I'm watching Rachel and suddenly she's talking about Huntsman as a pres cand. Where did this...

[DuaneBidoux]

come from?

None of the mainstream press has even mentioned or written about him that I have seen but on her show she is talking about him as a definite candidate.

Sorry if I am that far out of it but where the hell did this guy suddenly come from? I know he is Chinese ambassador but has he announced and the MSM is ignoring him?

[hfojvt]

1. He has not announced

but the PBS Newshour was talking about him too. And he's been mentioned on DU before.

[Distant Observer]

6. Most think he is showing up now in prep for 2016. He can afford it.

[elleng]

2. He recently resigned from ambassadorship, in order to run.

He and PrezO even joked about it.

No surprise that 'lame stream media' not covering it, they're so up on things, hanging with the newt this week.

[Jane Austin]

3. He's started campaigning in New Hampshire

So he's getting a lot of attention today.

[Distant Observer]

4. Real potential challenger -- bucks Rep on Libya and Climate but some here don't want him discussed

Willing to reject the McCain/Lieberman neocon cabal. I posted here:
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=439x1141605
but some did not like it.

Billionaire Huntsman has money to campaign and the balls to speak the truth about jingoistic, imperialist interventions that are not central to the interest of the American people. This guy apparently does not feels he has to kowtow to the Oil Mogols and Arab Monarchs.

By appointing Huntsman to China, Pres Obama may have given shining by-partisan credentials to the best Repub opponent to future Democratic Presidential Candidates.



http://thecaucus.blogs.nytimes.com/2011/05/20/huntsman-criticizes-obama-on-libya/?partner=rss&emc=rss
May 20, 2011, 12:23 pm

Huntsman Criticizes Obama on Libya

By JEFF ZELENY


HANCOCK, N.H. – Jon M. Huntsman Jr., who resigned last month as ambassador to China to explore a campaign for the Republican presidential nomination, said Friday that President Obama should not have intervened in Libya and that future military engagements should be weighed carefully based on their financial toll to the United States.
. . .
“With all of our deployments and all of our engagements abroad, we need to ask a fundamental question: Can we afford to do this? That should be driven by the second point, which is whether or not it’s in our national security interest. I felt from the beginning that Libya was not in our core national security interest.”
. . .
He said that he did not believe the humanitarian threat was significant enough in Libya to warrant intervention by the United States.

[Ramulux]

5. There is literally a 0% chance that this guy will make it out of the republican primary

All because of quotes like these

“I’m a very spiritual person, as opposed to a religious one."

The guy is an ex-Mormon not currently practicing any religion. There is no possible way he will be seen as a viable candidate by a very large segment of republican voters.

[Hamlette]

7. what did she say about him? n/t

[Ship of Fools]

8. i have a question

i heard that the WH is most afraid of huntsman ... obviously, as he's smarter, more honest, moderate, etc. my question is: if the more mainstream Rs and Is decide that he's more electable, what's to keep them from showing up primary time? i mean, the stat i heard recently was that only 4% of Rs show up for primaries -- the looney ones, that is.

frankly, i'd prefer this matchup with Obama. maybe we could move a little more left again?

[Distant Observer]

9. NH primary is the danger - Independents can all vote in Rep primary. And will, since no Dem primary

The totally cookie teabag Rep contender is probably an illusion.

Where did you hear that rumor.

[Ship of Fools]

10. i'm sorry i can't source it --

but i think i heard andrea mitchell make a quick reference to this opinion in a conversation ... it wasn't talked about in any length, almost seemed like an aside. sorry, i'm beginning to understand now that saying stuff like this without sourcing it is a no-no on DU, but i did hear it and it has since stuck in my head.

[DuaneBidoux]

14. Like I said. Rachel talked about him for about 10 min with a guest like it is a fait accompli that

he is running. I was just kind of sitting there in front of the tv saying "what?"

[malaise]

11. Isn't he announcing next week? n/t

[DCBob]

12. He is saying and doing all right things to position for a run..

and given all the weak GOP candidates its hard to imagine him not giving it a shot.

[The Straight Story]

13. Saw a story on him many months ago predicting he might run

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/01/28/jon-huntsman-president-2012_n_815039.html