote romney in primary, then stay home on election day.  No offence, but those 3 million of you that didn't bother to show up are pathetic - you handed obama another 4 years.

bingo


These jerks gave Obama 4 more years.

[Dos Equis]

yeah, romney was a much better choice against a shitty obama with horrible record in the midst of a great depression.

he didn't perform well because he refused to pander to the far-right base primary voters that show up to scream for bachmann, vote romney in primary, then stay home on election day.  No offence, but those 3 million of you that didn't bother to show up are pathetic - you handed obama another 4 years.

This is nonsensical.  The primary voters didn't "scream for bachmann."    She quit after Iowa because the voters were "screaming" for someone else.  

[240 is Back]

This is nonsensical.  The primary voters didn't "scream for bachmann."     She quit after Iowa because the voters were "screaming" for someone else. 

almost 3 million people who voted for mccain didn't bother to show up to vote romney.

Obama was so beatable, it was insane.  Easily.   And yall didn't bother to show up to vote.

[Dos Equis]

almost 3 million people who voted for mccain didn't bother to show up to vote romney.

Obama was so beatable, it was insane.  Easily.   And yall didn't bother to show up to vote.

How does this support your claim that voters were "screaming for bachmann"?

[240 is Back]

How does this support your claim that voters were "screaming for bachmann"?

the base didn't like romney - they screamed for the true conservatives like bachmann.

THEN they allowed mitt to buy the nomination by outspending the others 5-to-1.   They allowed themselves to ignore candidates whose values they agreed with, for a guy who gave us gun ban and romneycare - completely unexplainable.

Then, after giving the RINO the nomination, they didn't bother to vote for him on election day.  Obama didn't win this election - base voters lost it by not choosing a candidate they agreed with, then not supporting the 'anybody but obama" RINO they settled for.

[Dos Equis]

the base didn't like romney - they screamed for the true conservatives like bachmann.

THEN they allowed mitt to buy the nomination by outspending the others 5-to-1.   They allowed themselves to ignore candidates whose values they agreed with, for a guy who gave us gun ban and romneycare - completely unexplainable.

Then, after giving the RINO the nomination, they didn't bother to vote for him on election day.  Obama didn't win this election - base voters lost it by not choosing a candidate they agreed with, then not supporting the 'anybody but obama" RINO they settled for.

How did the base "scream" for Bachmann when she quit after Iowa because "the base" didn't vote for her? 

[240 is Back]

How did the base "scream" for Bachmann when she quit after Iowa because "the base" didn't vote for her?  

She was running for 7-8 months officially before quitting (june 11 until feb 2012 i think), and doing that flirty little 'maybe i'll run...' dance long before that.

I think she was chatting away at one of the debates and said "wait, wolf, I JUST filed my papers, I'm officially running!"

So yall probably had a year to chant her name before she quit.

[Dos Equis]

She was running for 7-8 months officially before quitting (june 11 until feb 2012 i think), and doing that flirty little 'maybe i'll run...' dance long before that.

I think she was chatting away at one of the debates and said "wait, wolf, I JUST filed my papers, I'm officially running!"

So yall probably had a year to chant her name before she quit.

I see your point.  "Y'all" were definitely chanting her name before she quit.

Bachmann 2012.

And bachmann is confident, skilled, and maverick enough to give FOX the middle finger and appear on all the other networks.

bachmann 2012

bachmann rocks, but i dont think she has that momentum anymore.  talked herslef right out of the nomination.