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Shock: Barack Obama co-opts top 2012 Republican to be his ambassador to China
Telegraph Blogs (U.K.) ^ | May 16, 2009 | Toby Harnden

Posted on 05/17/2009 12:42:35 AM PDT by Schnucki

This is a very clever move by President Barack Obama. He's chosen Governor Jon Huntsman of Utah as his ambassador to China.

A Republican, former ambassador to Singapore and fluent Mandarin speaker, Huntsman has recently staked out centrist stances on gay rights, climate change and stimulus spending. He'd made clear his contempt for the Republican congressional leadership, saying: "I have not met them. I don't listen or read whatever it is they say because it is inconsequential - completely."

That made him the best-placed moderate Republican to challenge for the 2012 presidential nomination. By any analysis, at this stage a 2012 Republican victory looks like an uphill struggle. Mitt Romney - a former moderate who's now positioned himself firmly on the Right - is probably the front runner with governors Mark Sanford of South Carolina and Tim Pawlenty of Minnesota also likely to run.

Governor Bobby Jindal of Louisiana appears to be biding his time until 2016 while the soap opera storyline of Sarah Palin;s family and her virtual estrangement from the national GOP make her look a long shot.

Huntsman probably calculated that he would not win in 2012 even if he did manage to secure the nomination. Much better, he would have reasoned, to wait out 2012, gain some major foreign policy experience while not being linked to Obama's domestic policies and have a chance in 2016.

Like the Conservative party in Britain after 1997, it looks to be a long road back for Republicans so taking a time out is likely to be a shrewd decision for someone like Huntsman.

What does Obama gain? It's a concrete example of bipartisanship, he peels off a Republican moderate and therefore shifts the party's centre of gravity further to the Right - which is where Democrats want it),

(Excerpt) Read more at blogs.telegraph.co.uk ...


TOPICS: Politics
KEYWORDS: 2012; 2012gopprimary; agenda; bhochina; china; huntsman; obama; palin; rino; rinoromney; romney; romneyisking; utah
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To: indianrightwinger

So who are you voting for ?


21 posted on 05/17/2009 1:11:58 AM PDT by fieldmarshaldj (~"This is what happens when you find a stranger in the Alps !"~~)
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To: Schnucki

Right now, my bet is on Newt Gingrich getting in to the race. I think he would have a great chance at a nomination and Gingrich/Palin or Gingrich/Jindal would be very strong tickets with excellent prospects of a 16-year conservative Republican presidency.


22 posted on 05/17/2009 1:14:26 AM PDT by bluejay
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To: fieldmarshaldj

When it takes over two mins to answer that question, either an uninformed person or troll


23 posted on 05/17/2009 1:15:32 AM PDT by SoCalPol (Reagan Republican for Palin 2012)
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To: indianrightwinger

I wouldn’t rule out the possibility she wins the nomination—perhaps if Obama’s very popular and she doesn’t have strong competition for it—but you’re right about the general election.

Many on here, however, are living in their own little world where Palin is somehow popular with not just conservatives but most Americans.


24 posted on 05/17/2009 1:15:40 AM PDT by Arguendo
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To: SoCalPol

Let’s see what they say. I’m quite curious.


25 posted on 05/17/2009 1:16:38 AM PDT by fieldmarshaldj (~"This is what happens when you find a stranger in the Alps !"~~)
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To: Schnucki

This guy probably has a direct line to China.


26 posted on 05/17/2009 1:16:50 AM PDT by freekitty (Give me back my conservative vote.)
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To: freekitty

He’s a Trojan Horse Democrat, that much we know.


27 posted on 05/17/2009 1:17:52 AM PDT by fieldmarshaldj (~"This is what happens when you find a stranger in the Alps !"~~)
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To: SoCalPol

Why are her background and daily work as governor so relevant? I think we saw enough to make that judgment with reasonable confidence.

It may not be completely impossible for her to revamp her image with most Americans, but I don’t think it’s likely.


28 posted on 05/17/2009 1:18:05 AM PDT by Arguendo
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To: SoCalPol

What a stupid thing to say.


29 posted on 05/17/2009 1:18:29 AM PDT by Arguendo
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To: Arguendo

I have several decades of following and being involved in politics to judge who is the better candidate.

I am ret. from the legal field with the County Attys.
Have been in the real world, not just books.


30 posted on 05/17/2009 1:19:55 AM PDT by SoCalPol (Reagan Republican for Palin 2012)
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To: Arguendo

She doesn’t need to revamp her image.
It is the Left wing MSM trying to trash her.


31 posted on 05/17/2009 1:21:59 AM PDT by SoCalPol (Reagan Republican for Palin 2012)
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To: SoCalPol

Exactly. And that fella still hasn’t answered me back.


32 posted on 05/17/2009 1:22:58 AM PDT by fieldmarshaldj (~"This is what happens when you find a stranger in the Alps !"~~)
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To: fieldmarshaldj

LOL! I often get either the no answer or I am still thinking about it.


33 posted on 05/17/2009 1:24:20 AM PDT by SoCalPol (Reagan Republican for Palin 2012)
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To: SoCalPol

Oh, what was your prediction in 2006? 2008? I’m assuming you made some predictions on here, so I’d be interested in knowing how accurate they were.

I’m not sure how your legal experience is relevant to this, since neither of us is a professional in anything related to national politics.


34 posted on 05/17/2009 1:26:07 AM PDT by Arguendo
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To: Schnucki

Pro-abortion? Pro-gay-marriage? Probably buys into the AGW hoax, also.


35 posted on 05/17/2009 1:27:34 AM PDT by Arthur McGowan (I voted for Palin once, and I will do it again if given the opportunity.)
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To: Arguendo

I also worked for Reagan when he first ran for Gov.

I don’t get into pissing contests with kids.


36 posted on 05/17/2009 1:30:35 AM PDT by SoCalPol (Reagan Republican for Palin 2012)
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To: SoCalPol
Here one poll that indicates it won't be easy for her: http://www.gallup.com/poll/111883/No-Clamoring-Palin-Become-National-Political-Figure.aspx

It might not be impossible, but it will be hard for her to recover from negatives that high. And whether or not you think she needs to revamp her image, obviously she does if she's going to appeal to a large share--perhaps even a majority--of Americans.

37 posted on 05/17/2009 1:31:48 AM PDT by Arguendo
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To: SoCalPol; fieldmarshaldj; Impy; sickoflibs; DoughtyOne; exit82; calcowgirl; djsherin; bamahead; ...
Gov. Palin is the true conservative, also believes in fighting the war against the IslamOfascists. Her oldest son is fighting in Iraq. Sandy like RINO Paul is not a believer in Fighting this war.

You're silly if you think that Paul--or any of the other "conservatarians"--is a RINO.

Aside from his positions with regard to the conduct of war, his belief in strict adherence to the Constitution as a means of limiting the power of our Government are far more "conservative" than the majority of Republicans, who seem to have gotten quite drunk on power under Bush. [And no, trying to deflect blame on the Democrats by pointing to Pelosi and Reid and arguing that they controlled Congress won't work here. The Republicans held control of Congress for six years, with a Republican president, and failed to follow through on any of their earlier promises to the electorate to actually shrink Government back within its Constitutionally delimited boundaries.]

Without the "conservatarians"--all you've got are social conservatives and hawks, neither of which is opposed to the expansion and consolidation of federal power so long as the exercise thereof serves their own ends.

Continue to ignore, berate, and belittle "conservatarians" like Paul at your own risk...but don't be surprised when you wake up one morning in a police state.

Now, with regard to Paul: if not for him--and folks like Mark Sanford--I would have given up on the conservative movement outright...since, after all, looking out for yourself first is a very "pragmatic" approach to life.

Oh, and by the way: if I wanted to vote for "charisma" I would have voted for 0bama. I want someone like Sanford who, despite a few flaws, is willing to unremittingly attack the size of Government. I don't care how charismatic they are. So, if all your faction has to present is Palin, then y'all are toast in 2012.

38 posted on 05/17/2009 1:35:45 AM PDT by rabscuttle385 ("If this be treason, then make the most of it!" —Patrick Henry)
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To: Arguendo

As far as Sanford, Mitt, Pawlenty and others they don’t stand a chance. Sandy looks and sounds like a funeral director, Pawlenty no better, Mitt flip flops more than a fish out of water.
He is sitting at home around 10 miles from me here in San Diego. He has 5 sons and not one has served in the military.


39 posted on 05/17/2009 1:36:30 AM PDT by SoCalPol (Reagan Republican for Palin 2012)
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To: All
...best-placed moderate Republican ...Governor Jon Huntsman of Utah...

Who?

40 posted on 05/17/2009 1:38:07 AM PDT by backhoe (All across America, the Lights are going out...)
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