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| Utah GOP governor is Obama's pick as China envoy | ||
| 2009-05-17 | ||
| WASHINGTON – President Barack Obama reached across the political divide Saturday and named Utah Gov. Jon Huntsman, a possible GOP White House contender and top John McCain supporter, to the sensitive diplomatic post of U.S. ambassador to China. With the selection, Obama may have sidelined a potentially formidable moderate Republican from the 2012 presidential field. For Huntsman, it's a chance to burnish his credentials and position himself as a viable hopeful — perhaps for 2016 if Obama is seen as a strong candidate for a second term in 2012.
With Huntsman at his side, Obama said in brief remarks in the White House Diplomatic Reception Room that he made the appointment "mindful of its extraordinary significance. Given the breadth of issues at stake in our relationship with China, this ambassadorship is as important as any in the world because the United States will best be able to deal effectively with global challenges in the 21st century by working in concert with China." Huntsman recently made headlines for encouraging his party to swing in a more moderate direction if it wants to bounce back from the 2008 elections, angering some conservatives. "I knew that because Jon is not only a Republican, but a Republican who co-chaired my opponent's campaign for the presidency this wouldn't be the easiest decision to explain to some members of his party," Obama said. "But here is what I also know: I know Jon is the kind of leader who always puts country ahead of party." Huntsman said he never expected "to be called into action by the person who beat us. But I grew up understanding that the most basic responsibility one has is service to country. When the president of the United States asks you to step up and serve in a capacity like this, that to me is the end of the conversation and the beginning of the obligation to rise to the challenge. I stand here in my final term as governor with plenty to do. I wasn't looking for a new job in life, but a call from the president changed that."
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| Posted by:Steve White |
| #12 Huntsman has made a name for himself advocating a moderate agenda in one of the nation's most conservative states. I don't know him, but that just screams RINO. Plus, if he is in bed with McCain, Bambi can have him. |
| Posted by: DarthVader 2009-05-17 21:29 |
| #11 Great. The lovechild of John McCain and Mitt Romney. Bammo can have him, and good riddance. |
| Posted by: Iblis 2009-05-17 18:29 |
| #10 Keep your friends close, and your enemies closer. Plus, what RJ said. |
| Posted by: no mo uro 2009-05-17 17:40 |
| #9 It's clear as a bell, Obama's looking for trouble with China to help kill his most dangerous domestic foe, either politicaly (Not able to campaign at home) or literaly have him dead. If I were Huntsman i'd say "Thanks, but no thanks". |
| Posted by: Redneck Jim 2009-05-17 16:45 |
| #8 After this afternoon's slobbering love affair in South Bend, Barry's probably sorry he didn't select a Catholic. I had no idea he was such a follower of the Catholic faith. Jeremiah Wright.... did he even exist? Ironic, the "agree to disagree respectfully" rhetoric spewed by Jenkins and Barry. Yes, also very rich...."soldiers and lawyers opinions may differ." Too bad Barry's hero Abe Lincoln could not have done the same. We could have saved the lives of 600,000 soldiers. Of course we might have still had slavery today....but. |
| Posted by: Besoeker 2009-05-17 16:44 |
| #7 For Huntsman, it's a chance to burnish his credentials and position himself as a viable hopeful -- perhaps for 2016 if Obama is seen as a strong candidate for a second term in 2012. What are the odds that the GOP will nominate someone who was a de facto member of the Obama administration? |
| Posted by: charger 2009-05-17 15:10 |
| #6 There's this from HotAir on May 5, 2009 Obama campaign manager: I fear Jon Huntsman the most in 2012 There is one republican presidential candidate that President Barack Obama's campaign manager fears the most in 2012...and his name is Jon Huntsman Jr. This week for Governor Huntsman, good things are coming in threes. Not just the fear from the Obama campaign, but also an important phone call and a weekend spent testing the waters in a key primary state. While no republican presidential candidate yet makes Obama's team "shake in {their} shoes...," President ObamaÂ’s campaign manager, David Plouffe, tells the U.S. News and World Report that Governor Jon Huntsman makes him, a "wee bit queasy...I think he's really out there speaking a lot of truth about the direction of the party." To which Kirk Jowers of the University of UtahÂ’s Hinckley Institute of Politics says, "Huntsman has positioned himself in a great place right now because he is the only presidential candidate really running in the middle right now." Huntsman spent the weekend in Michigan which is a key G.O.P. primary state. |
| Posted by: Sherry 2009-05-17 13:41 |
| #5 so what's Bambi's real motivation? Name a Donk who's tasted power and ask yourself, would you trust them? Particularly with an important post with the largest bond holder of US capital. |
| Posted by: Procopius2k 2009-05-17 12:56 |
| #4 So what's the going rate for a Utah governorship? Let's ask Blagojevic... |
| Posted by: Seafarious 2009-05-17 11:05 |
| #3 so what's Bambi's real motivation? China....................................Utah |
| Posted by: g(r)omgoru 2009-05-17 10:37 |
| #2 "But I grew up understanding that the most basic responsibility one has is service to country." Try very hard to remember, Gov. Huntsman, that the person appointing you has the exact opposite understanding. Sounds like Huntsman is a very good person for the ambassadorship - so what's Bambi's real motivation? |
| Posted by: Barbara Skolaut 2009-05-17 09:37 |
| #1 Good opportunity to stock up on yuan before serious inflation hits the dollar. Then shop around to start up a business in a real pro-capitalist environment afterward. I didn't see a Utah governor being a front-runner in 2012 ... Don't underestimate making 'lots' of contacts for non-traceable small card donations/transfers for the election fund. Doesn't even have to be restricted to Buddhist monks. |
| Posted by: Procopius2k 2009-05-17 08:47 |