GOP: why won't you give Huntsman a shot? I really do like him more & more each day, even though I've been a filthy liberal the past few years.

Let me get this straight. In order to be considered a serious candidate, you need to go on a debate moderated by an attention whore reality show judge who takes credit for the success of everyone meets even if he meets them AFTER they become rich and famous?

Di Atribe: GOP: why won't you give Huntsman a shot? I really do like him more & more each day, even though I've been a filthy liberal the past few years.

I wonder if he actually has a strategy behind what he's doing. Let the attention whores run out their welcomes -- as they all seem to be doing -- and then, when it's time to get serious, he'll emerge as the only actual candidate.

Would it have been worth it to spend time and money seriously battling Herman Cain? Clearly, not. Santorum? Bachmann? Perry? Even Gingrich? Let them all battle it out amongst themselves and once that's over, come out fighting against Romney and maybe actually cinch the nomination.

I don't think it's a totally insane idea or strategy, if that's what he's doing.

He actually said that? *rtfa*

AAAAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!!!

awesome.

ManateeGag: Let me get this straight. In order to be considered a serious candidate, you need to go on a debate moderated by an attention whore reality show judge who takes credit for the success of everyone meets even if he meets them AFTER they become rich and famous?

Because the GOP base really likes their dog and pony show, I guess...

Di Atribe: GOP: why won't you give Huntsman a shot?

Because he's smart.

serpent_sky: I don't think it's a totally insane idea or strategy, if that's what he's doing.

He could also be planning to run as an independent, in which case he'll steal the disgruntled and disillusioned liberal voters from Obama while snagging MAYBE some of the more Rockefeller-type Republicans from the right. So, either he'd win as an independent (unlikely), or he'll steal enough votes from Obama to give the Presidency to whomever gets the GOP nomination.

Scary thought, eh?

*puts crystal ball away*

Would he say the same to Grover Norquist?

Personally, I like Hunstman quite a lot. If it came down to Huntsman and Obama in the general, I'd probably have to think about it for a while, whereas all of the other "candidates" warrant an immediate O-vote from me.

xanadian: He could also be planning to run as an independent

I think he's positioning himself for 2016. When the GOP flops this election, it's going to be like a junkie hitting rock-bottom as they excise the toxic evangelist element or simply implode. Whatever's left of the small-government party will need a serious candidate as it begins to rebuild its credibility.

It should also be noted that the above is what I really really really really hope happens. A more likely scenario is that Gingrich or Romney gets the nod and we have a reasonably close race due to the anti-Obama crowd voting with held noses. As a result, the GOP will continue to spiral further down to crazyville.

coco ebert: Would he say the same to Grover Norquist?

What about SUPER GROVER NORQUIST!!??1!?

coco ebert: Would he say the same to Grover Norquist?

Effectively he did.

/plus hot daughters

considering trump inherited his money and STILL managed to declare bankruptcy four times... i'd say JH is on the right side here.

why the fark does the tea party love this guy? is it because he thinks obama is a kenyan muslim communist?

MayoSlather: The exact reason conservatives don't like Huntsman is that he isn't abhorrent to the left....He's fairly rational and hasn't said anything outlandishly dumb and thus that makes him a poor candidate for the GOP.

While I do not agree with him on almost any of the issues, I don't think I'd be shocked and ashamed he was representing my country in the way i would be with Perry or Bachmann in that position. And I am fairly certain I fall on the side of "the left". I think with a Democratic Senate and Congress that was willing to work with him, at the very least, he would be unlikely to cause too much damage if he were President.

Simply put, I agree with you.

serpent_sky: Di Atribe: GOP: why won't you give Huntsman a shot? I really do like him more & more each day, even though I've been a filthy liberal the past few years.

I wonder if he actually has a strategy behind what he's doing. Let the attention whores run out their welcomes -- as they all seem to be doing -- and then, when it's time to get serious, he'll emerge as the only actual candidate.

Would it have been worth it to spend time and money seriously battling Herman Cain? Clearly, not. Santorum? Bachmann? Perry? Even Gingrich? Let them all battle it out amongst themselves and once that's over, come out fighting against Romney and maybe actually cinch the nomination.

I don't think it's a totally insane idea or strategy, if that's what he's doing.

There's definitely something there between he and Romney and it's not just that they're both Mormons. Romney gets testy whenever he's challenged. But there were some specially-crafted knives coming out his eyes when Huntsman kept challenging him at the foreign policy debate. Huntsman could very well present a real challenge to Obama. Romney knows this, and know's Huntsman's got to go through him to get to Obama.

Oh, and of course, good on Huntsman for calling it as he sees it. Trump's biggest "asset" is in how he can throw his ego around and bully people. All show, no substance. Huntsman's dead on here:

"If he had any courage at all, he would be running for president of the United States of America instead of manipulating the process form the outside."

Which is precisely what Palin tries to do. And unfortunately for Trump, he doesn't have her "charm" which is needed to pull it off.

I like this Ron Huntsman more and more.

Paul and Huntsman should hold a competing conservative debate shortly after.

GaryPDX: Paul and Huntsman should hold a competing conservative debate shortly after.

I'm not so sure how informative that would be. They hold alot of the same positions. Albeit for different reasons in some cases.

Diogenes: GaryPDX: Paul and Huntsman should hold a competing conservative debate shortly after.

I'm not so sure how informative that would be. They hold alot of the same positions. Albeit for different reasons in some cases.

They could counter the circus Trump is doing.

Fiscal conservative, social moderate, pro-science. Republicans could (and will) choose a LOT worse...

GaryPDX: Diogenes: GaryPDX: Paul and Huntsman should hold a competing conservative debate shortly after.

I'm not so sure how informative that would be. They hold alot of the same positions. Albeit for different reasons in some cases.

They could counter the circus Trump is doing.

THAT would definitely be a contrast.

Trump's debate will look like American Gladiators while Paul and Huntsman would look more like PBS' Frontline.

It has to be obvious by now that the Republicans are sitting this one out.

Humean_Nature: Personally, I like Hunstman quite a lot. If it came down to Huntsman and Obama in the general, I'd probably have to think about it for a while, whereas all of the other "candidates" warrant an immediate O-vote from me.

xanadian: He could also be planning to run as an independent

I think he's positioning himself for 2016. When the GOP flops this election, it's going to be like a junkie hitting rock-bottom as they excise the toxic evangelist element or simply implode. Whatever's left of the small-government party will need a serious candidate as it begins to rebuild its credibility.

It should also be noted that the above is what I really really really really hope happens. A more likely scenario is that Gingrich or Romney gets the nod and we have a reasonably close race due to the anti-Obama crowd voting with held noses. As a result, the GOP will continue to spiral further down to crazyville.

No matter what happens, win or lose, the answer is always the same to the Republicans nowadays: we need to go further to the right

MayoSlather: Di Atribe: GOP: why won't you give Huntsman a shot? I really do like him more & more each day, even though I've been a filthy liberal the past few years.

The exact reason conservatives don't like Huntsman is that he isn't abhorrent to the left....He's fairly rational and hasn't said anything outlandishly dumb and thus that makes him a poor candidate for the GOP.

Which is crazy because he's REALLY conservative. Republicans should be all over him.The truth is, most people vote for who they like, and for some reason they don't like him.

Di Atribe: GOP: why won't you give Huntsman a shot? I really do like him more & more each day, even though I've been a filthy liberal the past few years.

Pretty much what I came to say. I'll more than likely be voting for Obama, but if we're destined to have a Republican President, we could do a hell of a lot worse than Huntsman, as the current crop of candidates insists on demonstrating to us again, and again, and again...

coco ebert: Which is crazy because he's REALLY conservative. Republicans should be all over him.The truth is, most people vote for who they like, and for some reason they don't like him.

He had the audacity to work as ambassador to China for the current administration. Even though he actually worked under Ronald Reagan as undersecretary at Commerce and was Governor of a major western state too. He's tainted because he worked for the Seekrit Muslin. And he refuses to act pants-on-head retarded in public.

Does that mean Huntsman would be willing to kiss the Donald's hair, which is no part of his anatomy?

Animatronik: None of the above. He's just not well known.

No one knew who the hell Herman Cain was and he was riding high. People know who Rick Santorum is and he's in the single digits. I simply don't accept that its about name recognition at this point.

Smallberries: Because he wears magic underwear

He's not known to be devout. But he governed a state full of Mormons, so they may hold that against him.