Obama to name Huntsman ambassador to China

[RIP Robert H Bork]

https://uselectionatlas.org/FORUM/index.php?topic=96061.0
See also http://www.politico.com/news/stories/0509/22589.html

Apparently Obama is naming Huntsman ambassador to China, and the very first post of the first link suggests that it was a move by Obama looking toward 2012.

Did Obama name Huntsman ambassador to China to remove him as a 2012 candidate?

[WalterMitty]

huntsman is thinking 2016.

[Eraserhead]

Obama is a crafty bastard.

[ilikeverin]

Good choice.

(And smart move on his part, avoiding 2012 at least; like it or not, the economy will have recovered by then, and Obama will largely be credited with it (deservedly or not!))

[Lunar]

Now if he just names Romney as ambassador to Utah, Obama should have an easier opponent in 2012

[Rob]

huntsman is thinking 2016.

I'm thinking "Henry Cabot Lodge."

[Tender Branson]

Awesome !

Sending your top Republican foes 5000 miles away into exile so they lose touch with whats going on in the US ...

What a strategery !

[RI]

So, will Romney run for Governor of Utah now?

[Lunar]

So, will Romney run for Governor of Utah now?

He sold his house there, prob not.  Being associated with Utah is what he's trying to get away from.

[Zarn]

Everyone is acting like Huntsman had no choice in this. Huntsman has a plan. None of us know what, and I'm sure he prefers it that way.

[pbrower2a]

Good choice.

(And smart move on his part, avoiding 2012 at least; like it or not, the economy will have recovered by then, and Obama will largely be credited with it (deservedly or not!))

It says much about Barack Obama: put potential  rivals who have great competence in difficult positions (Ambassador to China is as tough a job as there is) where they can do more good for hum than they can do harm as rivals.

[big bad fab]

So, will Romney run for Governor of Utah now?

In France, during the 1980s and 1990s, Chirac was mayor of Paris and congressman from Corèez, in the center of France, 400 kms away.

I think Mitt should be elected Gov of Utah, Sen of NH and Rep of Michigan and it will be OK for 2012....!

[WalterMitty]

huntsman is thinking 2016.

I'm thinking "Henry Cabot Lodge."

in that case, i look forward to the nh write in campaign

[Progressive]

Obama/Huntsman 2012?

Now that's a ticket

[Verily]

So, will Romney run for Governor of Utah now?

In France, during the 1980s and 1990s, Chirac was mayor of Paris and congressman from Corèez, in the center of France, 400 kms away.

I think Mitt should be elected Gov of Utah, Sen of NH and Rep of Michigan and it will be OK for 2012....!

Can't be a Governor if you don't live in the state, though. It's illegal. (Same with Congressman and Senator, although you can live in the state but outside your district as a Congressman.)

[Saxwsylvania]

Good choice.

(And smart move on his part, avoiding 2012 at least; like it or not, the economy will have recovered by then, and Obama will largely be credited with it (deservedly or not!))

That's an awfully confident prediction.

[Senator Robert A. Taft]

Brilliant move by Obama.  Huntsman was a top contender for 2012.

[ilikeverin]

Good choice.

(And smart move on his part, avoiding 2012 at least; like it or not, the economy will have recovered by then, and Obama will largely be credited with it (deservedly or not!))

That's an awfully confident prediction.

We haven't had a recession last four years since the Great Depression.  And research in political science has shown that the public pretty much goes to the President when they're looking for someone to credit/blame for economic circumstances.  These two facts point towards my prediction.  If John McCain had won somehow last November, I'd be predicting the same about him; the recession struck at a very convenient time for the winner of last year's elections.

Obviously I'll be proved completely wrong and in that case you may wear my quote around in your sig for a while, but...

[justfollowingtheelections]

Huntsman wasn't planning to run against Obama anyway.  Who knows, he might even become a Democrat by then...

[Magic 8-Ball]

Smart move, indeed.  Much smarter than, say, trying to appoint Judd Gregg to Commerce.  Send Huntsman to a county to which he already has ties.

[Nutmeg]

I really don't think so.  It's not like he forced Huntsman to do it.

[big bad fab]

Huntsman may well have a fine period as ambassador during 3 years and come back to run in the GOP primaries, with an interesting international experience, maybe with a speech on defending poor American workers against Chinese industries.

As a governor with a high approval rating, he'll quit at the right moment and will be remembered as a good executive.

Can you have a better profile in 2012 ?

[big bad fab]

So, will Romney run for Governor of Utah now?

In France, during the 1980s and 1990s, Chirac was mayor of Paris and congressman from Corèez, in the center of France, 400 kms away.

I think Mitt should be elected Gov of Utah, Sen of NH and Rep of Michigan and it will be OK for 2012....!

Can't be a Governor if you don't live in the state, though. It's illegal. (Same with Congressman and Senator, although you can live in the state but outside your district as a Congressman.)

I know, I was just kiddin'.

[YRABNNRM]

In the climate of the GOP today, Huntsman really had no chance at the nomination any way so I doubt Obama thought he was that much of a threat. If anything, he did so to remove a moderate voice in the GOP in order to keep the party on the side of extremism, which of course benefits Obama and his policies.

[pbrower2a]

Huntsman may well have a fine period as ambassador during 3 years and come back to run in the GOP primaries, with an interesting international experience, maybe with a speech on defending poor American workers against Chinese industries.

As a governor with a high approval rating, he'll quit at the right moment and will be remembered as a good executive.

Can you have a better profile in 2012 ?

More relevant in 2016, though. The 2012 Presidential election looks like a longshot for any Republican unless something goes wrong with a ticker or someone does a John Wilkes Booth.