.

[Bull Moose Base]

.

[President Mitt]

Hopefully....... but probably not.

[DariusNJ]

Mormon, supports civil unions for gays, supported stimulus, will have served in the Obama Administration as Ambassador to China.

Depends on how successful the stimulus is viewed in 2016, and also how far Republicans shift their views on gay rights.

I will say that he seems like a pretty impressive politician, even though he wouldn't get my vote.

[pbrower2a]

But will he be a Republican in 2016?

He might have compromised himself as a Republican by serving in you-know-whose Administration? He could end up the new John Connally... at a higher level of competence.

President Obama seems to take the "Team of Rivals" concept seriously, co-opting people of competence from the other Side, if necessary. 

[President Mitt]

But will he be a Republican in 2016?

He might have compromised himself as a Republican by serving in you-know-whose Administration? He could end up the new John Connally... at a higher level of competence.

President Obama seems to take the "Team of Rivals" concept seriously, co-opting people of competence from the other Side, if necessary. 

Ja, he will.

[Rob]

Jon Huntsman is possibly the most overrated politician on Atlas. He supports two or three issues that have majority support even in Utah (civil unions included), and all of a sudden he's a Moderate Hero with national appeal? Gimme a break.

[Person Man]

He's basically the mormon John McCain. He's willing to you when his party is wrong (when doing so would mean very little) and he's otherwise no more moderate than W. ...and when was the last ambasador that became a president, anyway? 

[Alexander Hamilton]

HW Bush was an ambassador I believe. And how is Huntsman a trend?

[DariusNJ]

majority support even in Utah (civil unions included)

I saw a poll not too long ago by the Salt Lake Tribune that showed 70% of Utahns opposed civil unions.

[President Mitt]

Jon Huntsman is possibly the most overrated politician on Atlas. He supports two or three issues that have majority support even in Utah (civil unions included), and all of a sudden he's a Moderate Hero with national appeal? Gimme a break.

Actually, while he's not Mr. Bullmoose. He definitely does not Kow Tow to the Religious Right. If the GOP nominated a man who supported Civil Unions, Jerry Falwell will be spinning in his grave. Even if he's not really that moderate, anyone who puts a middle finger up to the religous right, is good in my book. And Civil Unions supported in Utah........ Are you freaking nuts?

[12th Doctor]

He certainly thinks he will be.  That's why he went abroad... to pick up foreign policy experience.

[Verily]

Assuming he's not still Ambassador to China, maybe. The big problem for him is that he's going to be out of the political scene for a long time.

[pragmatic liberal]

I'm actually a little skeptical he'll do well in a bid for a Republican presidential nomination. The problem is I'm hard-pressed to think of an example of someone accepting an appointment in a rival party's administration then running that party soon after that.

Now it's certainly possible. IF Obama wins a HUGE reelection victory in 2012 and remains very popular, and Republican collectively decide to campaign more on a forward-looking theme rather than attacking the Obama administration, then perhaps they'll forgive Huntsman for serving as Obama's ambassador in China (esp. considering it's not a political position).

My own sense is that Huntsman probably has to come home at some point and seek office again - perhaps run for an open Utah Senate seat. And then he probably has to bone up on his Republican bona fides, which perhaps makes something like 2020 plausible. But that's a long ways off. 2016 might be too soon.

[Swedish Rainbow Capitalist Cheese]

He is not more Mormon or moderate than Mitt Romney, so if Mitty has a chance, so has Huntsman. I'd even say Huntsman has greater chance as he's not a flip-flopper. As for his current job in the Obama administration, I really doubt that'll hurt him unless Obama is very unpopular in 2016.

Also, Huntsman turning Democrat is not happening. What is it with some people thinking every moderate Republican will all of a sudden turn Democrat just because Arlan Spector was scared of facing Toomey in a primary.

 

[Person Man]

He is not more Mormon or moderate than Mitt Romney, so if Mitty has a chance, so has Huntsman. I'd even say Huntsman has greater chance as he's not a flip-flopper. As for his current job in the Obama administration, I really doubt that'll hurt him unless Obama is very unpopular in 2016.

Also, Huntsman turning Democrat is not happening. What is it with some people thinking every moderate Republican will all of a sudden turn Democrat just because Arlan Spector was scared of facing Toomey in a primary.

I agree there is no way he'd become a Democrat.  But I could see him become Independent if say,
Romney loses the nomination in 12 and Mormons feel unwelcome, then in 16, you have a Rick Perry-Joe Biden race or something.

That's all very inconcievable though. I would say that 2016 is probably his year....and it's too soon to tell whether Obama will even be re-elected. I mean, the economy seems to be rebuilding, but if Obama is not able to pass his agenda, he will probably either lose congress or the presidency....though I do not remember (learned of) a time when a president up for relection lost all of the dice in his first term. (edit: Oh yeah! The Great Depression!) Basically, if worse does come to pass, Obama will probably loss Congress in 2010 or be defeated in 2012, but not both. This is important to this conversation because we should be able to know the first chance that any of these GOP hopefuls get in two years' time.

[Psychic Octopus]

Nitpick: I don't like the "Jon" spelling. Why didn't they name him "John Huntsman" instead?

Anyway he's a rising star. Him or Crist.