I think it can be said that Mr. Huntsman is able to read the proverbial tea leaves.

Oh, and boobies.

this is bizarre. too bad for the GOP - he actually sounded like one of its saner members. but then of course he would've been branded a LIBERAL!! SOCIALIST!!11!! in the primaries, so who knows.

lol, if you can't beat 'em, send 'em to China.

FlashHarry: this is bizarre. too bad for the GOP - he actually sounded like one of its saner members. but then of course he would've been branded a LIBERAL!! SOCIALIST!!11!! in the primaries, so who knows.

This x a million.

They (the GOP) is essentially eating their own these days. They've lost whatever tangential threads they had to actual conservative principals and instead have hewn to a rough road of party orthodoxy.

They have no one but themselves to blame. They diluted their intellectual stock by supporting the southern strategy for so many years, which left them vulnerable to the eventual take over from the inside by the christian fundamentalists.

One thing I think a lot of Democrats don't understand is that the GOP didn't court the wing nuts insomuch as the wing nuts learned that they could organize their churches to register GOP and then vote their own wingnut people into chairmanships and offices. It was all pretty much down hill from there.

Anyway, I think as they stand now they are pretty much done. It's hard to recover from not just from the electoral drubbing they've been getting, but from what is essentially a party platform that has no brains behind it anymore. All the smart guys have either left the building or are desperately trying to become the wardens of the insane asylum (good luck with that).

Don't believe me? I got four words for you:

Jonah Goldberg: Conservative Thinker.

Yeah, that's how low they are today.

And the freepers are, to no one's suprise, already throwing him off the bandwagon (new window).

TwistedFark: Don't believe me? I got four words for you:

Jonah Goldberg: Conservative Thinker.

i just threw up in my mouth a little.

I'm a fan, good job

But then again, I'm a moderate

SVC_conservative: I'm a fan, good job

But then again, I'm a moderate

You're a RINO you commie. Admit it.

SVC_conservative: I'm a fan, good job

But then again, I'm a moderate sane.

And bless you for it :)

TwistedFark:
Don't believe me? I got four words for you:

Jonah Goldberg: Conservative Thinker.

Yeah, that's how low they are today.

I've got two words: Oh Snap!

mcvey: SVC_conservative: I'm a fan, good job

But then again, I'm a moderate

You're a RINO you commie. Admit it.

I'm registered in PA, so I change my registration to vote in Primaries for candidates I like (I'm on my 4th change already in 4 years). Currently it is impossible for me to be a RINO :-P

Commie, sure I'm living in Poland, but communism was SO 20 years ago...

And yeah, I am sane, it's getting harder to pick out the Republican candidates I like, especially since most of them seem to be becoming Obama's cabinet members and democrats.

TwistedFark: Anyway, I think as they stand now they are pretty much done. It's hard to recover from not just from the electoral drubbing they've been getting, but from what is essentially a party platform that has no brains behind it anymore. All the smart guys have either left the building or are desperately trying to become the wardens of the insane asylum (good luck with that).

If they can look back to Teddy Roosevelt, Lincoln and Eisenhower they may just have a chance, but it's doubtful. It doesn't help them that the current President is genuinely likable and does the public the courtesy of speaking to them like intelligent adults rather than using moronic catchphrases.

Thing that jumped out at me...

He'll be the Ambassador to China, and he actually speaks Mandarin Chinese.

This is a good thing.

我欢迎他。

I_Approve_Of_This_Message: And the freepers are, to no one's suprise, already throwing him off the bandwagon (new window).

This is how you know these people at that site are farked in the head. This man did nothing more than accept the call to serve his country. If George W. Bush, a man I severely dislike, had asked me to do something similar because he thought I was the best man for the job, then I would probably also accept. The rationale here would be: I will do my best to make sure that American interests are fully represented and protected to the best of my ability - regardless of who's sitting in the chair at the White House at the time, America will and must go on.

That's patriotism and something these farkfaces don't really understand I guess.

magores: Thing that jumped out at me...

He'll be the Ambassador to China, and he actually speaks Mandarin Chinese.

This is a good thing.

我欢迎他。

you mean not just handing out ambassadorships to people based purely on their campaign donations?

FlashHarry: TwistedFark: Don't believe me? I got four words for you:

Jonah Goldberg: Conservative Thinker.

i just threw up in my mouth a little.

If Jonah Goldberg's ideas were shiat (and they are), they wouldn't be the kind of shiat that comes out straight, or even the kind that swirls around like a stinky chocolate icecream cone.

They'd be the kid of shiat that explodes all over the bowl and blasts chunks of half digested corn back at your ass.

When people trot out the likes of Limbaugh, Coultier, Hannity, et al - I just roll my eyes. Those guys are entertainers, political entertainers, but entertainers all the same. Some people think this makes them clowns - so be it, but I think that the guys like Goldberg are the real clowns; idiots masquerading as intellectuals in an anti-intellectual movement.farking hell, you could put William F. Buckley and Gore Vidal in a room with a plate full of spicy mexican food and they'd create more sense between them with the sound of their farts than anything that's ever come out of Goldberg's weeping puss filled anus of a mouth.

Ahhh.... crap I'm just getting worked up. I don't mind people having ideas I disagree with, but I have a hard time handling the fact that the ideas are just crap to begin with. It's like they're not even trying. Hell, I'm not a stupid person - if your way of doing things is so right, then farking convince me of it.

It shouldn't be that much to ask for, but instead all we get is "whaaargarhble!" until your ears bleed.

FlashHarry: you mean not just handing out ambassadorships to people based purely on their campaign donations?

Obama has already done that for a few ambassadorships, sadly. However, the ambassadors that he's chosen for the high-profile gigs are shockingly competent.

I'm not a fan of his choice for Secretary of State or any of his choices for HHS, but otherwise he's chosen good people. He should have steered the hell away from Richardson, whose own party members in the Senate disowned him in the 1990s, but I think that taught him his lesson. Since then, I'm very pleased.

captainktainer: I'm not a fan of his choice for Secretary of State or any of his choices for HHS

I can't imagine what problem you have with HRC as the SoS. As someone who currently lives outside the US, the international press on her wherever she goes is almost uniformly positive, plus most people who don't have an axe to grind agree that the State department's strategy of focusing on Asia has so far been very well executed and is sadly probably something that should have been started over a decade ago.

Frankly, I actually believe the narrative they're doing with holding up countries like Indonesia as models of democracy that can appeal to Islamists is farking brilliant and that anything that can be done to undermine the resistance of Islamists to democracy is a victory.

And then there's the work she's been doing on focusing in on womens rights across the world. This also is another brilliant move because ask yourself this: In an Islamic fundamentalist government, who is absolutely the most oppressed? I'll give you a clue - they all have vaginas.

If we really want peace between the west and the muslims, then women are going to be the ones to lead the way.

So yeah, so far I have been very happy with the majority of the work that HRC has been doing for State.

Obama will have to appoint someone else 30 minutes after Huntsman gets there.

Nice deal they struck there.

Huntsman gets foreign policy creditionals to beef up his resume and Obama can (probably) rest easy in 2012.

That said, I am very intrigued by Huntsman and if he survives the primaries (which is sadly doubtful) I would actually have a hard time deciding who to vote for

Umokay: lol, if you can't beat 'em, send 'em to China.

"Jon, I'm transferring you."
"Transferring me? Where to sir?"
"You're going to China."
"China sir? There's nothing going on in China! Why China?"
"Jon, I've covered for you a lot of times cause I thought you were a little crazy. But you're not crazy, you're mean. And this is just politics."

Pretty good call for both Obama and Huntsman.

Sounds like somebody knows the Republican Party isn't likely to make a comeback in 2012.

This is a smart move on Huntsman part if he does want to make a run in 2012.

Not only does it give him experience dealing with China, but it will help to deflect democratic criticism of him. "How can I be such a bad guy when Obama asked me to be part of his administration"?

Spanky_McFarksalot: This is a smart move on Huntsman part if he does want to make a run in 2012.

Not only does it give him experience dealing with China, but it will help to deflect democratic criticism of him. "How can I be such a bad guy when Obama asked me to be part of his administration"?

He may not be a contender regardless, but China isn't the end of a slow boat trip anymore. China may be the most important country to Americans outside of the U.S. It's good experience to add to his experience as governor.

Darn the luck! Darn!

/some kids must have been screwing around with the signal again

If it continues like this and the democrats are in power, it will be the end of times. By the time you read this, your entire family has been forcibly raped because the Libs are in Power...Something must be done. Think.

He's LDS. The fundies will not vote for him anyway.

Nothing to see here.

I'm pissed. I'm a Democrat in Utah, and I voted for him. I really liked him, and I doubt we'll get somebody as cool as him again.

Animatronik: He may not be a contender regardless, but China isn't the end of a slow boat trip anymore. China may be the most important country to Americans outside of the U.S. It's good experience to add to his experience as governor.

True. Bush Sr. was also Ambassador to China before becoming VP and President (he also served as UN Ambassador and CIA Director).

NewEnglandGangster: If it continues like this and the democrats are in power, it will be the end of times. By the time you read this, your entire family has been forcibly raped because the Libs are in Power...Something must be done. Think.

Even my mom?!??!? That's terrible! :( :( :(

Eddie Barzoom She'll be the first to go. :)-

soy_bomb: Obama will have to appoint someone else 30 minutes after Huntsman gets there.

i see what you did there.

Tor_Eckman: He's LDS. The fundies will not vote for him anyway.

Nothing to see here.

This this this, a 1000 times this.

It killed Mitt Romney's hopes of winning the GOP primary, it'll kill Huntsman's chances.

At this point it seems like Obama simply enjoys bossing around his former enemies.

Sounds like Beijing picked the right guy for our ambassador.

hubcity: Darn the luck! Darn!

/some kids must have been screwing around with the signal again




Came for this, left satisfied

Huntsman was a threat to Obama, and he might have snuck in through the primary's the way McCain did (with several far-rights fighting for the crazy vote, he gets the sane all to himself). Appointing Huntsman to an Ambassadorship doesn't prevent him from running, but it makes it harder for him to.

I wonder why Huntsman took the post, then? Maybe he didn't think he could win, or even didn't want to be President.

Chiponyasu: Huntsman was a threat to Obama, and he might have snuck in through the primary's the way McCain did (with several far-rights fighting for the crazy vote, he gets the sane all to himself). Appointing Huntsman to an Ambassadorship doesn't prevent him from running, but it makes it harder for him to.

I wonder why Huntsman took the post, then? Maybe he didn't think he could win, or even didn't want to be President.

Or he figures he'll stay out of 2012, let the crazy burn off, and come back in 2016 the face of a new kinder, gentler GOP.

He did not immediately tell Obama to pound sand.

For this reason, and also because of the whole Mormon thing, he doesn't have a chance in the 2012 GOP primaries - he won't win a single state if he runs.

He's a RINO (read: 'not insane'), and I expect Rush to brand him as such on Monday.

Socialist? Liberal? Oh no, those are hardly as bad as...

RINO, which for freepers and the 20%'ers, is akin to being a traitor.

Chiponyasu: Huntsman was a threat to Obama, and he might have snuck in through the primary's the way McCain did (with several far-rights fighting for the crazy vote, he gets the sane all to himself). Appointing Huntsman to an Ambassadorship doesn't prevent him from running, but it makes it harder for him to.

I wonder why Huntsman took the post, then? Maybe he didn't think he could win, or even didn't want to be President.

Think the Cuomo effect in 92.

The big dawgs of the Democratic primary scene all thought Cuomo was going to clear the deck chairs. Huntsman (and my gut would tell me a lot of the folks who are the current talked about Republican hopefuls) won't think Obama can be beat in 2012


this of course is very stupid thinking

You know, the Germans have a good idea capitalizing nouns.

"The GOP hopeful Obama's advisor was most worried about"

WTF, dumbassmitter? Please clarify your damn nouns and adjectives.
"GOP" - noun or adjective?
"hopeful" - noun or adjective?
Let's see how many ways the first part of that mongolian clusterfark can be interpreted:

"An advisor to (Obama, who is both Republican and hopeful), was most worried about (noun)..."
"A (hopeful and Republican advisor to Obama) was most worried about (noun)..."
"The candidate about whom the GOP is most hopeful, and yet Obama's advisor was most worried about, (verb)..."
"The GOP is hopeful that Obama's advisor was most worried about (verb)..."

I'm not even going to read TFA. If it's even half as stupid as this headline, it's a lost cause.

Last night I had the strangest dream,
I sailed away to China in a little row boat to find ya,
And you said you had to get your laundry cleaned
Didn't want no one to hold you - what does that mean?
And you said:

Ain't nothin' gonna Barack-a my stride!
N-Obama gonna slow me down!
Oh no!
I got to keep on movin'!

That's such a good song. Sonny Rollins version is one of my favorites.

FTFA: He is an expert on China, and he speaks Mandarin Chinese fluently.

He might actually be well qualified for the job? No way!

He can finish Jim Sasser's job of shredding all the Clinton documents.

It's a pretty smart move for both Obama and Huntsman.

*OBAMA gets rid of a legitimate long-term threat. Besides, Huntsman does speak Mandarin, so he wouldn't be the worst pick in the world.
*HUNTSMAN gets a world of help. First off, a post in China builds the resume for later in his political career. Good diplomatic posts build foreign policy cred, and in this case, he gets bipartisan cred as well. In the meantime, he gets out of the way of the GOP's circular firing squad. He runs to China, keeps his head down for the worst of it, and he comes home after sanity has made a comeback.

Gosling: HUNTSMAN gets a world of help. First off, a post in China builds the resume for later in his political career. Good diplomatic posts build foreign policy cred, and in this case, he gets bipartisan cred as well.

I suppose, but Huntsman was already a trade representative and Ambassador to Singapore. His experience as a Mormon missionary to Taiwan and his fluent Mandarin should serve him well. Its an excellent choice for both though Obama and Huntsman, I think.

TwistedFark: If George W. Bush, a man I severely dislike, had asked me to do something similar because he thought I was the best man for the job, then I would probably also accept. The rationale here would be: I will do my best to make sure that American interests are fully represented and protected to the best of my ability

This times 1,000,000.

Somacandra: Gosling: HUNTSMAN gets a world of help. First off, a post in China builds the resume for later in his political career. Good diplomatic posts build foreign policy cred, and in this case, he gets bipartisan cred as well.

I suppose, but Huntsman was already a trade representative and Ambassador to Singapore. His experience as a Mormon missionary to Taiwan and his fluent Mandarin should serve him well. Its an excellent choice for both though Obama and Huntsman, I think.

Indeed. The angle of removing Huntsman as possible 2012 opposition seems to be more positioning. With all the names listed to run against Obama at this date, the only one that has made any real news is Palin or Jindal. Huntsman is a relative unknown who seems very qualified for the position of ambassador and Obama has made it known that he will choose qualifications over party lines. To make this into a political fight seems to be an addition for the Republicans and not really based in reality.

Huntsman is more than qualified and that fits. To say he's suddenly a contender for 2012 seems like more Republican sour grapes.