Huntsman Steps Into the Republican Presidential Candidate Vacuum

I have mentioned former Utah Governor Jon Huntsman because in my view he's just about the only sane presidential contender. The question is whether he has a snowball's chance in Hell of securing the GOP nomination given the extremism and outright insanity of today's GOP base. Jonathan Capehart at the Washington Post finds him an intriguing candidate - as do a number of those individuals who go by the oxymoron term "gay Republicans" as discussed by Politico. As several news outlets have reported, when asked about the possible passage of marriage equality in New York State, Huntsman indicated that he'd respect the state's decision. Obviously, such a statement plays well with moderates and progressives but must have set many in the GOP base into convulsions. Here are highlights from Capehart's column:
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Former Utah governor Jon Huntsman is getting into the race today for the Republican nomination for president, and I’m glad for it. Of all the candidates in the field, he’s the one I find most intriguing, for a couple of reasons.
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For the folks looking for a GOP alternative to former Massachusetts governor Mitt Romney, Huntsman could fill the bill. They both look presidential and have families to match. They’re both smart and have substantial records to run on (and away from) in an appeal to voters. But there are two things that make Huntsman stand out and more promising to me. First, his stances on issues appear to be more firm than Romney’s.
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Second, Huntsman is willing to stand by positions he’s taken that very well could hurt him with the Republican Party faithful.
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It is that willingness to be unabashedly moderate in a party that has swung far to the right that makes Huntsman so appealing to me. And to many Republicans. GOP strategist Mark McKinnon, an adviser to 2008 presidential nominee Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.), said on “Morning Joe” today that he doesn’t think Huntsman is too moderate for the party. A nomination fight with Huntsman in it will be “a fight for the heart and soul of the Republican Party.”
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As for the Politico coverage, note is taken to Huntsman's support for same sex civil unions. While I find civil unions to be too little and a case of "separate but equal" bullshit, Huntsman is the only GOP contender who has the balls to take the position. Here are highlights from Politico:
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[A] consultant for the campaign is fundraising off his support for civil unions. The email from Charles T. Moran, a vice chair with the California Log Cabin Republicans and a political consultant, highlights Huntsman and his wife Mary Kaye's support for the LGBT community, adding as Utah's governor he's "talked the talk and walked the walk," and is "unique in his desire to have a fully inclusive campaign."
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Huntsman doesn't support gay marriage, but was considered to be a fairly pro-gay rights governor, including on issues like hospital visitation. He's also not making much of an overt play for social conservatives - most notably bypassing Iowa,
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Polling has indicated that voters nationally have moved on the subject of gay marriage, but it remains a potentially complicated issue in a Republican primary. And it is unusual to see an official fundraising appeal that highlights a national candidate's favorable stand on gay rights.
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I don't know if I could support Huntsman or not. But it would be nice to have a president who might actually be willing to be a leader rather than a timid follower like Obama has been throughout most of his time in the White House.

Could Huntsman Get the GOP Nomination and Beat Obama?

I've written before about former Utah Governor Jon Huntsman and his ambitions to run as the GOP standard bearing in 2012 against Barack Obama. Huntsman has to huge obstacles to getting the GOP nomination: he's a Mormon and he's not an insane demagogue, the latter seemingly now a requirement to be embraced by the GOP base. Of course, being loved by the GOP base is also likely to make one unpalatable to the less untethered members of the broader electorate. As a gay American, I worry about what Huntsman might do on LGBT equality issues, but (1) he pushed for moderation while governor of Utah and (2) Obama has not proved himself to be the "fierce advocate" he promised much of the time. I also realize, however, that we as a nation need a leader - something Obama has shown repeatedly that he is not - and someone who might just try to come up with lasting solutions to pressing issues facing the nation. A piece in the Daily Beast looks at Huntsman's possible strategy. Here are highlights:
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Huntsman, 51, is about to make a lightning-fast transformation from President Obama's employee to his potential rival. His resignation as U.S. ambassador to China takes effect Saturday. On Monday he will plunge into meetings with the advisers who, without his input, have been laying groundwork for a race for the Republican nomination. His travel schedule starts this week with a commencement speech (and possibly a debate appearance) in South Carolina, followed two weeks later by a commencement speech in New Hampshire.
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John Weaver, architect of the 2000 John McCain campaign and now of the nascent Huntsman campaign, says there are "tons of differences" between Huntsman and Obama. "Jon's a fiscal conservative. He was a businessman for 10 years. He's actually had to produce a product and he's employed tens of thousands of people," Weaver says, referring to Huntsman's stint as head of his family's giant chemical company. "He has a free-market health-care plan [in Utah]. He's pro-life. I could go on for hours."
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Huntsman's team points to his deep foreign-policy background (Mormon mission to Taiwan, fluent in Mandarin Chinese, former ambassador to Singapore, former deputy U.S. trade representative); quirky life experience (high school dropout who played keyboard in a rock band for 11 years); potential appeal to the independents needed in a general election (supports civil unions for gay people and served a Democratic president); and personal qualities that make him stand out in the emerging GOP field.
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"Huntsman's got that X-factor," Quinn says. "He had a twinkle in his eye, and a sense of humor. He was relaxed and comfortable in his skin." As for the weirdness of having served the guy he wants to beat, "My gut tells me he'll be able to turn that into an advantage" because he'll speak with authority on foreign policy and it's clear that "he's willing to put aside partisan politics when it comes to national security."
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Only recently, he adds, "have we gotten to where you have to hate someone to run against them… I don't know how people will be able to solve problems in this country if you have to pretend to hate everybody."
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Huntsman, says Weaver, is "not an angry person." That's how he and others have positioned Huntsman at Horizon PAC, the political action committee that will be the foundation of his 2012 explorations. "What happened to decency? To reason? What happened to common goals? To calm? To respect? What happened to actual, lasting solutions to problems? When were they replaced with anger?" the website asks. And there you have the themes of a Huntsman campaign.
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One encouraging sign for Huntsman—and Daniels, for that matter—is that Republican voters are unhappy with the current field. Another is that while the historical record does not bode well for upstart former team members, history does not stand still. Quinn quotes Yogi Berra—"the future ain't what it used to be"—to justify his hopes for Huntsman. "How many African-American presidents have we had before Barack Obama? In South Carolina we have an Indian governor who was raised a Sikh and converted to Christianity," he says. "There's nothing that's being shattered more these days than conventional wisdom."
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Is Huntsman a long shot for the GOP nomination? Probably yes. But the so was Barack Obama a long shot in the lead up to 2008.

Jon Huntsman - The Manchurian Candidate?

Just shy of two years ago I wrote here and here about former Utah Governor Jon Huntsman and his likely calculated decision to change his stance on opposition to gay rights and to oppose some of the most vocal social conservatives in that state. At the time there was speculation that Huntsman realized that to be attractive to independents and moderates on the national scene, a shift from far right extremism was mandatory. Then, subsequently, when Huntsman - who is extremely wealthy - took the position as Obama's ambassador to China, there was speculation that Huntsman was honing his foreign affairs credentials in contemplation of a presidential run for president in 2012. Now, speculation has reappeared and Newsweek has the sub-headline of "When Barack Obama posted Jon Huntsman to Beijing, it looked like a crafty way to sideline a 2012 rival. Don’t bet on it." Given the current field of would be GOP candidates, a bid by Huntsman might make sense - he has conservative credentials but is not batshit crazy like many of his would be opponents. Like Mitt Romney, Huntsman should he run will have the challenge of overcoming his Mormon faith with the lunatic Christianist of the GOP base. Here are highlights from Newsweek:
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The Huntsmans’ new home in the posh D.C. neighborhood of Kalorama is the prototype of pricey Washington real estate: a tall, boxy structure defined by red brick and right angles. Last spring, Bravo used the space to film its reality show Top Chef: Washington, D.C., but on a Sunday morning in mid-December, the spacious rooms on the first floor were largely unfurnished. “We’ve been living out of boxes for the last two years,” says Jon Huntsman Jr., who resigned the Utah governorship in 2009 to become U.S. ambassador to China. “We’re just now unpacking things we didn’t even remember we had. It’s like Christmas.”

The federal-style house attracted a small wave of Utah media attention last fall when Washingtonian magazine first noted the Huntsmans’ $3.6 million purchase on its real-estate page. It was just the sort of trivial Beltway gossip that lends itself to breathless interpretation by local political reporters, and both Salt Lake City dailies dutifully ran articles speculating that the hometown hero might soon return to the States gunning for higher office. It wasn’t a ridiculous notion. 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.
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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.
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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. “I’m not saying he’s running,” says one supporter who has worked with him in the past. “But we’re a fire squad; if he says the word, we can get things going fast.” What’s more, Huntsman tells NEWSWEEK that when he accepted the ambassadorial appointment, he promised his family they would “come up for air” sometime in 2010 to decide how much longer they would stay in Beijing. “I’m not announcing anything at all,” he says. But he sure seems to be hinting.
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Of the half-dozen Republican strategists and pundits contacted by NEWSWEEK in recent weeks, not one listed him as a viable candidate in the upcoming race. The rationale is twofold: as a member of President Obama’s administration, Huntsman runs the risk of appearing ungrateful, or even disloyal, if he decides to run; and as a Mormon with ties to Utah, he would face tough competition from likely GOP candidate Mitt Romney as he milks their overlapping networks for donors and campaign talent. But neither obstacle is insurmountable. A Republican-primary candidate could do worse than publicly slighting the Obama White House. And Huntsman wouldn’t have much trouble financing the first leg of a presidential campaign on his own: his father, whose company invented the “clamshell” container for McDonald’s to package its Big Macs, is a billionaire. Setting those potential pitfalls aside, then, the big red elephant in the room remains: would the Republican base actually vote for someone like Huntsman?
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But a closer look at his record reveals a nuanced approach to Republican politics. Shortly after Obama was swept into office in a tidal wave of Democratic victories, the popular governor began articulating a new national vision for the GOP, one designed to appeal to all time zones. Warning that the party was losing young voters, he argued that Republicans would need to tack to the middle on three hot-button issues if they were to maintain national relevance: immigration, gay rights, and the environment.
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Today that strategy might seem out of step with recent GOP victories, but Weaver and many of his fellow moderates believe Huntsman is uniquely qualified to unify competing factions on the right and usher in a new era for the Republican Party. The portrait his most ardent fans paint is one of a natural-born consensus builder, capable of guiding bullheaded stakeholders through sensitive negotiations—and coming out on top. “He’s an inclusive person, which, without getting into personalities within our party, unfortunately is a rare commodity,” says Weaver, who has advised Huntsman on his political career in the past. “I’m a firm believer that our next great Republican president will be a conservative problem-solver. And to be a problem-solver you have to be inclusive about getting things done.”
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Huntsman is eager not to appear too idealistic. “You remember that diplomats are pretty much trained as warriors,” he says. “I mean, you take a situation up to the brink of having to call in the military. It isn’t just making nice with people; it’s getting stuff done.” With little experience in the national political arena, it’s impossible to know what, exactly, Huntsman is capable of getting done. But voters may get a chance to find out sooner than anybody—especially the White House—expected.

A Look Back at Senator John Warner

John Warner - who I got to meet a number of times during my incarnation as a Republican - is leaving the U.S. Senate next month after serving 30 years (he will be replaced by Democrat Mark Warner who is not related to him). Warner is perhaps one of the last Republicans that symbolizes what the GOP used to be about before the lunatic "Christian" Right obtained a strangle hold on the Party. Warner was never loved by the Christianist set, but enjoyed high approval ratings by moderates and independents - the keys to winning elections. Moreover, Warner never bought into the anti-gay wedge issues that have become the hallmark of today's GOP and voted against the Federal Marriage Amendment, albeit on technical issues, to the horror of the Christianists. Warner has also been pro-choice, supported embryonic stem cell research, and on June 15, 2004, was among the minority of his party to vote to expand hate crimes laws to include sexual orientation as a protected category. Here are some highlights from the Virginian Pilot on Warner's career:

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Work and luck and sometimes a dash of bluster have sustained Warner through a political career that spans four decades, the terms of seven presidents, six other Virginia senators and 11 governors. A second-choice nominee after the Republican Party’s original candidate died in a plane crash, Warner won his seat in 1978 by the narrowest margin in Virginia history. But when he retires next month at 81, he will have cast more Senate votes – 10,728 – and received more votes – 5.36 million in five elections – than any other Virginian.

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In 2006, as the Senate headed toward a partisan showdown over judicial appointments, Warner joined a moderate “gang of 14” senators who brokered a deal to secure confirmation of several controversial GOP nominees but preserved the Democrats’ right to use Senate rules to block others.

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Independence has been central to Warner’s own Senate career, sometimes imperiling him. He was personally and politically close to Ronald Reagan, but infuriated Reaganites by refusing in 1987 to back Reagan nominee Robert Bork for the Supreme Court. In 1994, he effectively threw Virginia’s other Senate seat to the Democrats, refusing to back Republican nominee and Iran-Contra figure Oliver North. Incumbent Chuck Robb won the race.

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More recently, Warner showed his independence by backing a package of state tax hikes championed in 2004 by then-Gov. Mark Warner, the man who will succeed him next month. “I remember the day he came to Richmond” to deliver his endorsement, Mark Warner said. “He just said, 'Mark, I think I’m going to come down and say a few things.’ … That was the day he got up, as only John Warner could do, and said: 'Politics be damned. ’ It’s time to put Virginia first.”