A potentially big score for the Obama team:
President Obama on Saturday selected one of the nation’s leading Republican governors to serve as the ambassador to China, nominating Utah Gov. Jon Huntsman for the diplomatic post that Mr. Obama called “as important as any in the world.” …
Mr. Huntsman, 49, learned to speak Mandarin Chinese during his days as a Mormon missionary in Taiwan. He has worked in two Bush administrations, serving as the ambassador to Singapore in the final year of George H.W. Bush’s term and as a deputy United States trade ambassador for George W. Bush. …
For Mr. Obama, whose advisers already have their eyes set on his re-election in 2012, the selection of Mr. Huntsman is something of a political coup. He has emerged as one of the nation’s most visible Republican governors and was expected to at least consider seeking his party’s presidential nomination to run against Mr. Obama. …
It was far from certain whether Mr. Huntsman would have actually sought the Republican presidential nomination – his centrist views could have created a challenge in early-voting states – but if he is confirmed by the Senate for the ambassadorship to China, he is part of the Obama team at a time when China is of critical importance. And he is out of the mix in the 2012 presidential race.
Utah’s much more conservative Lt. Gov., Gary Herbert, stands to take Huntsman’s place in the governor’s mansion. Discussion underway in safi’s diary.
Remember he would still have to get through a Republican primary… Last time I checked, the Evangelicals still believed that Mormons are not Christians. Remember, Romney, despite his millions, could not win the primary in 2008.
I actually have a great deal of respect for Gov. Huntsman. There was absolutely no political reason for him as governor of Utah of all places to mandate the teaching of evolution, to push for independent redistricting, or to support same-sex civil unions. That he is in favor of having a constructive dialogue between liberal and conservative rather than just trumpet wedge issues gives me hope for the future of deliberative democracy in this country (though, given the number of other Republicans who would also be so inclined…I count one at the national level, Olympia Snowe, that hope is rather dim yet!). I think Gov. Huntsman, given his experience and his ability to speak the language, will make an excellent emissary to a country whose fate is now inextricably tied up with our own.
I don’t have a problem with Huntsman being the Ambassador to China. It’s not like he’s going to carry the water for the Obama administration. I like Jon Huntsman.
I noticed Utah has a law for a special election in the case the Governorship is vacated. Anyone know if there are any other states that have such a law? This is the first I’ve heard of such a thing. Usually the next in line takes over for the remainder of the term.