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The Manchurian Candidate (Jon Huntsman hints about 2012 run)
Newsweek ^ | January 1, 2011 | McKay Coppins

Posted on 01/01/2011 8:47:52 AM PST by Hawk720

...The moderate Republican had once been considered a rising star in the GOP and a likely 2012 contender, with David Plouffe, Barack Obama’s campaign mastermind, even identifying Huntsman as the only Republican who made him “a wee bit queasy” about the next race. But speculation ended abruptly in 2009 when Obama tapped Huntsman for the ambassadorship. National pundits called the appointment a shrewd move by the White House to sideline a potential rival, and then promptly forgot about him—which is probably why last fall’s Beehive State buzz was drowned out on the national stage by the noise of the midterms.

Now, it appears, the ambassador is ready to make some noise of his own. Sitting in the echo-y living room of his new Washington home, Huntsman, a tall, lean man with silver hair and impeccable posture, pauses only briefly when faced with the question of presidential aspirations. “You know, I’m really focused on what we’re doing in our current position,” he says. “But we won’t do this forever, and I think we may have one final run left in our bones.” Asked whether he is prepared to rule out a run in 2012 (since it would require him to campaign against his current boss), he declines to comment.

The winking response—about as close to a hat-in-ring announcement as you’ll get from a sitting member of the incumbent’s administration—could just be a hollow cry for attention. But sources close to Huntsman (who requested anonymity to speak freely without his permission) say that during his December trip to the U.S., he met with several former political advisers in Washington and Salt Lake City to discuss a potential campaign.

(Excerpt) Read more at newsweek.com ...


TOPICS: Politics/Elections
KEYWORDS: bennett; hatch; hellno; huntsman
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1 posted on 01/01/2011 8:47:55 AM PST by Hawk720
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To: Hawk720

Another epic-level RINO turdpile.


2 posted on 01/01/2011 8:49:21 AM PST by fieldmarshaldj (~"This is what happens when you find a stranger in the Amber Lamps !"~~)
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To: Hawk720

Who the heck is Huntsman? The only lever, well now “ballot I must mark here in NY) I’m pulling for is Sarah.


3 posted on 01/01/2011 8:50:02 AM PST by NoGrayZone (What we conservatives call the privates, the liberals call public access! (thnx Balding_Eagle)
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To: Hawk720

I don’t recall ever seeing the phrase, “moderate DemocRAT” being used by the state run “media”. I guess they don’t have any of those.


4 posted on 01/01/2011 8:51:20 AM PST by FlingWingFlyer ("The Dems have a 'war room' for everything but war..." - Dennis Miller)
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To: NoGrayZone
Who the heck is Huntsman?

I assume this is the same Huntsman as Glenn Beck's hero, the billionaire plastics manufacturer turned philanthropist and cancer-center owner.

5 posted on 01/01/2011 8:52:09 AM PST by backwoods-engineer (Imagine Cass Sunstein's boot stamping on Lincoln's beard, forever.)
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To: Hawk720

Mr. Open Borders


6 posted on 01/01/2011 8:52:12 AM PST by 9YearLurker
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To: Hawk720

Who?


7 posted on 01/01/2011 8:52:30 AM PST by PaleoBob
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To: NoGrayZone

A son of a favorite guy of Glenn Beck’s.


8 posted on 01/01/2011 8:53:08 AM PST by the OlLine Rebel (Common sense is an uncommon virtue./Technological progress cannot be legislated.)
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To: backwoods-engineer

The son.


9 posted on 01/01/2011 8:53:44 AM PST by the OlLine Rebel (Common sense is an uncommon virtue./Technological progress cannot be legislated.)
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To: Hawk720

Yeah, an unknown Republican billionaire moderate; thats the ticket. I’m sure he’ll develop a huge following.


10 posted on 01/01/2011 8:54:49 AM PST by Nonstatist
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To: Hawk720

Dems propping up people the can beat easily...


11 posted on 01/01/2011 8:56:53 AM PST by Kent C
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To: Hawk720
a tall, lean man with silver hair and impeccable posture

Well, obviously this qualifies him to run for the highest office imaginable. In the eyes of Newsweak.

I, too, never heard of this guy. But obviously "moderate Republican" is duckspeak for "screaming leftist." Why would Glenn Beck support a jerk like that? Or does he owe him from past favors?

12 posted on 01/01/2011 8:57:23 AM PST by Cicero (Marcus Tullius)
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To: backwoods-engineer

From Wikkipeda: “Huntsman is the son of billionaire businessman and philanthropist Jon Huntsman of Huntsman Corporation.”


13 posted on 01/01/2011 8:58:13 AM PST by GBA (Not on our watch!)
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To: JRochelle; greyfoxx39; Colofornian; Elsie; FastCoyote; svcw; Zakeet; SkyPilot; rightazrain; ...

Here we go again ping.

Speaks Mandarin as well.


14 posted on 01/01/2011 8:59:01 AM PST by Utah Binger (Finally home to a foot of snow and -11 degrees on New Years Day)
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To: Hawk720

Hell NO!!!


15 posted on 01/01/2011 8:59:49 AM PST by Reagan Man ("In this present crisis, government is not the solution to our problem; government is the problem.")
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To: Hawk720

This is Newsweak folks. A propaganda “pamphlet” that masquerades as a “News Magazine”. Really nothing to see here folks don’t waste you time truly “move on”.


16 posted on 01/01/2011 9:00:39 AM PST by US Navy Vet
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To: GBA
More from Wikkipedia:

In November 2004, Huntsman was elected Governor of Utah with 57% of the vote, defeating Democratic Party nominee Scott Matheson, Jr.[5] He was re-elected in November 2008 with 77.7% of the vote, defeating Democratic Party nominee Bob Springmeyer.

During his tenure as governor, Utah was named the best managed state by the Pew Center on the States.

Huntsman is also a self-proclaimed fan of the progressive rock genre and on July 30, 2007, attended a concert by progressive metal band Dream Theater. Later that day, Huntsman signed a proclamation creating "Dream Theater Day" on that date for the state of Utah. According to Dream Theater's website, Huntsman is a keyboard player. Huntsman also joined REO Speedwagon on the piano for two songs during their concert at the Utah State Fair on September 16, 2005.

Huntsman has been awarded six honorary doctorate degrees.

17 posted on 01/01/2011 9:01:48 AM PST by GBA (Not on our watch!)
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To: Hawk720

This guy has that Presidential look.....Therefor he could whip the Kenyan without breaking a sweat. Huntsman looks like an illegal alien amnesty kind of guy.


18 posted on 01/01/2011 9:02:32 AM PST by dennisw (- - - -He who does not economize will have to agonize - - - - - Confucius)
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To: backwoods-engineer; the OlLine Rebel

As of now, Sarah is my only choice. We still have some time to see who comes forward, but I know nothing about this Huntsman and have no desire to look him up.


19 posted on 01/01/2011 9:02:40 AM PST by NoGrayZone (What we conservatives call the privates, the liberals call public access! (thnx Balding_Eagle)
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To: Hawk720

The son of a Utah billionaire.

Governor of Utah, and then appointed by Obama to be ambassador to China.

RINO. Won’t get a sniff from the conservative base.


20 posted on 01/01/2011 9:03:03 AM PST by lurk
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