I can't see how Huntsman makes it out of a GOP primary

[TerroristFistJab]

he's basically  a 2007 Romney with an Obama administration credentials.

on health care he supported the individual mandate. He supported cap and trade. He supports civil unions. When he adapts  his current message to run for President he will have to change his stance on these issues and will then  be labeled  a flip flopper just like Romeny was in 2008.

not mention he will struggle  with the same Mormon skepticism  that Romney struggled with 2008 as well.

in 2010 Charlie Crist was ostracized for the 'Obama hug' and his support for the stimulus. THe chances of Obama admin member like Hustsman, who also supported the stimulus, winning a GOP primary are not likely.

[MASHED POTATOES. VOTE!]

Wow man! You just discovered America!

Well, not really.

[Paul Kemp]

If Huntsman runs in 2012, it will be to set up for another run in the future.

[redcommander]

He won't because he basically governed as a Crist style Republican in the most Conservative state in the country. Romney at least has the excuse of having some controversies with his record because Massachusetts is in the top five most liberal states. Despite that, Romney managed to cut taxes and balance the budget even with a Democratic supermajority. Of course no one in the beltway ever mentions that because they would much rather demean him for his work with healthcare and abortion shift. I don't see religion being an issue next year. Obama is probably the most irreligious president the country has seen in over a century, and evangelicals are going to hold their nose and vote for a Mormon if it means throwing him out.

[feeblepizza]

I never knew of his support of the individual mandate and cap and trade. Guess who I won't be supporting?

[FEMA Camp Administrator]

I never knew of his support of the individual mandate and cap and trade. Guess who I won't be supporting?

[Yelnoc]

I never knew of his support of the individual mandate and cap and trade. Guess who I won't be supporting?

Huntsman on Cap-and-Trade:

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I could debate you on the individual mandate but this isn't the place for it.

[Lief 🗽]

Nearly every single Republican supported cap and trade and the individual mandate before the Democrats took up those causes and the GOP mindlessly opposed them on principle. If Obama had championed single-payer and a carbon tax you people would be forcefully arguing for a freedom-protecting individual mandate and the free market reforms of cap and trade.

[King]

oh hai derek

[Cobbler]

Huntsman is running for 2016, when the Tea Party will have died down. He's getting his name out there this time.

[California8429]

Huntsman is running for 2016, when the Tea Party will have died down. He's getting his name out there this time.

Better to give it a try now though, get everything out of the closest, really get ID, and get money contacts. He's really not exciting, so waiting 2012 out I don't think will help him much because I don't see people chanting for him in 2016

[milhouse24]

I think a Romney-Daniels ticket would be competitive.  Daniels will still need to be persuaded to be the VP nominee but I think he will take it.

T-Paw-Daniels would also be a good ticket.  But maybe too much midwest and not enough Mountain states.  Maybe T-Paw would pick Romney or Huntsman as VP.  That could work.

Of course a Romney-Bush or T-Paw-Bush Ticket would be unbeatable.

[Bull Moose Base]

Does Huntsman help himself in 2016 if he doesn't win any states this time around?  No evidence to suggest he does particularly.  Maybe if Palin, Huckabee or Glenn Beck endorsed him, he'd be able to do something, but I think he has too many problems to get anywhere: the biggest one that he wrote Obama a note calling him a remarkable leader.

[courts]

Nearly every single Republican supported cap and trade and the individual mandate before the Democrats took up those causes and the GOP mindlessly opposed them on principle. If Obama had championed single-payer and a carbon tax you people would be forcefully arguing for a freedom-protecting individual mandate and the free market reforms of cap and trade.

I wouldn't say 'nearly every,' but knowing the true conservatives in the RNC I wouldn't dispute that.

[specific_name]

Huntsman is just getting his name out there, like everyone with presidential ambitions in modern memory. Obama was likely doing the same, but he caught fire and outpaced Clinton. So of course it can happen that testing the waters leads to the presidency but the dynamics don't seem right in the Republican party. One faction wants to make this into a purity test, the other end of it hopes Romney is the last man standing.

[Landslide Lyndon]

Obama is probably the most irreligious president the country has seen in over a century...

Not true sir! He is a devout Muslim.

T-Paw-Daniels would also be a good ticket. 

Yeah, especially for the critical voting bloc of insomniacs.

[Mr. Morden]

Btw, Huntsman says he won't be participating in the June 13th debate in NH, because he won't have made up his mind on whether to run or not by then:

http://www.politico.com/news/stories/0511/55862.html

[TheGlobalizer]

I too would debate some of the OP's points, but I do think Huntsman's challenge is to win the primary without making himself a Romney-style hypocrite.  If he figures that out, the general is pretty straightforward, I think.

[Progressive]

He doesn't. He hopes to make it out as the VP choice or as a frontrunner in 2016.

[redcommander]

He doesn't. He hopes to make it out as the VP choice or as a frontrunner in 2016.

He would have even less of a shot in 2016. If whoever the Republicans nominate in 2012 loses to Obama, they are likely to have an incredibly strong, diverse, and Conservative bench come 2016. Are primary voters seriously going to vote for Huntsman when they could vote for Christie, Hoeven, Haley, Snyder, Rubio, or McDonnell?

[Paul Kemp]

He doesn't. He hopes to make it out as the VP choice or as a frontrunner in 2016.

He would have even less of a shot in 2016. If whoever the Republicans nominate in 2012 loses to Obama, they are likely to have an incredibly strong, diverse, and Conservative bench come 2016. Are primary voters seriously going to vote for Huntsman when they could vote for Christie, Hoeven, Haley, Snyder, Rubio, or McDonnell?

If whoever the Republicans nominate in 2008 loses to Obama, they are likely to have an incredibly strong, diverse, and Conservative bench come 2012.