Jon Huntsman: Mitt Romney should withdraw Richard Mourdock endorsement

[TroyD]

10/25/2012

Jon Huntsman, former Utah governor and 2012 Republican presidential candidate, said on Thursday that Mitt Romney showed a lack of leadership with his response to Indiana GOP Senate nominee Richard Mourdock's controversial comments on rape and abortion. Romney has refused to withdraw his endorsement of Mourdock and declined to have the campaign ad he filmed for him pulled from TV.

"[If I were Romney] I simply would have said I'm withdrawing my support," Huntsman said in an interview with HuffPost Live. "Until [Mourdock] proves otherwise, either you lay out an apology, do something else, but as of right now I would withdraw support."

Asked by The Huffington Post's Howard Fineman if he would have had the ad taken off air, Huntsman responded, "I would do exactly that."

"I'm here to tell you that there are some independents and swing voters in the middle that I think would respect a candidate who goes against the grain," Huntsman continued. "They're looking for leadership during a time that these kinds of statements are made, as opposed to just the go-with-the-flow kinds of statements we always hear."

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More (including VIDEO interview with Huntsman):

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/10/25/jon-huntsman-mitt-romney-richard-mourdock_n_2017322.html

[MADem]

1. Now, he's a popular Mormon.

I can't see rMoney going against any grain, though--he's too much of a "follower" type. I think that's why he doesn't resonate with people. Aside from the wealth, the "out of touch" personality, and his chronic awkwardness, he just doesn't come off as a leader. He comes off like a guy who will get the good ideas from his subordinates, take the one he thinks will fly the best, and then take credit for it.

[center rising]

2. Huntsman is right, but Romney the clueless idiot won't do it!!

[libdem4life]

3. Huntsman is defending the dwindling ranks of sane Republicans

[JiminyJominy]

4. Kinda Like Huntsman..

wish he would switch over to the good guys.

[Thinkingabout]

5. Jon Huntsman was by far the best GOP candidate

This was not the year for GOP to bring out a valid candidate because they probably could not beat Obama. A strong candidate can do what Huntsman is doing now in standing up to the crazy side of the GOP.

[TroyD]

6. The conservative wing will lash out at anyone who tries that

The odds don't look good.