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Jon Huntsman: The No-Drama Conservative (his record is to the right of everyone running)
The American Conservative ^ | August 24, 2011 | Michael Brendan Dougherty

Posted on 11/30/2011 11:19:15 AM PST by St. Louis Conservative

HANOVER, NH—Jon Huntsman walked out of the rear door of a Dartmouth auditorium. His head swiveled as he looked for the black SUV that will take him to his next stop. He had just given a speech emphasizing his claim that the future of America will not be decided on a battlefield in remotest Afghanistan but along the trade routes of the Pacific. The applause had barely died down in the hall as Huntsman exited into the quiet streets of Hanover. He took one second to sigh. He had just launched “Phase Two” of his campaign, and it was a success.

The reboot couldn’t come fast enough. Huntsman had made no dent in the polls since his launch in June. Instead, the avalanche of prestige media mash-notes to his campaign had the effect of raising expectations ridiculously high and smothering him with the labels “soft” and “moderate” in an era when Tea-caffeinated primary voters are looking for “hard” and “right.” The hastily constructed campaign—largely built while the candidate was still serving as Obama’s ambassador to China—was subject to infighting and leaked acrimony that would outlast July’s reorganization. Huntsman was sinking almost as fast as Tim Pawlenty, his name recognition barely above Buddy Roemer’s.

But this rickety launch obscured more than it revealed. Huntsman may be uncomfortable in the ideological sweathouse that is the conservative movement. He may be diplomatic when the right is dyspeptic. But his candidacy offers conservatives two very tantalizing possibilities: a break with the Bush legacy on foreign policy and the chance to move their policy prescriptions off the Tea Party’s placards and into the center of our political debate. Huntsman’s record shows that conservative politics can triumph not just through conflict but also by concord.

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


TOPICS: Miscellaneous; News/Current Events; Philosophy; Politics/Elections; US: Utah
KEYWORDS: 2012gopprimary; barf; huntsman2012; huomney; jonhuntsman; mittromney; newtgingrich; obama
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To: St. Louis Conservative

Huntsman is a progressive.

The only true conservatives in the race are Santorum and Bachmann.


61 posted on 11/30/2011 11:54:24 AM PST by surfer (To err is human, to really foul things up takes a Democrat, don't expect the GOP to have the answer!)
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To: Night Hides Not

FWIW, he’s also the preferred candidate of my friends who campaigned for Hillary against Barry.


62 posted on 11/30/2011 11:56:56 AM PST by WOBBLY BOB (Congress: Looting the future to bribe the present.)
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To: St. Louis Conservative

One, no. Just no.
Two, Michael, do Pat and the guys know this is in the magazine?


63 posted on 11/30/2011 12:00:06 PM PST by RichInOC (Palin 2012: The Perfect Storm.)
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To: St. Louis Conservative

he worked for Obama. That pretty sums it up for most FReepers I think


64 posted on 11/30/2011 12:00:58 PM PST by GeronL (The Right to Life came before the Right to Pursue Happiness)
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To: St. Louis Conservative

He worked for Obama.

No thanks!


65 posted on 11/30/2011 12:01:31 PM PST by iceskater (I am a Carnivore Conservative - No peas for me. (h/t N.Theknow))
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To: surfer

Not counting those two out either.


66 posted on 11/30/2011 12:01:31 PM PST by TribalPrincess2U (WE ARE AMERICA! DONATE TO FR MORE!)
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To: St. Louis Conservative
(his record is to the right of everyone running)

You Cannot Be Serious?!

67 posted on 11/30/2011 12:04:38 PM PST by Servant of the Cross (the Truth will set you free)
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To: 2ndDivisionVet; miss marmelstein; rhombus

Vet,

Somehow the image of you before Jon (This-Dawg-Never) Huntsman on the television with your klaxon going off like a three-alarm fire just cracks me up.

Dog barking, windows rattling, neighbors calling...”Vet, Vet, are you okay over there?”

“It’s my gaydar again! Damn that Huntsman anyway!!”

lol

p.s. prayers for you and your wife. God Bless.


68 posted on 11/30/2011 12:05:21 PM PST by Fightin Whitey
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To: rhombus

he creeps me out for letting his daughters flaunt themselves for his election

I would be screaming at my daughter to go home and get some more clothes on

But they are wayyyyy hott!


69 posted on 11/30/2011 12:09:23 PM PST by Mr. K (Physically unable to profreed <--- oops, see?)
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To: St. Louis Conservative

Huntsman is MSNBC’s favorite Republican. That’s all I need to know.


70 posted on 11/30/2011 12:10:31 PM PST by ozzymandus
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To: St. Louis Conservative

Those boys at the American “Conservative” must think we’re a bunch of fools.


71 posted on 11/30/2011 12:14:05 PM PST by patriot preacher
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"Most conservative in the race" ????

seriously??

We need Jim DeMint or someone to announce a surprise candidacy right about Last Week.

I am hoping for a hung convention at this point.

72 posted on 11/30/2011 12:14:27 PM PST by GeronL (The Right to Life came before the Right to Pursue Happiness)
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To: patriot preacher

There seems to be a very good reason why conservatives don’t read that rag. I bet it supported OWS and hates Israel too.


73 posted on 11/30/2011 12:19:32 PM PST by GeronL (The Right to Life came before the Right to Pursue Happiness)
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To: St. Louis Conservative

Huntsman is no conservative. He is Mitt Lite


74 posted on 11/30/2011 12:20:47 PM PST by Nifster
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To: St. Louis Conservative

At this point, all I am able to concede is that looking at Huntsman’s daughters for 4 years would be preferable to looking at Michelle Obama for 4 more years.


75 posted on 11/30/2011 12:21:16 PM PST by PGR88
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To: Astronaut

I have to agree. I keep hearing this guys a rino, a moderate, a lib, etc. etc. but every time I hear him speak he comes off very conservative. I don’t get it either.

I do see what everyone is saying about him being “smarmy”. There is something about him that just looks dirty, I just can’t put my finger on it. Then I see his three girls, Wow!! he does nice work for sure.

Overall this guy seems very right wing to me but my guts say no for some reason.


76 posted on 11/30/2011 12:50:17 PM PST by precisionshootist
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To: St. Louis Conservative
Huntsman is a joke candidate. His record is meaningless, IMO.

His stance on “Global Warming” alongside his eagerness to do Obamas bidding is the only thing I need to know to understand he has no business being the Republican nominee.

77 posted on 11/30/2011 12:56:16 PM PST by Pox (Good Night. I expect more respect tomorrow.)
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To: miss marmelstein

lol....


78 posted on 11/30/2011 12:57:01 PM PST by hosepipe (This propaganda has been edited to include some fully orbed hyperbole...)
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To: detective

A response like that proves that you are not interested in thinking. Rather, conservative identity politics is more important to you than facts, or record. If someone talks with a southern accent and riles up the base, then they’re “ok”, regardless if they support amnesty, big government, “compassionate conservatism”, etc etc.

I prefer to “think” and judge candidates by their platform and their record.


79 posted on 11/30/2011 1:03:13 PM PST by St. Louis Conservative
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To: Paladin2

Parley’s Summit guy?


80 posted on 11/30/2011 1:04:40 PM PST by Choose Ye This Day (The thing that counts is not what we could do, but what we actually do. -- Leo Spears)
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