--- In FairfieldLife@yahoogroups.com, "do.rflex" <do.rflex@...> wrote: > > Huntsman 2.0 Thomas Lane | Talking Points Memo | August 21, 2011 > "Poll after poll shows that > despite President Obama's sinking numbers > he still fares well against > virtually all his major GOP opponents."
Too funny. The do.rk's callout is the *least* significant point in this article, which is about Huntsman and the GOP's search for a "savior." They're looking for a serious candidate because Obama's reelection seems like much less of a sure thing than it did a few months ago. > -- What do you make of the new hard-hittin', tough-tweetin' Jon > Huntsman > <http://tpmdc.talkingpointsmemo.com/2011/08/jon-huntsman-takes-on-the-go\ > p-field-and-president-obamas-leadership.php?ref=fpa> ? We ran a piece > <http://tpmdc.talkingpointsmemo.com/2011/08/is-he-even-trying-huntsmans-\ > tweets-almost-seem-designed-to-alienate-the-gop-base.php> on Friday > asking whether the former Utah governor and Obama-appointed ambassador > to China was even trying to win the nomination any more. Since then > numerous emails have come in from readers who think he's making a long > play for the nomination in 2016. > That's certainly a reasonable view. However, it's possible there's > something else at work here, too. > > The Republican establishment is faced with something of a quandary > right now. Even just a few months ago, the big money and major > power-brokers thought 2012 was going to be unwinnable. It was widely > believed that the economy would slowly pick up, and by November of next > year President Obama would be able to take the credit for that and walk > to re-election. > > This likely prompted the more credible GOP candidates, such as New > Jersey Gov. Chris Christie, to decide to sit out the coming election and > wait for 2016. By and large the GOP establishment seemed happy enough > to send out the political equivalent of cannon-fodder that would be torn > apart in the No Man's Land of 2012. > > However, the sudden threat of a double-dip recession means this > election suddenly looks winnable for the Republicans... But only if they > have the right candidate. Poll > <http://tpmdc.talkingpointsmemo.com/2011/08/cnn-poll-the-only-goper-who-\ > can-beat-obama-isnot-running.php> after poll > <http://tpmdc.talkingpointsmemo.com/2011/08/obama-surges-to-lead-against\ > -generic-republican.php> shows that despite President Obama's sinking > numbers he still fares well against virtually all his major GOP > opponents. > > Presumably this is maddening for the Republican establishment. All of a > sudden what they need is a moderate savior who's not tarnished by > either extreme flip-flopping or by outrageous statements against, say, > the Federal Reserve > <http://tpmdc.talkingpointsmemo.com/2011/08/perry-calls-bernanke-policie\ > s-almost-treasonous.php> and the scientific process > <http://tpmdc.talkingpointsmemo.com/2011/08/perry-responds-to-question-a\ > bout-creationism-earth-is-pretty-old-video.php> . Hence the current > conservative calls in some quarters > <http://www.weeklystandard.com/blogs/big-names-encourage-paul-ryan-run_5\ > 90322.html> for Rep. Paul Ryan and the brief flutter earlier this week > over rumors of a Christie run > <http://tpmdc.talkingpointsmemo.com/2011/08/report-chris-christie-explor\ > ing-presidential-run.php> . > > This must be infuriating for Huntsman; as far as he must be concerned, > the party already has its moderate savior and he's already in the race. > Indeed, it's him. > > But the problem Huntsman faces is exactly that he is already in the > race. Unlike Christie or Ryan there are now real polls for Huntsman, and > they show him failing to catch alight. > > If he was entering the fray right now he'd figuratively be wearing a > halo and would be suffused by a glowing ethereal light while angels > flutter around him, plucking away at harps. > > But the nature of the nominating process meant that in order to get a > viable campaign on the ground, he had to enter a few months ago, before > there was this great GOP thirst for a candidate just like him. Having > gotten in at that stage, now the numbers are in as well, and the > power-brokers can dismiss him while casting their eyes around for a > candidate whose halo has not been tarnished by the grime of poor poll > numbers. > > That could well be the significance behind this new combative Huntsman; > he's indicating to the types of people pining after Christie or Ryan -- > and lamenting that they don't have much time to set up a campaign on > the ground -- that there is already an Independent-friendly candidate > right under their noses. These new moves are intended to reboot his > campaign into Huntsman 2.0. At the very least it should guarantee he at > least gets asked some proper questions in the next GOP debate. It's a > tough strategy as it does indeed involve alienating the Tea > Party-leaning sections of the base. But right now it seems the only > strategy that's left. > http://talkingpointsmemo.com/archives/2011/08/huntsman_20.php?ref=fpblg > <http://talkingpointsmemo.com/archives/2011/08/huntsman_20.php?ref=fpblg\ > > >
