Obama and Huntsman: Two Savvy Pols
Jill Lawrence
Senior Correspondent
Posted:
05/16/09
President Obama is one savvy politician for picking Utah Gov. Jon Huntsman as his ambassador to China, and Huntsman is another one for accepting.
Huntsman, a Mormon and a Republican, had been making a national name for himself as an in-house critic of his party -- especially the Washington arm of it. He was moderating his views in Utah, for instance coming out in favor of civil unions, and doing interviews with national reporters.
He also showed up this year at the high-profile White House Correspondents Dinner as a guest of USA TODAY (full disclosure: I was the one who issued the invitation, when I was still at the newspaper -- so he ended up at a table with my former colleagues).
A few more pertinent facts: Huntsman was a prominent supporter of Republican John McCain last year, he's lived in Asia three times, he speaks fluent Mandarin and his seven children include daughters adopted from China and India.
Huntsman was emerging so quickly as a presidential contender that he drew the nervous attention of David Plouffe, Obama's 2008 campaign manager. His new job in China pretty much takes him off the table for 2012. You wouldn't run against your boss, would you?
Obama may win re-election in 2012, but he'll be off the table in 2016. Huntsman would certainly be young enough to run -- he's only 49 now. And his service in a Democratic administration could serve him well in a general election. Voters who go to the polls in November are less ideological and more practical than those in primaries, and more drawn to the bridge-building themes Obama used last year.
Of course, Huntsman would still have to make it through the Republican primaries, which are dominated by conservative groups looking for ideological purity. Yet if Obama wins a second term, by 2016 even hardcore GOP partisans may be ready for a candidate who has broad enough appeal to win nationwide. That appears to be Huntsman's bet.
Update: Obama announced the appointment this morning with Huntsman by his side. "I knew that because Jon is not only a Republican, but a Republican who co-chaired my opponent's campaign for the presidency, this wouldn't be the easiest decision to explain to some members of his party," Obama said. "But here's what I also know. I know that Jon is the kind of leader who always puts country ahead of party and is always willing to sacrifice on behalf of our nation. That's what Jon has always done. Throughout his career, Jon has shown a willingness to move beyond the old ideologies and stale debates that all too often bring progress to a standstill. Time and again, he's brought people together across party lines to overcome our common challenges and to move our nation forward."
Huntsman, a Mormon and a Republican, had been making a national name for himself as an in-house critic of his party -- especially the Washington arm of it. He was moderating his views in Utah, for instance coming out in favor of civil unions, and doing interviews with national reporters.
He also showed up this year at the high-profile White House Correspondents Dinner as a guest of USA TODAY (full disclosure: I was the one who issued the invitation, when I was still at the newspaper -- so he ended up at a table with my former colleagues).
A few more pertinent facts: Huntsman was a prominent supporter of Republican John McCain last year, he's lived in Asia three times, he speaks fluent Mandarin and his seven children include daughters adopted from China and India.
Huntsman was emerging so quickly as a presidential contender that he drew the nervous attention of David Plouffe, Obama's 2008 campaign manager. His new job in China pretty much takes him off the table for 2012. You wouldn't run against your boss, would you?
Obama may win re-election in 2012, but he'll be off the table in 2016. Huntsman would certainly be young enough to run -- he's only 49 now. And his service in a Democratic administration could serve him well in a general election. Voters who go to the polls in November are less ideological and more practical than those in primaries, and more drawn to the bridge-building themes Obama used last year.
Of course, Huntsman would still have to make it through the Republican primaries, which are dominated by conservative groups looking for ideological purity. Yet if Obama wins a second term, by 2016 even hardcore GOP partisans may be ready for a candidate who has broad enough appeal to win nationwide. That appears to be Huntsman's bet.
Update: Obama announced the appointment this morning with Huntsman by his side. "I knew that because Jon is not only a Republican, but a Republican who co-chaired my opponent's campaign for the presidency, this wouldn't be the easiest decision to explain to some members of his party," Obama said. "But here's what I also know. I know that Jon is the kind of leader who always puts country ahead of party and is always willing to sacrifice on behalf of our nation. That's what Jon has always done. Throughout his career, Jon has shown a willingness to move beyond the old ideologies and stale debates that all too often bring progress to a standstill. Time and again, he's brought people together across party lines to overcome our common challenges and to move our nation forward."