Jon Huntsman is the Obama opponent I fear......so tell us why he shouldn't be...

[HardWorkingDem]

Up front, I know virtually nothing about this man, but this is the Republican opponent for Obama that I fear the most and I wonder if he is the dark horse sleeper 92-ish Bill Clinton type candidate that can take it all.

[The Velveteen Ocelot]

1. The albatross around Huntsman's neck is

that he accepted a job in Obama's administration. The teabaggers won't forgive him for that.

[Vanje]

3. What percentage of voters align themselves with tea party?

Less than 50%?
Maybe way less.

They're loud. But they're not so big.

[grillo7]

23. No one without tea for blood is making it out of the primaries...

Huntsman is too moderate and sensible as far as the GOP goes. 2012 is probably the year of Huckabee, or Trump, or G-d knows what else.

[grillo7]

25. They're pretty big...this is also a sample of "likely voters"

http://www.rasmussenreports.com/public_content/politics/general_politics/april_2011/48_say_their_views_closer_to_tea_party_than_congress

[HardWorkingDem]

6. Why I kind of disagree.....(about his potential albatross)

After watching Tweety bring this up the other night and Huntsman's positive comments about Obama, I think the big bloc of voters this will make him attractive to is independents. I think they are going to see this guy as one who is willing to work with others and gracious when it comes to his opponents.

Why a possible erosion of the Tea Party crowd does not concern me is if this guy makes it through the primaries, then they are the types of voters who will hold their noses and vote for any person with a R by their name and against any voter with a D near theirs.

[monmouth]

2. Plus, Huntsman called POTUS a "real leader" and complimented

his speech. That's a no no for them, being nice? Nah, can't do it..LOL.

[DCKit]

4. If there were EVER a plausible pseudonym for "Damien Thorne"...

"John Huntsman" would be it.

Sorry, but the dude just creeps me the fuck out.

[Keith Bee]

10. Don't be afraid,

just watch all the pretty distractions! Yessssssssssssssssssssssssssssss.....

[GentryDixon]

5. And he is Mormon.

Big strike against him on that.

Also, he is much too moderate to be a serious contender.

[quiller4]

13. Actually he is a "Jack Mormom" He was raised in a Mormon family

he no longer practices the faith.

[GentryDixon]

14. Not evident when he was

our Governor.

[hedgehog]

7. At this point, the only hope of the GOP is to come up with a

genial, handsome, Presidential looking white guy. Romney is out - the story about putting the dog in the carrier on the car roof eliminates him from the running. Sarah is too mean. Michele might make the bottom of the ticket if she tones the crazy down just a bit. A lot of people might still be too suspicious of any Mormon - especially if any polygamy cults hit the news in the next year. (Apologies to Mormons here - I wouldn't have any trouble with a liberal Mormon. I know that the LDS forbids polygamy, but the GOP base can be pretty ignorant.)

If the GOP finds a Reagan clone, we will need to turn everyone out to vote.

[jefferson_dem]

8. About two years ago, I had a conversation with a top-tier republican consultant (don't ask)...

He said that Huntsman was the one to watch, the rising star with "real quality" (affable personality, super smart, "moderate" on a key issues, etc). The consultant warned me that we (Dems) should worry about him...when the time comes. Sucks for them that Obama co-opted Huntsman's ass and morphed him into a toxic pariah among Republican rank-in-file.

[Arkana]

28. Two years ago that consultant didn't see the Tea Party's rise to power.

I'm guessing if he had he might not have trumpeted Huntsman's rise so much.

[Demoiselle]

9. Doesn't he break both Republican rules for Presidential nominees?

1. It's not his turn, and they're pretty disciplined about giving candidates their rightful "turn." Why else would they have allowed Robert Dole to run, ever?
2. He'll have a terrible time appealing to the rock bottom rightwing base in the primaries.

Just parroting points I've heard made by the talking heads.

[HardWorkingDem]

30. The main thing for the right will be above all else = can he win...

They have shown time and time again what hypocrites they are and to me, that will be the utmost question to answer and if they believe it is, then they will forgive past rules and that this guy was an Obama ambassador and said nice things about the Obama.

[Hippo_Tron]

37. It's not really anybody's turn who is actually running this time, though...

The only people who can claim John McCain/Bob Dole turn entitlement status are Liddy Dole and Lamar Alexander and they're not running.

Also don't forget that if you're George W. Bush, you don't have to wait your turn.

[LiberalFighter]

11. What has he accomplished?

[alsame]

12. Check out this thread I posted last night

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=433x655321

This article appeared on Tucker Carlson's right wing site, Daily Caller, which means it will get a lot of conservative eyeballs and will probably turn those people off.

I also heard about the letters on MSNBC, but I thought it was most interesting that it appeared on Carlson's site. Seemed like a pre-emptive strike against Huntsman from the far right.

[golfguru]

15. Stop fearing Huntsman

He won't get the nomination. His poll numbers are pathetic, his name recognition even worse
and his speaking style will put you to sleep quickly.

[Dawson Leery]

16. He was an Obama administration appointee.

The teabaggers will never accept anyone who worked for/with Obama.

[AlinPA]

17. I worry about Thune.

[Arkana]

22. You can stop. He's said he's definitely not running.

[geek tragedy]

18. He's an Obamaite and he believes in cap and trade.

Yeah, that'll go over real well in Republican primaries.

[Sheepshank]

19. I think you may have had cause for concern.

If it wasn't for the curernt push for extreme right-ism. Too many Republicans have too much disdain for the centrists and moderates. They are raputurous in the extreme about extremists. Listen to all the hullaballooing about getting rid of those that have sold out the Tea Party meme their first year in office.

But I agree, if the Reps ever settle down a titch and realize Huntsman is electable on a moderate platform, we'd have to be concerned. But I'm pretty sure that isn't going to happen before 2012.

[livetohike]

20. No one knows who Huntsman is and there isn't enough

time for him to build a brand before the 2012 primaries.

[HardWorkingDem]

29. But with the shallowness of the media...

what troubles me about that is there might be time to build him way up and then not enough time to do in depth study on him.

[Arkana]

21. He worked for Obama.

Four words. There it is.

He worked for Obama. The Great Satan. The Kenyan Marxist Communofascist Usurper.

You have no idea how that will kneecap him.

[GoCubsGo]

24. Yup.

That and the Mormon thing will not fly with most of the Southerners.

[Courtesy Flush]

26. Seems moderate

It'll be fun watching him go extreme right and start denying evolution and climate change. Gotta feed the monkey.

[vaberella]

27. He's an unknown. n/t

[rury]

31. I think Huntsman's thinking about 2016

That will give him time to re-invent himself as a rightwinger so he can appeal to the Rethug base.
He's too moderate to win the nomination and he praised President Obama as a "remarkable leader" which of course is true!
I think one of the potential 2012 GOP candidates leaked that letter flattering Obama to make sure the rightie fringe base hates Huntsman.
Huntsman has no chance to win in 2012 and he knows it.

[vaberella]

34. Exactly.n/t

[GameOn]

32. Christie is really the only guy I fear. And maybe Jeb Bush and Rubio.

Bush scares me less because he comes off as a moderate now days. Christie's bullish behavior could make him popular w/ large portions of the electorate. I don't know if he'd win, but he'd make me nervous. Rubio because of the latino vote. And I can already see the candidate for POTUS making him VP.

[GameOn]

33. Huntsman is a mormon and is considered too moderate to win the primary. NT

[Yurovsky]

35. A little insight on JEB! ...

About 20 years ago, before he was Gov. of FL, JEB!'s son George P. played baseball with a friend's son. The team was playing out of state at a tournament when George became very ill. My friend tried repeatedly to contact the Bush family to no avail. A day later, my friend was able to relay the info to JEB! via the Bush housekeeper, and a the following day JEB! jetted into the Tallahassee airport (executive terminal, not the low-rent commercial side!) and was greeted by my friend who literally carried George to the plane.

JEB! didn't say 2 words to my friend at the airport, not even a thank-you. My friend was pretty much an independent, but he sure as hell never voted for JEB! for governor.... Don't let the kinder, gentler veneer fool you, JEB! is an even bigger prick than W.

[Thrill]

36. He would never win Republican Primary

And he needed to have his profile higher by now. No one knows who he is.