Nice guys finish last - Jon Huntsman's stupid strategy

As the old saying goes, "nice guys finish last" and in the case of today's politics, nicer guys get torn to pieces. 

Get a load of this foolishness:

Politico: Jon Huntsman is trying out a novel strategy: running for president without criticizing the incumbent by name.

Since returning from his post as ambassador to China last month, Huntsman has made scant mention of the man who appointed him in May 2009—President Barack Obama. And his would-be campaign officials say that won’t change when the former Utah governor officially launches his campaign.

Obama’s political team has so far returned the courtesy. Even as they blast out a seemingly endless stream of attacks on Mitt Romney and Tim Pawlenty, Huntsman’s two establishment GOP rivals, the DNC is issuing few press releases and pushing little opposition research about the man who until the end of April served in the administration.

It amounts to a de facto non-aggression pact that is as unconventional as it is tenuous. With a Republican primary electorate convinced Obama is doing grave damage to the country, it’s difficult to see how bloodless rhetoric about the administration and generalized talk about America’s challenges are the recipe for victory. And if Huntsman emerges as a strong contender, it’s improbable to think that a White House that affirmed his political potential by dispatching him to far-off Beijing would let him rise unchecked. [MORE]

What a friggin' loser! This sounds every bit as stupid as John McCain's refusal to use Rev. Wright against Obama. Why do so many Republicans insist upon using these silly Mr. Nice Guy rules when fighting Democrats? Democrats have been using dirty underhanded Saul Alinsky rules for decades and have now moved that practice into hyper drive. So why do Republicans cling to this failed high minded approach?

What perplexes me even more about this loser strategy is that the media will paint Huntsman as an evil meanie no matter how much he try to be Mr. Nice Guy.  If you are going to painted as a meanie, you might as well reap all the benefits of it and bash your opponent's brains out.

Huntsman's civility strategy will end up being like a man attacked by a pack of rabid dogs and doing nothing more than saying "down boy". 

In 2012, Obama and the left are going to tear into the GOP nominee with the same level of nastiness the use on Sarah Palin.  When the Republican establishment decided to let Palin fend for herself, they allowed the left to set a new standard to attacking Republicans.  This Mr. Nice Guy stuff will only make the left's dirty work that much easier.

Via: Memeorandum

Via: Politico

Kiss of Death: White House praises Huntsman

The White House is trying to kill off Jon Huntsman's presidential ambitions by heaping tons and tons of praise upon him. The administration is clearly trying to get people on the right to think that Huntsman is an Obama minion in Republican clothing. 

The Hill: The White House is showing no signs of letting up on its campaign for Ambassador Jon Huntsman’s presidential prospects - if anything, it’s in pile-on mode.

Chief of Staff Bill Daley on Sunday heaped praise on Huntsman (R), Obama’s ambassador to China who is resigning his post and is said to be mulling a challenge to his boss for the presidency.

“He’s done an excellent job on behalf of the Obama administration,” Daley said on NBC’s “Meet the Press,” where he was barely able to suppress a smile as he spoke. 

Then Daley went into overdrive. “[Huntsman’s] support of the Obama administration, his support of the president, the things he did on behalf of the administration, and the closeness in which he worked with the president is most appreciated. And I’m sure he’ll talk about that in the Republican primary.”[...]

The White House has engaged in a concerted effort to play up Huntsman’s ties to the administration, which many political observers believe would doom him with the conservative Republican base.

If the White House was half as politically astute as they pretend to be, they would realize what a needless exercise this is.  Huntsman is clearly an establishment candidate and establishment candidates are as out of vogue with the base just like the phrase "Hope and Change".

Whatever appeal Huntsman may have, you can easily find those qualities in the prototype Mitt Romney.

If the administration really wants to sink Huntsman, then fine it will be one less establishment candidate the base has to worry about.

Via: Memeorandum

Via: The Hill

US Ambassador to China, Jon Huntsman resigns. Preparing for 2012?

Politico: Jon M. Huntsman Jr., the U.S. ambassador to China, sent a resignation letter to President Barack Obama on Monday and now is likely to explore a Republican presidential bid, a close associate told POLITICO.

In a letter hand-delivered to the White House, the former Utah governor said that he wants to return to the United States by May, the associate said.

GOP allies of Huntsman have already begun laying plans for a quick-start campaign should the former Utah governor decide to enter the ill-defined Republican field.

While Huntsman has no direct involvement in it, a group of operatives that could eventually comprise his strategy team has set up an entity called “Horizon PAC” to serve as a placeholder for his political apparatus. [MORE]

Needless to say the administration is already sounding rather snarky about the whole thing.  They appointed Huntsman to take him out of the running in 2012.  Instead they ended up giving him massive foreign policy experience.  How does that old saying go; "one good screw deserves another"?

Jon Huntsman is the perfect Romney clone.  

• Moderate RINO - check.
• Mormon - check.
• Good Hair and presidential looks - check.
• Very wealthy - check.

I for one am glad Huntsman may run.  This is because so many conservatives are still looking for  "The One". The risk here is that conservatives could end up casting their votes all over the place, while the establishment and moderate Republicans quickly coalesce around Mitt Romney and give him the nomination. With Huntsman (and hopefully other RINOs) running, the establishment and moderates will face the same dilemma as conservatives.  This will make the chance of a true conservative winning the nomination more equal.


I think Huntsman stands a good chance of raining on Mitt's parade.  Surely, moderates and establishment Republicans must be worried that Mitt is going to struggle mightily at the hands of conservatives.  Perhaps, they will look at Huntsman as a less caustic option.


At any rate, I say, bring on the RINOs!


Via: Memeorandum
Via: Politico