Huntsman Calls Rove Plan for Primaries ‘Yesterday’s Ballgame’

[DonViejo]

By Jonathan D. Salant - Feb 8, 2013 2:14 PM GMT-0400

Former Republican presidential candidate Jon Huntsman described an effort spearheaded by strategist Karl Rove to intervene in Republican primaries as “yesterday’s ballgame” as he called on his party to focus on big ideas rather than political tactics.

Huntsman dismissed as “politics, you know,” the move Rove is helping lead to create a new super-political action committee to spend money in primaries to support Republican candidates deemed more electable in November. The plan has drawn attacks from anti-tax Tea Party groups and other conservative activists.
“I think he’s kind of yesterday’s ballgame,” Huntsman said of Rove on “Political Capital With Al Hunt,” airing this weekend on Bloomberg Television. “Politics isn’t going to win the elections for us. It’s not about people. It’s about ideas. And the ideas are going to drive people to victory.”

Those ideas should include changing the way government works, such as restrictions on campaign spending, limiting congressional terms, requiring nonpartisan redistricting, and taking on banks deemed too big to fail, Huntsman said.

“We don’t have any ideas now that are big enough and bold enough and visionary enough for most Americans to say, ‘I like that, I want to sign on, and I want that person to lead me to the future,’” Huntsman, 52, said of his party.

-snip-

http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2013-02-08/huntsman-calls-rove-plan-for-primaries-yesterday-s-ballgame-.html

[Indykatie]

1. Why Didn't He Espouse All These Ideas in His Own Short Campaign?

He had platform to speak these truths and didn't do it but went along with the same bat shit crazy ideas all the other repub candidates were peddling.

[bklyncowgirl]

2. Well he kinda sorta did. Not that it got him anything.

The truth is that even a Republican who is even the slightest bit in tune with reality is going to be ripped apart by the loonies. For those who say Chris Christie is the savior of the GOP, just wait until Jersey Boy meets the fundies in South Carolina. It will be Rudy Guiliani all over again only more amusing because Christie will take it personally.

[CTyankee]

6. Now THAT will be a fight I'll want to watch!

[quaker bill]

3. He is right

While it is fun as a spectator, if their fight is over whether we get more Todd Akin - Sarah Palin - Michele Bachman types, or Bohner - McConnel - Bush types on the ballot, they are pretty much hosed. Huntsman is far more similar to a future where they might start winning again. If he plays his cards right, he or someone who sounds like him could be a threat by 2020. I think the current crop of bozos running that mess will need to lose one more. Many of them are still convinced that they lost because the candidate was not "conservative" enough. I think they give it one more try, and Hillary or Joe wins 2016.

After three losses there usually is a reset button pressed, and the loser reconfigures.

[davidpdx]

4. If Huntsman had better backing he would have done better then Mitts

At least Huntsman knows something about foreign policy. Romney was just a joke.

[Sunlei]

5. a good point but without his party,his religion & small donor USA backing him, Huntsman is doomed.

Best chance outsider-no billions republicans have is to send tons of heart attack foods and strong drink Roves way and breibart him.