Monday, January 9, 2012

Huntsman in the Hunt in New Hampshire

For third.

"Jon Huntsman, who has focused exclusively on New Hampshire and desperately needs to do well to sustain his campaign, belittled Romney yesterday for saying, on several occasions, that “corporations are people.’’

“Of course corporations are not people,’’ Huntsman said. “Who would say such an outlandish thing? I can’t imagine anyone running for president would say something like that.’’  

Ummm, well....

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He's a great candidate; just running in front of the wrong crowd:

"Huntsman’s stances attract independents, lose conservatives" by Shira Schoenberg  |  Globe Correspondent, January 07, 2012

NASHUA - Republican presidential candidate Jon Huntsman faces a dilemma as he tries to win support in Tuesday’s primary. His rhetoric, and to some extent his record, are more moderate than his Republican opponents’. For example, he supports civil unions for gay couples and believes in the science behind climate change.

But while Huntsman has been successful attracting independent and moderate voters, his moderate reputation has made it difficult for him to attract conservatives, who form the base of the Republican Party.

Lately, Huntsman has been making an effort to portray himself as a conservative candidate, but with limited success.

According to polling, his supporters are almost entirely independent and moderate voters....

Means he ain't winning.

In December, he raised doubts about his belief that humans cause climate change, mentioning for the first time that there is some dispute about it within the scientific community.  

See: Jon Huntsman now less certain of science on climate

Flip-flop or acceptance of truth?

On the trail, Huntsman says he believes conservatives passed over him because he served as Obama’s ambassador to China. He deflects the criticism by saying that he served three Republican presidents and will always serve his country....

The added challenge for Huntsman is that many moderates already favor Romney. Both candidates are Mormon businessmen and former governors who focus on fiscal issues, and Romney is better known....  

He's the second-string Mormon.

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"Huntsman blasts Paul backer’s ad calling him ‘Manchurian candidate’" January 07, 2012

Republican presidential candidate Jon Huntsman bristled yesterday at a video, apparently posted online by a supporter of Republican rival Ron Paul, that ridicules him and his family.

The video refers to Huntsman, a former ambassador to China under President Obama, as a “Manchurian candidate.’’ It shows him speaking Chinese and suggests that he has Chinese, not American, values. Over footage of Huntsman with his daughters - Huntsman adopted two girls from China and India - it questions “China Jon’s daughters: even adopted?’’

It concludes with the statement “Vote Ron Paul.’’  

This smells like a provocateur-type act.

Asked about the video by an attendee at The Center for Civic Engagement at New England College’s College Convention, Huntsman said, “First of all, it’s just stupid.’’ But Huntsman said he does not mind if someone wants to poke fun at his ability to speak Chinese.

“What I object to is bringing forward pictures and videos of my adopted daughters, and suggesting there is some sinister motive there,’’ Huntsman said. Huntsman said one of his daughters, Gracie, was abandoned in a vegetable garden in China when she was 2 months old. “She was picked up by the police and sent to an orphanage. No future, nothing to look forward to. Now she’s in my family,’’ Huntsman said.

Huntsman said his daughter, Asha, was left for dead in a rural village in southern India the day she was born.

“Luckily, she was picked up before the animals got her, and sent to a Catholic orphanage,’’ Huntsman said.

Huntsman told the college students that his two girls “are a daily reminder that there are a lot of kids in this world who don’t have the breaks that you do, who face a very uncertain future that lacks health care, that lacks the ability to dream and plan, any sense of upward mobility.’’

Paul’s campaign says it has no connection to the video and does not know who created it. “We had nothing to do with it and we think it’s completely distasteful,’’ said Paul spokeswoman Kate Schackai.

“Nobody who actually supports Dr. Paul’s principles would put together something like that.’’  

Nope.

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Also see: Huntsman Frozen Out of Debate

He was at the last two; too bad I didn't watch a minute.