U.S. ambassador to China Jon Huntsman
Just a short time ago, U.S. ambassador to China Jon Huntsman told the White House he plans to leave his post effective April 30. Now all eyes are on him for 2012.
The former Republican Governor of Utah reportedly wants to leave Beijing by May when he's expected to set up an exploratory committee to seek the Republican Nomination for President.
If he decides to run, he could give GOP front-runners a run for their money with his serious foreign policy street cred; the “I can see Russia from my house” defense won’t cut it against Huntsman.
President Obama appointed Huntsman to the job in 2009. He became fluent in Mandarin from his time as a Mormon missionary, which made him a natural fit for the position. The White House seems to loves the guy, which may hurt his chances with Republican voters.
Even Obama took note. The President joked last month, "I'm sure that him having worked so well with me will be a great asset in any Republican primary."
Stay tuned...
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Sorry, Pawlenty is from Minnesota, not Michigan. I realize you probably know this by now. I saw that section twice, and it bothered me as much the second time around.
As a liberal living in Utah, I am well, an endangered species. However, if there were to be a Republican that I could stomach out of all the maybes, he's definitely at the top of the list.
Huntsman is not a rabid right wing nutcase. He's conservative, but not unreasonable. I would much rather see him in office than any of the Palin, Bachmann, Gingrich, Huckabee crowd.
But, like Romney in 2008, I think that his being Mormon will mean the Evangelical vote will throw him under the bus. They barely tolerate Glenn Beck's religion, I can't see them letting one of us be their Nominee. (Yes, there are liberal Mormons)