Boston Globe Endorses Jon Huntsman for GOP Nominee

[villager]

Last edited Thu Jan 5, 2012, 10:03 PM - Edit history (1)

Guess that Romney "inevitability" train still can't quite leave the station? Anyone know what weight the Globe endorsement carries in New Hampshire?

In any case, some snippets from their editorial, endorsing the Utahn:

<snip>

So far, Republican presidential contenders have shown little awareness of this opportunity. Far from promoting bipartisan unity, the GOP candidates have even abandoned Ronald Reagan’s “11th commandment” (“Though shalt not speak ill of another Republican”), shattering the party’s customary internal unity in an electric storm of name-calling and accusations. Rather than compare creative policy solutions, the candidates have vied for meaningless titles like “true conservative.’’ Rather than outline a vision for a safer world, they’ve signaled a return to Bush-era posturing and disdain for allies who don’t blindly serve American interests.

And yet the chance for renewal remains. Sour economic data and dysfunction in Washington present major obstacles to Obama’s reelection. Whoever gets the Republican nomination could easily become president. Among the candidates, only two stand out as truly presidential, Mitt Romney and Jon Huntsman. Both have track records of success, and both, through their policies and demeanors, have shown the breadth of spirit to lead the nation. But while Romney proceeds cautiously, strategically, trying to appease enough constituencies to get himself the nomination, Huntsman has been bold. Rather than merely sketch out policies, he articulates goals and ideals. The priorities he would set for the country, from leading the world in renewable energy to retooling education and immigration policies to help American high-tech industries, are far-sighted. He has stood up far more forcefully than Romney against those in his party who reject evolution and the science behind global warming.

<snip>

http://bostonglobe.com/opinion/editorials/2012/01/05/for-vision-and-national-unity-huntsman-for-gop-nominee/NlIwB6agpoZwnnAqHNa6TO/story.html

[sharp_stick]

1. Not enough weight to pull Huntsman

out of single digits. The guy has spent the entire time in NH and still polls less than 10%. I really have no idea why he keeps it up, kind of reminds me of Chris Dodd going all in and moving to Iowa to run for the 2008 Dem nomination.

[villager]

2. Well, not that I think Huntsman's gonna win NH, either, but interesting what it says about Romney

The outcomes there and in SC will be interesting, though I suppose if Romney wins both, things are pretty well wrapped up...

[Nye Bevan]

3. He praised Obama one time. An unforgivable sin in the eyes of primary voters (nt)

[think]

4. He really doesn't fit in with the clown car crowd yet. But there's still time

for him to sell out and pander to the lowest common denominator....

[subterranean]

5. Correction: For GOP nominee, not president.

[MADem]

6. Not quite--it endorsed him as "The GOP Nominee"--not President.

What is devastating about that is that the "Boston" Globe couldn't even hold their nose long enough to tout for a former Massachusetts governor! That is something that won't go unnoticed, even if the favorite paper of the GOP is the nutty Union Leader out of Manchester.

I'm not writing Huntsman off, yet. Why? He hasn't made any mistakes yet. If he breaks out in debate, all bets could well be off.

I hope he's not the nominee, though, because he'll be harder to beat.

[villager]

7. Guess so -- the headline was as written from the news website which linked to the piece

But strictly speaking, it is just for GOP Nominee.

[MADem]

10. The Globe has gotten into the habit of picking one from Column A and one from Column B.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Newspaper_endorsements_in_the_United_States_presidential_primaries,_2008

They endorse nominees from each party. Last time round, they chose Obama and McCain.

[coalition_unwilling]

16. I share your view. Huntsman would present the most difficult challenge to Obama, because

his only 'crazy' falls within the acceptable spectrum of elite debate, i.e., Huntsman favors war with Iran, crazy imo but not seen as such by most Americans.

On edit: switched from future tense to subjunctive mood to reflect the improbability of Huntsman winning the GOP nomination.

[villager]

8. Edited to reflect the Globe's own headline, rather than the one from the linking news site

n/t

[opihimoimoi]

9. Too much Baggage...not gonna happen....

[MADem]

11. What sort of baggage?

Aside from his rich father who has ginned up a PAC that is running ads in very heavy rotation in the NH markets.

What baggage can be worse than Mitt Romney's decision to put the baggage IN the car, and the poor Irish Setter dog ON TOP of it?

It's only a matter of time before the story of Seamus, the Romney dog-victim, gets a deserved recirculation. Hell, some clever songwriter ought to write a catchy tune about Seamus's ordeal at the hands of Mittsy the Shittsy, and tie it to the shafting we, the American people, would get at his cruel, hose-wielding hands.

A man who would treat a dog cruelly would make a poor President.

[opihimoimoi]

12. The man is too smart....Conservatives hate smart....he will be rejected....

[MADem]

13. NH has a bucketload of "independent" voters who are not arch conservatives...

Romney has a lock on that contest, but all Huntsman has to do is to place, or even show, with better numbers than the polls are giving him, and he's in the mix.

[opihimoimoi]

14. true....but not in SC where R rules....poor thing...smart n all...but he will fade as non Xtian...

[MADem]

15. Maybe--it depends on who they're talking about when SC hits.

Huntsman's father is stinking rich. I could be mistaken, but I have always had the sense that the guy is pursuing a dark horse strategy. I think if he can push Mittsy off the stage, he'll be on the ticket--if not Lead Dog, Second String. He concerns me, frankly. I've been watching his ads (they are running in heavy rotation) and they are well done. People who want to hear a message that essentially says "He's the sane one" will take that away from his ads.

Time will tell.

[opihimoimoi]

17. No Story No Glory...His message sucks....no meat...no substance...hollow words...shallow orgins

nope....not ready

[1stlady]

18. Huntsman can forget about it

he did the unthinkable. He praised Obama, which is the point of no return for any candidate in the minds of rethugs everywhere.

[MADem]

19. Hee hee--so did McCain in his botched endorsement speech! nt