Protesting GOP, Huntsman Torches Political Career

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Protesting GOP, Huntsman Torches Political Career

April 23rd, 2012 11:43 pm Matt Taylor

Former Utah governor and ambassador to China Jon Huntsman, the conservative Republican who just a few months ago was making a serious bid to steer his party back toward moderation and rationality, has moved from trying to change the GOP from within to mocking it from the sidelines.

In a freewheeling discussion at the 92nd Street Y in upper Manhattan this weekend, he compared the Republican Party to the Chinese Communist governing party and complained about how weak its primary field was.

“This is what they do in China on party matters, they punish you, if you talk off script,” he said of the GOP disinviting him from a Florida fundraiser in March after he suggested a third party might do the American political system some good.

“Is this the best we could do?” Huntsman claims he asked himself when standing on the debate stage with his Republican rivals.

And while he certainly did his best to brush the comments off when asked about them on MSNBC’s “Morning Joe” Monday (see the video below), conversations with seasoned GOP operatives suggest Huntsman has sealed his fate when it comes to national Republican politics.

“This is a guy who’s pouring gasoline on his political career and setting it on fire,” said Rick Wilson, a veteran Florida-based Republican consultant.

Huntsman was careful to endorse his fellow Mormon and presumptive nominee Mitt Romney as the sane moderate in the field after a third-place showing in the New Hampshire presidential primary sent him packing. But the plug was far from enthusiastic — Huntsman and Romney despise each other — and lobbing grenades from the sidelines isn’t going over well in a party that hates sore losers.

“There’s obviously a seething rivalry there, and Huntsman is letting it get the best of him,” said Rob Stutzman, the California-based GOP strategist behind Arnold Schwarzenegger’s successful gubernatorial campaigns. “John McCain and George Bush were never big fans of each other but they were always able to consolidate at the right time. Huntsman has somewhat failed at that test, starting with that tepid endorsement when he dropped out of the race.”

Rather than reaching out to moderates as Norm Coleman, the former Minnesota senator who has worked with the center-right American Action Network and the bipartisan U.S. Global Leadership Coalition since losing his re-election bid to Al Franken in 2008, has done, Huntsman is venting his frustration. And for all his talk of science and reason, his behavior dumbfounds political professionals.

“He is doing his level-best to piss off enough people to disqualify himself forever from Republican politics,” said Wilson. “If he wants to be part of the Republican and conservative movement, this is certainly not the way any rational person would pursue those goals.”

Here’s the video of Huntsman discussing his attacks on the GOP, courtesy of MSNBC’s “Morning Joe”:

Tags: 2012, campaign, Conservatives, GOP, Jon Huntsman, Mitt Romney, Presidential, rationality, reason, Republican Party, Republicans, science

http://www.facebook.com/sidney.r.smith1 Sidney R Smith

Can’t be hard on the guy whatever his motives were he spoke the truth. Comparing the Republican Party to Communist China is right on! It was the Republicans who passed the bill that allowed American Corporations to outsource OUR AMERICAN JOBS to China. Why? Because of cheap labor which makes bigger profits for the Corporate giants.
I often wonder just how many jobs the Chinese occupy? I bet it’s enough that if the jobs were returned to America everyone could be employed with the option of second jobs if they liked to.
Then there would be a 0% jobless rate and our economy would be very healthy.
Let’s face it, the Republicans are in bed with Communist China. So you tell me, who’s the real Communists? They’ve ruined America’s economy and are destroying us.

http://www.facebook.com/people/Delroy-Brown/100003537466597 Delroy Brown

Could not say it better.

http://pulse.yahoo.com/_UNRSOQB7TEU2XBPPAZ7GZPVNXM EdC

Huntsman was the only sane one allowed on the dias during the Primaries, that isn’t saying much! If Fox news would have backed Buddy Roamer or Gary Patterson, and I believe there was one Californian who was was in the lower rung, the Primaries would not have been such a circus. While Rick wilson , whomever he thinks he is, says that Huntsman has burnt up his political carrer, I disagree. Huntsman may be the next Republican President, when these really Radical Righties are disavoued by the party.
William Deutschlander

Huntsman tells the truth, as such he no longer can be a Republican!

Many state that the GOP is so far to the Ultra Right that it is Treasonous, my observation is that they have lost the gravitational pull of Earth and have spun so far out into space that recovery is impossible.

We as a Republic and with a firm commitment to Democracy, MUST find and establish another representative party that is committed to our Bill of Rights and our Constitution.

We the people, ALL of the people, a majority of the people, in order to form a more perfect union, MUST COLLECTIVELY BARGAIN, negotiate, compromise, with the majority prevailing, to form a more perfect union.

Our Founding Fathers fled Monarchy, Autocracy, Dictatorship to form a Republic, a Constitutional form of Government, a DEMOCRACY!
http://profile.yahoo.com/HGC4BGWVYXV76PHZBPSPOOU5GA Independent1

A lot of what Huntsman said is absolutely true. It’s too bad the GOP takes it with offense instead of listening to what he’s trying to tell them. The GOP has gone so far away from common sense values that it has become one dimensional…it’s all about MONEY and ME keeping it. The welfare and future of the country no longer matter….all that matters is that the wealthy are able to stuff more and more money in their pockets.
ixnaa

Obama’s big ideas were thwarted by the Republicans in Congress. The Republican party’s failure to embrace candidates who will unite people and work for the good of the masses instead of the privileged few- and conversely the best they can offer is candidates such as Romney, who abandon a moderate stance to pander to big money and the ideology of extremists, is a policy that will propagate divisiveness and political stagnation.

hubydoll166

I sure hope the peopel of this country get their act together this november..If the republicans pick up major wins and presidency then this will be just like 2010 midterms and they will start changing everything on every level that has or had nothing to do with the election or the economy..,their answer to the economy issues are very different than mainstream and the real question will be ” will this country have to hit rock bottom, just like an addict, to smell the coffee and wake up”? If things dont go the correct way at the end of this then we may have very well let happen what our forefathers and mothers fought with their lifes blood to prevent and we will undo every positive stride we have made throughout our existance. I can hardly believe this sort of thing is even considered and the NEW GOP EXTREMIST party exists..maybe it will be shortlived? I hope so. It seems anything but american to be so against the people when their job is for the people..money has eroded and corrupted in biblical terms and they shall be cleansed. Hunstman was right on!! He cant be the bad guy for telling it like it is..they sold us out.

dianebkht

Huntsman seems to be the really Sane one here! I agreee with his comments. I can’t believe that Romney is the best that The Republican Party can do. Romney is way to the right and turned the corner to Tea Party Radical Land. The hatred of Democrats has filled the air over a long period of time. The problem with this is, the country is definitly not made up of majority conservative. We all know there is a neutral boundary here. Romney will have a hard time trying to place himself to the middle due to past comments. If or when Romney decides to come back to the real America….will it be too late? As President, we expect a common sense approach…not a Birther, Tea Partier or Radical Rightie to feed us there insanity! Romney decides to talk common sense…all the crazies above will crucify him!
http://profile.yahoo.com/XWNK5E33OIFUMQVAGQQA7GDM2M Bigspender

Good for Jon Huntsman. Its a rare commodity these days to find a republican with a working brain. Perhaps Huntsman belongs in another time or even another political party. You gotta respect this man, unlike Romney the serial liar.
majong13

The only Republican who made sense during the primaries.
howa4x

There is a new movement called Americans Elect based on the premise that our politics is a toxic partisan sewer, that is at its best cynical and at the worst corrupt. Who ever is the canidate for president must pick a person from the other party. Huntsman is a leading canidate for that position, and I think he is setting himself up for a run on that ticket. AE is already on the ballot in 16 states and will have all 50 by the election. This may be the reason he is attacking both parties.
I saw that interveiw on MSNBC and he was far more critical of Obama and did again endorse Romney. He said that health care reform shouldn’t have been done and that all the effort should have been directed at the economy. None of the panel asked him how 24 months of economic growth isn’t focusing on the economy. Also none of the panel asked him how the polices of W led the greatest economic collapse since the great depression
gergyls

Huntsman has proven to be an honorable man who sees it as it is and is willing to stand up for what he believes. Instead of pounding him, people should be applauding him.
http://profile.yahoo.com/VPEBOFUISNXSZS5ICGPUH3GJXE gman

Smith and Deutschlander, you two are right. Huntsman’s comments are totally right on, the GOP is run by ideologues who are so out-of-touch with America, their pathos is thick and black like roofing pitch. Speaking up about it is a matter of intelligence.

Would could credit the “tea party” with any authenticity–are they speaking up about the trillion dollar, million-employee secret Homeland Security bureaucracy? Nobody is. What pathetic liars.
http://www.facebook.com/people/Sandra-Kullmann/1825757141 Sandra Kullmann

GOOD FOR YOU JON HUNTSMAN! SOMEONE has to tell the truth in lieu of all of the lies coming from other members of the GOP who don’t wnat Romney but MUST lie to support him. I am not a Republican, but I have to say you have put some respect into a party that has NONE!
daffodilly

Huntsman seemed too rational to be a part of the current Republican fiasco. Maybe he’ll switch sides and go with people who appreciate sanity and reason. Or, maybe he’s the bell weather for forming a decent reasonable Conservative party.
ObozoMustGo

Anytime a Republican runs as a DumbocRAT, he/she loses. Huntsman should switch parties to the DumbocRAT party. He would be an improvement over the cadre of s0cialists that currently dominate the party. Traditional Dems need to take your party back from the leftist nutjob socialists anyway. Let Huntsman lead the effort for you.

http://www.facebook.com/people/Delroy-Brown/100003537466597 Delroy Brown

You wing nuts always drive out the brains of your party. What is wrong with you all. You are becoming irrelevant again. Oh , you have been since Reagan who would not be accepted in today’s Republican tea party. You also

oldtack

Contrary to OBozo if he ever returns from limboland. Huntsman is neither a Republican of today nor is he a Democrat. He is more of a “third party” person. If there was enough support to form a viable Third Party I think Huntsman would campaign to be their first nominee for President.

http://profile.yahoo.com/2MSDASKMG7JBFRYRK2GYCA4JYE matt L

you teabagging dopes have turned the GOP onto the taliban, Ronny reagan was a douchebag failure and the teabaggers love his re-written history. But if the REAL ronny raygun was around today NO teabagger would vote for him.
oldtack

I’m trying to digest this statement. You start off blasting the Dumbo-crats and then you begin describing the Repugnacan Party. Just change the word Socialists to Nazis and you got it. I think you’ve been swing over and bumping the edge of the left wing again. Better watch that.

ObozoMustGo

Yo old! it’s DumbocRATS…. get it straight, will ya! And “R running as a D” does not mean literally. Only means R in name only, but D beliefs, which is what Huntsman is. He should switch parties to make it official. Do you get it now?

http://www.facebook.com/people/Ellery-Tuck/100000121509965 Ellery Tuck

Dumbocrats? Just what party periodicly trashes our economy, and the “Dumbocrats” have to pull their GOP fat out of the fire?

Today, the top 2% the GOP’s favored American citizens, (together with Romney’s Corporations are People too” ) own 40% of all of our Wealth. Why, Because during the past three GOP Administrations, the 98% have been subsidizing the 2%’s wealth accumulations with Federal Deficits caused by those tax cuts, the proceeds which were used by the 2% to buy assets, and not create jobs. Now, the 98% will have to pay most of those deficits off. Between Reagan, Bush I, and Bush II, those Federal deficits incurred as a direct result of tax cuts for the non existent job creators, and now total well over half of the current national debt. (8 Trillion dollars out of 15 trillion) Then of course, you can add about 3 Trillion of the deficits incurred during the Obama years as soley as a direct result of the Bush meltdown, which substantially reduced Federal tax revenues, and more deficits were incurred to pay current expenses.

Meanwile, during the time many of the 98% were losing jobs and homes, the same 2% have managed to increase their income by 275%, while the 98% have lost over 10% of income, as well as many assets,which the 2% have snapped up at fire sale prices, thanks to the Bush meltdown, which even more deregulation and tax cuts for the job creators brought about. To the fact that the Middle class is shrinking, as a result of trickle down economics, add the fact that now 50% of all Americans are now living in poverty as currently defined by the Federal Government. ( A family of 4 having income of 22K or less)

So, what is Romney’s and Ryan’s solution? More of the same failed policies.

As it is, Romney and the GOP have no solutions, only the very same failed trickle down economic theories which created the Bush II fiscal disaster. Now Romney, Ryan, and the GOP are telling the American Voters “This time we really have the solutions, more tax cuts and more deregulaiton, which with massive spending cuts, cutting entitlments, and safty nets for the poor, who Romney does not care about, as well as incrased taxes for the middle and working class, will really” restore our economy and America’s greatness” This Romney/Ryan claim is the classic definition of insanity: “Doing the same thing over and over again, each time expecting a different result!

If you really belive that this time, it will work this time, while it never has in the past, boy do I have a bridge in Brooklyn for you to buy cheap!

ObozoMustGo

Hey Tuck… you can take the hook, line, and sinker out of your mouth. No one but useful idiots actually buys the class warfare crap, not even BH Obozo. He just likes to sell it to create division and rile up his base of useful idiots, all the while going to his millionaire and billionaire friends to raise campaign cash and winking that he really doesnt mean what he says.

As to your assertion that letting people keep more of their earnings is the cause of the deficit…. To steal a line from your Messiah, Obozo,…. Let me be clear… revenues to the government DO NOT CAUSE DEFICITS…. SPENDING CAUSES DEFICITS. Too much spending on promises the government cannot keep is what causes deficits. GET IT?????

It’s so funny reading a leftist nutjob like you talk about deficit and debt. HA! It’s all your spending that has caused it. The only way to get out of debt is to STOP SPENDING! You idiots act as though if they just tax more, the politicians will somehow become responsible and not spend more than they take in. DUHHHH!!! What planet are you from? The Crack Addict planet? Must be!

By the way, trickle down economics works far better than DumbocRAT Trickle up poverty!

Have a nice day!

betsym

Why would he even want to be a part of the conservative movement when he’s not a conservative. I think that Huntsman said what many republicans feel but are afraid to say. But the fact of the matter is that what he said is absolutely true and the republican party doesn’t know what to do about it.
ObozoMustGo

Hey! At least Huntsman didnt eat a dog!….. I’m just sayin

http://profile.yahoo.com/IU7C6LDOPNAQYSZWIQJDJFWVPU james

At least Huntsman speaks about real issues,,,,,,I’m just sayin
http://profile.yahoo.com/2MSDASKMG7JBFRYRK2GYCA4JYE matt L

who cares what President Obama ate when he was 10 yr olds in a foriegn country? shit for brains like you will trash this country so President Obama doesn’t look good. ALL the teabagging GOP cares about is getting the black man out of the white house.

ObozoMustGo

clearly, matt, Obozo would be more comfortable in the………………………… dog house! Bwaaaaaahahahahahahahahahahahahahaha

http://profile.yahoo.com/XWNK5E33OIFUMQVAGQQA7GDM2M Bigspender

Go back inside now BOZO. Recess is over.

ObozoMustGo

At least Huntsman never at a dog, Bigblunder. Pooches everywhere are now howling everytime they hear Obozo’s voice. It’s sad, dont ya think?

bigspender7

The only sad things about dogs is the unlucky pooch who was acquired by the canine abusive Romney family.

ObozoMustGo

Obozo could have eaten Romney’s dog. Maybe a little ketchup or a little A1 sauce?

Howard Wetters

Good for him! Any rational man who is honest with himself would want to disqualify himself from Republican politics. The Republicans seem to want to go back to the 50s. The problem is that I am nearing 60 and barely remember the 50s, everyone born after me doesn’t even know they existed. This is the Republican’s “Waiting for Godot” moment. They are trying to get people to return to something that they never knew existed. Who said the theater of the absurd is dead?
http://pulse.yahoo.com/_F3AEVYAEPTF5EQAQBKY7B4IUSU EAT THE RICH

LETS OUTSOURCE THE ENTIRE GOP. WHAT DO WE NEED EM FOR. ALL THEY WANNA DO IS SELL US OUT.
http://profile.yahoo.com/L76W2EVFLPOIQ36UKLLGFIHHDI Phil

Ricky ole boy — The right-wing controlled Republican Party has been slashing their wrists for months now. The anti-Obama group has left no stone and no lie untold to fight the Obama White House. It began with Sarah Palin and Michelle Bachmann and their undiscovered and ridiculous Death Panels that are as yet undiscovered, and has continued with the well funded Tea Party enthusiasts.
http://profile.yahoo.com/IU7C6LDOPNAQYSZWIQJDJFWVPU james

Yes he did destroy his political career , that is what happens if you don’t tow the Limbaugh line and stay on script. All Huntsman said was what the majority of the country has been saying for the past 6 months.
http://profile.yahoo.com/2MSDASKMG7JBFRYRK2GYCA4JYE matt L

the GOP isn’t that close to communist China. It’s actually a LOT closer to the Taliban, just switch “christianity” for Islam. If the Taliban valued corporate profits above EVERYTHING, the well being of Americans, funding the VA and education, rebuilding the nations infrastructure all are far FAR behind corporate profits and tax avoidance. the GOP will destroy America and the American people if they are allowed to continue.
http://www.facebook.com/terango.lf Leonard Terango

Just like myself, the GOP left him, He didn’t leave the GOP. But I finally changed my voter registration the WV Mountain Party and vote state issues.
donotbeafraid

The current GOP is a mess! I was a moderate Republican at one time, but now consider myself independent. I don’t believe there is any chance this Republican Party can lead the United States in the current times. Huntsman is just reflecting this reality. Sometimes we need truth tellers that
“piss off” those who lack integrity and wisdom.
http://pulse.yahoo.com/_4JK5UTBYBW34I6QZZXYEBMSTT4 TEN-OF-WANDS

It is REFRESHING to see intelligent people pouring GASOLINE onto something other than the gas-tank of their GAS-GUZZLING S U V.
Wesen

If there was a third party with centrist politics, you would be surprised at how many Republicans AND Democrats would sign up. Most people see and are sick of the lies, stagnation and bickering. We need to resolve our country’s problems. To do so effectively, we need to consider and blend both progressive and conservative solutions. A few new ideas wouldn’t hurt either.
Tosa720

I don’t think Hunstman “torched” his career – I think he just torched the Republican party.
He can run as a democrat or he can run as an independent when he chooses to dump the GOP for a party that aligns with his views…..
http://profile.yahoo.com/XWNK5E33OIFUMQVAGQQA7GDM2M Bigspender

The Tea Party is on the road to extinction.
http://pulse.yahoo.com/_K3XDTJHLNKSTTS34VTKT3WR6M4 Robert

Jon, Jon…go Democrat! or Independent! You aren’t going to change the Republican party…you are too smart and you think!
joyscarbo

It’s INSANE that the republican party is killing one of their own who actually had some decent ideas for decent people who are struggling. I remember when Mitt was that way until he sold his soul to the republican “company store.” HE CAN’T WIN.
http://www.facebook.com/people/Wade-Stanley/1469883069 Wade Stanley

Huntsman had no career left with that bunch of right wing goof-balls anyway. Maybe he can run as an independent….that’s what he is.
http://pulse.yahoo.com/_MMOOQPAW5A4ZOQKD2CBF7HBTGE Jon

It’s almost criminal the way the GOP treats their intellectuals in order to embrace the mediocre.. Three cases in point .. Romney, Gingrich and Santorum. Do they actually think any one of these goobers are the perfect choice for POTUS? Or are they manipulating 2012 as the did in 2000 and 2004? They disregard someone who has morals, totally ignore one that they’ve branded as too old and too erratic and as such have wedged themselves in a corner with a man who only LOOKS like a regular human being. They know Romney won’t help this country, that he’ll look upon it like so many wealthy view it, but what can they do? They’ve blocked themselves at every corner.. They want to win this election, in fact their giddy with anticipation but they know their chosen one, though wealthy.. is a loser and can’t become one with America so they’ve devised a (rebel?) yell, “ANYBODY BUT OBAMA!!” and with that spewing out of every right winged pub, they have determined they can’t lose. How delusional, but.. if we don’t watch out, they will get their wish. What with these super pacs pounding the airwaves with propaganda that they know millions of dollars can legitimatize while those behind the curtain wring their hands and await the looting of our Social Security and medicare/welfare programs. Though even we as Dems and Ind. have our opinions concerning welfare, we are also humanitarians and understand the needs of the less fortunate.. Not so the Pubs (all of them) they get inheritances then go about crowing that they are self-made men and totally ignore even their poor relatives.. I’m not happy with the way President Obama has progressed but it wasn’t all his doing, after all, as his days turned into months the head pub told everyone that, “We will pass no (democratic) bills while this President is in office”.. Could Huntsman have made a difference? Can Ron Paul make a difference? We’ll never know so long as those in hiding keep pulling the strings.
hubydoll166

The GOP have left the likes of huntsman in the dust seemingly. Personally, The GOP have twisted themselves into a pretzel that huntsman probably wouldnt want to be part of anyway..Its not saying that he should lay down and the their new extreme ideology take over the meaning of the whole party montra..Huntsman may just need to adapt to calling himself a moderate independant, but what about all the republican constituents out there who no longer have a choice over someone moderate versus extreme? Seems like the voting base will need to put up their own candidates if they want someone to truly represent their ideologies or just settle for the boys club GOP extremists..there is something wrong with the fact that these GOP in congress and state congressional seats can change or try to change the very fabric of our constitution by making it or any GOP prospector have to follow a certain creedo to be in or on the team? I thought the people in congress that were elected were still able to have a mind of their own? This is not a good thing when the GOP openly say that ypou must conform to a certain criteria and ideology to be a republican..Olympia Snowe should buck then horse and not allow them to push the clock back on her..Now is the most important time in her life and career to take a stand and stand up for what she stands for and “not be chased off” to hand the ideologists a victory.. What the GOP are ultimately doing is creating DISCRIMINATION in and on the very highest levels of society..this should speak volumes to anyone or person who is a conservative but aspires to hold office..is it even legal?
http://www.facebook.com/david.lloydjones3 David Lloyd-Jones

What’s truly weird about this is that while Huntsman is certainly one of the few, very few, decent human beings in the Republcan race, he is — at least judging from his statements — by far the most right-wing of the bunch. Why doesn’t he just endorse maybe Newt?

-dlj.

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