Huntsman's about the only plausible successful challenger in 2012, so my feeling is that Obama's trying to get rid of him.
I get the feeling Huntsman is less than popular within his own party at the moment, too. I suspect he said "yes" to get the hell away from them.
Though, I'm actually pretty surprised Huntsman would accept this. I'm not really sussing out what his angle on it could be; the political calculus doesn't seem to work out.
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GoslingLooking Up Soccer In Mongolia Right Now, ProbablyWatertown, WIRegistered Userregular
edited May 2009
Thing is, though, if Obama is in fact trying to do that here, a major post like China is probably the only thing that would buy Huntsman out. A guy with Presidential ambitions is going to want a good, prestigious post if he's taking a buyout offer. If you offered to ship him off to Luxembourg, he'd laugh in your face and go back to forming his PAC. China? Now we're talking.
Thanatos, diplomatic posts aren't something you can use immediately to run off of, but they do serve as a nice addition to the resume when you are ready. Builds foreign policy cred. Obviously Huntsman doesn't have much of a prayer NOW, but maybe later on he can use this to help himself after the GOP's gotten back on its feet to some degree. In the meantime, he gets out of the way of the circular firing squad. He runs to China, keeps his head down for the worst of it, comes back after sanity has regained a foothold.
Gosling on
I have a new soccer blog The Minnow Tank. Reading it psychically kicks Sepp Blatter in the bean bag.
Yeah, he was basically told to go shut the fuck up by a bunch of west Michigan Republicans recently. I think that has something to do with his accepting the post. Just hide from the crazies for a few years.
enlightenedbum on
Self-righteousness is incompatible with coalition building.
What's the average length of an ambassadorship? If Huntsman is trying to ride out the crazy he has to be expecting it to be awhile, and at this point it's something of an open question what exactly he'd have to come back to considering the state he's leaving the party in.
What's the average length of an ambassadorship? If Huntsman is trying to ride out the crazy he has to be expecting it to be awhile, and at this point it's something of an open question what exactly he'd have to come back to considering the state he's leaving the party in.
Depends on the post. For China, it can easily last the entirety of the President's time in office. Clark Randt Jr. served as the Chinese ambassador all eight years of Bush's Presidency.
Here's a timeline. (To contrast, Bush went through seven UN ambassadors.)
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I have a new soccer blog The Minnow Tank. Reading it psychically kicks Sepp Blatter in the bean bag.
Serves at the pleasure of the President, I believe.
Yeah, though for important posts I'd imagine the limiting factor is how long the person is willing to stay, since people tend to rarely screw the pouch that badly in high profile gigs. I was just wondering if anyone knew how long before people tended to burn out.
edit: And Gosling has what I was looking for. So he could conceivably stay until the 2016 primaries, if the republican party has started to sane up by then.
Yeah, that's basically all I can figure. Makes sense, I suppose.
Plus his record stays clean pretty much right when State budgets are going to look horrific. Nobody would really want to be a Governor right now because you're the raise taxes and cut services guy. Now he's former Governor of Utah, Ambassador to China, and he'll probably round something else up administratively (maybe GOP Chair?) for the '16 primary.
But doesn't this create the risk for him that he will be however many years out of office by the time the primaries come round? The same problems that Edwards and Romney face, and Gingrich is going to face if he enters the primary?
But doesn't this create the risk for him that he will be however many years out of office by the time the primaries come round? The same problems that Edwards and Romney face, and Gingrich is going to face if he enters the primary?
Ambassador counts as an office. At worst he's lining himself up to be a natural running mate. Look at Bush the Greater. He went from Ambassador to the UN to Chairman of the RNC to Ambassador to China to Director of CIA to Veep to President. It isn't quite as direct as from the governor's mansion, but it's been done.
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GoslingLooking Up Soccer In Mongolia Right Now, ProbablyWatertown, WIRegistered Userregular
edited May 2009
Well, yeah. He'll still need to get some elected position back if he has Presidential ambitions. But right now there's not much to work with. That shouldn't be the hardest thing on Earth, though. He can afford to just wait for Hatch to die and then go for the vacant Senate seat.
Gosling on
I have a new soccer blog The Minnow Tank. Reading it psychically kicks Sepp Blatter in the bean bag.
Yeah, I think he's making the right move here. If I remember correctly, he's actually pretty moderate, and the current GOP leadership could well go after him. I wouldn't think he'd be as vulnerable as a senator would, but the possibility is still there.
Finding a stable position out of the way of party politics is a pretty smart move at this point in time.
Yeah, I think he's making the right move here. If I remember correctly, he's actually pretty moderate, and the current GOP leadership could well go after him. I wouldn't think he'd be as vulnerable as a senator would, but the possibility is still there.
Finding a stable position out of the way of party politics is a pretty smart move at this point in time.
I know he's pro civil unions for gays and recognizes climate change as real, not sure about his other views, but yeah, that puts him way off to the left of most Republicans (and hell, Ben Nelson).
enlightenedbum on
Self-righteousness is incompatible with coalition building.
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AegisFear My DanceOvershot Toronto, Landed in OttawaRegistered Userregular
edited May 2009
There was some mention by Sullivan's source that this might very well improve Huntsmen's chance in 2016 which could be a problem for the Democrats even if it's not one for Obama. Thus Obama's long-game is more towards his own legacy (ie- winning in 2012), assuming that his party will manage to build upon him when he's not there anymore.
Depends what position he takes after this. Hatch's term ends in 2012, when he'll be 78 and Bennett's up for re-election this cycle, so that's off the table. Were Hatch to retire, Huntsman would become a pretty dangerous Republican in 2016 as he could presumably win that seat easily. I doubt Hatch would retire though. Huntsman wouldn't go back to being Governor. So his best bet is maybe getting a Cabinet seat after re-election? I don't see how you go from Ambassador to President in modern politics.
enlightenedbum on
Self-righteousness is incompatible with coalition building.
Depends what position he takes after this. Hatch's term ends in 2012, when he'll be 78 and Bennett's up for re-election this cycle, so that's off the table. Were Hatch to retire, Huntsman would become a pretty dangerous Republican in 2016 as he could presumably win that seat easily. I doubt Hatch would retire though. Huntsman wouldn't go back to being Governor. So his best bet is maybe getting a Cabinet seat after re-election? I don't see how you go from Ambassador to President in modern politics.
The same was said about legislators just a few years ago. Let alone a Freshman Senator.
Depends what position he takes after this. Hatch's term ends in 2012, when he'll be 78 and Bennett's up for re-election this cycle, so that's off the table. Were Hatch to retire, Huntsman would become a pretty dangerous Republican in 2016 as he could presumably win that seat easily. I doubt Hatch would retire though. Huntsman wouldn't go back to being Governor. So his best bet is maybe getting a Cabinet seat after re-election? I don't see how you go from Ambassador to President in modern politics.
The same was said about legislators just a few years ago. Let alone a Freshman Senator.
True, but at least it's understood what legislators do. I don't even get what ambassadors are really useful for in a world with instant global communications technology.
enlightenedbum on
Self-righteousness is incompatible with coalition building.
Depends what position he takes after this. Hatch's term ends in 2012, when he'll be 78 and Bennett's up for re-election this cycle, so that's off the table. Were Hatch to retire, Huntsman would become a pretty dangerous Republican in 2016 as he could presumably win that seat easily. I doubt Hatch would retire though. Huntsman wouldn't go back to being Governor. So his best bet is maybe getting a Cabinet seat after re-election? I don't see how you go from Ambassador to President in modern politics.
The same was said about legislators just a few years ago. Let alone a Freshman Senator.
True, but at least it's understood what legislators do. I don't even get what ambassadors are really useful for in a world with instant global communications technology.
All the better for him, because now he gets to explain just how important and super awesome he is.
Depends what position he takes after this. Hatch's term ends in 2012, when he'll be 78 and Bennett's up for re-election this cycle, so that's off the table. Were Hatch to retire, Huntsman would become a pretty dangerous Republican in 2016 as he could presumably win that seat easily. I doubt Hatch would retire though. Huntsman wouldn't go back to being Governor. So his best bet is maybe getting a Cabinet seat after re-election? I don't see how you go from Ambassador to President in modern politics.
The same was said about legislators just a few years ago. Let alone a Freshman Senator.
True, but at least it's understood what legislators do. I don't even get what ambassadors are really useful for in a world with instant global communications technology.
All the better for him, because now he gets to explain just how important and super awesome he is.
This was highly effective for Bill Richardson, after all.
Apparently this is I disagree with moniker day.
enlightenedbum on
Self-righteousness is incompatible with coalition building.
Depends what position he takes after this. Hatch's term ends in 2012, when he'll be 78 and Bennett's up for re-election this cycle, so that's off the table. Were Hatch to retire, Huntsman would become a pretty dangerous Republican in 2016 as he could presumably win that seat easily. I doubt Hatch would retire though. Huntsman wouldn't go back to being Governor. So his best bet is maybe getting a Cabinet seat after re-election? I don't see how you go from Ambassador to President in modern politics.
The same was said about legislators just a few years ago. Let alone a Freshman Senator.
True, but at least it's understood what legislators do. I don't even get what ambassadors are really useful for in a world with instant global communications technology.
All the better for him, because now he gets to explain just how important and super awesome he is.
This was highly effective for Bill Richardson, after all.
Apparently this is I disagree with moniker day.
You forget, Bill Richardson was running against all stars. Huntsman would be running against Jindal and company.
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AegisFear My DanceOvershot Toronto, Landed in OttawaRegistered Userregular
Depends what position he takes after this. Hatch's term ends in 2012, when he'll be 78 and Bennett's up for re-election this cycle, so that's off the table. Were Hatch to retire, Huntsman would become a pretty dangerous Republican in 2016 as he could presumably win that seat easily. I doubt Hatch would retire though. Huntsman wouldn't go back to being Governor. So his best bet is maybe getting a Cabinet seat after re-election? I don't see how you go from Ambassador to President in modern politics.
The same was said about legislators just a few years ago. Let alone a Freshman Senator.
True, but at least it's understood what legislators do. I don't even get what ambassadors are really useful for in a world with instant global communications technology.
I really don't think you're going to ever replace ambassadors to other countries with two internet terminals for all official communication. Especially when you're trying to come to agreements that require persuasion and back-and-forth diplomacy.
Depends what position he takes after this. Hatch's term ends in 2012, when he'll be 78 and Bennett's up for re-election this cycle, so that's off the table. Were Hatch to retire, Huntsman would become a pretty dangerous Republican in 2016 as he could presumably win that seat easily. I doubt Hatch would retire though. Huntsman wouldn't go back to being Governor. So his best bet is maybe getting a Cabinet seat after re-election? I don't see how you go from Ambassador to President in modern politics.
The same was said about legislators just a few years ago. Let alone a Freshman Senator.
True, but at least it's understood what legislators do. I don't even get what ambassadors are really useful for in a world with instant global communications technology.
All the better for him, because now he gets to explain just how important and super awesome he is.
This was highly effective for Bill Richardson, after all.
Apparently this is I disagree with moniker day.
You forget, Bill Richardson was running against all stars. Huntsman would be running against Jindal and company.
A point, he'd also be competing for the votes of nutjobs who like Jindal and company. Though hopefully less of them in 7 years than there are today.
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GoslingLooking Up Soccer In Mongolia Right Now, ProbablyWatertown, WIRegistered Userregular
edited May 2009
You don't really go from Ambassador to President. There are really only a few positions that can launch serious runs:
*Vice President. The Cabinet can't make the jump anymore.
*Senator. NOT the House.
*Governor.
*Top military brass combined with at least one story that can be started in a deep-throated voice with the words "So there Ah wuzz..."
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HedgethornAssociate Professor of Historical Hobby HorsesIn the Lions' DenRegistered Userregular
Yeah, that's basically all I can figure. Makes sense, I suppose.
The man's spent a decent chunk of his life in Taiwan and Singapore (the former as a Mormon missionary, the latter as ambassador under Bush I). Maybe he decided that he really prefers life in Southeast Asia.
Also, an angle that hasn't been brought up here yet: Al Giordano thinks this is part of an effort by Obama to reach out to Mormons. They've been treated as second-class citizens by the GOP (especially by Evangelicals) for years; Giordano sees this as an overture to try to convince a few Mormons (in the now up-for-grabs Mountain West) that the Democratic party is willing to treat them as equals.
Thing is, though, if Obama is in fact trying to do that here, a major post like China is probably the only thing that would buy Huntsman out. A guy with Presidential ambitions is going to want a good, prestigious post if he's taking a buyout offer. If you offered to ship him off to Luxembourg, he'd laugh in your face and go back to forming his PAC. China? Now we're talking.
Thanatos, diplomatic posts aren't something you can use immediately to run off of, but they do serve as a nice addition to the resume when you are ready. Builds foreign policy cred.
And some of your fellow ambassadors are HUGE donors. Although that might not be much help for him with a bunch of DNC bigwigs.
Ambassador counts as an office. At worst he's lining himself up to be a natural running mate. Look at Bush the Greater. He went from Ambassador to the UN to Chairman of the RNC to Ambassador to China to Director of CIA to Veep to President. It isn't quite as direct as from the governor's mansion, but it's been done.
Didn't he want to be SecState, but got shut out because Donald Rumsfeld and Herbert Walker didn't see eye to eye when Rumsfeld was Ford's chief of staff?
Depends what position he takes after this. Hatch's term ends in 2012, when he'll be 78 and Bennett's up for re-election this cycle, so that's off the table.
All the better for him, because now he gets to explain just how important and super awesome he is.
This was highly effective for Bill Richardson, after all.
Exactly. Richardson did a horrible job explaining what he did, what the role of permanent representative to the UN is good for, and why he mattered. It's not like he did that well of a job using it to run for governor of New Mexico. He rode into town and said "Here I am, I have a shitton of Washington/DNC donors and am the most famous person running." And that's how he won. It was... It was Hillary's 2008 campaign against nobodies and a co-opted local press.
Seriously, Richardson's presidential run died in May 2007 after Tim Russert made him look like an empty-suited idiot for an hour on Meet the Press in part because he failed to explain what he did and why it mattered. It was so bad it ruined him as a lame duck governor because no one was afraid of him anymore. And being passed over for Commerce because he and his cronies are corrupt was kicking dirt in his face.
So that said, Huntsman's future goals would be helped tremendously if he doesn't fall on face when David Gregory has him on for the hour and asks him the same question.
You don't really go from Ambassador to President. There are really only a few positions that can launch serious runs:
*Vice President. The Cabinet can't make the jump anymore.
*Senator. NOT the House.
*Governor.
*Top military brass combined with at least one story that can be started in a deep-throated voice with the words "So there Ah wuzz..."
Historically, you're right. But I can't rule out anyone now. There are a lot of state and local officials who've seemed to make it their life's work to travel internationally and mingle with/within the National Conference of State Legislators or Mayors for, honestly, political gains. The high profile helps. It's always going to help. But I firmly believe that it is possible. Not now. Maybe ten, twenty years from now. When you see House members who aren't hopeless like Kucinich (God bless the guy, and I'd love to support him, but I can't). It's especially likely given the preponderance of incumbency protection in Congressional redistricting versus the fact that in a twenty-year career in state government a person could bounce through every branch and still develop national and international contacts/donors. I have no doubt that if they could build a brand name like Obama did, there are lower-tier politicians I know who could make a serious run.
Also, an angle that hasn't been brought up here yet: Al Giordano thinks this is part of an effort by Obama to reach out to Mormons. They've been treated as second-class citizens by the GOP (especially by Evangelicals) for years; Giordano sees this as an overture to try to convince a few Mormons (in the now up-for-grabs Mountain West) that the Democratic party is willing to treat them as equals.
I like that. They can point to Reid, some of the Udalls, and a lot of state/local politicos around here. It'd be stupid not to try, especially for a party pursuing the 50 State/Big Tent strategy. People can bitch all they want, but LDS members moved in force for Prop 8 in Cali, and they are a huge, untapped (for Dems) money source.
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HedgethornAssociate Professor of Historical Hobby HorsesIn the Lions' DenRegistered Userregular
Ford's situation can't be used in any sort of general rule. It's just too weird. Plus, he was the minority leader, and people who get into leadership positions in the House tend to stay there.
GoslingLooking Up Soccer In Mongolia Right Now, ProbablyWatertown, WIRegistered Userregular
edited May 2009
One more note about the Huntsman appointment. A long note, though.
It's pretty obvious that, while Huntsman is qualified for the position, it effectively puts him in a political cryogenic chamber for however long he holds down the post. And a Politico article on the subject notes that this is not the first time Obama has cherry-picked a Republican moderate that posed an obstruction or threat to the Dems in some way, noting that Huntsman was a month away from opening a PAC:
Huntsman may have had a difficult time winning the Republican nomination, given the conservative states that dominate the early primary calendar. But he surely would have had a prominent role in the battle for the Republican Party – a fact that didn’t go unnoticed by Obama’s high command, who for months have worked to spotlight their preferred opponents, including talk show host Rush Limbaugh and former Vice President Dick Cheney.
“It’s great politics,” said former Rep. Tom Davis, an outspoken moderate and shrewd political thinker. He noted the well-publicized move last month by a Michigan county Republican party to bar Huntsman from speaking because of his centrist views. “They kick Huntsman out telling him you’re not wanted, and Obama says you’re welcome here,” Davis said.
“It says in spades what is the problem with our party – we’re driving out the heretics, and they’re looking for converts.”
“There’s no doubt that they didn’t want to run against this kind of Republican,” said another top GOP strategist. “Now who are the faces of our party? Cheney, Sarah Palin, Newt [Gingrich] and Rush Limbaugh.”
With no obvious figure to step into the Republican middle-ground, the party is left dominated by a conservative wing that may be open to refining its message, but has little appetite to rebuild by moderating its policy positions.
Obama had long promised to include Republicans in his administration, and had earlier sought to mix a campaign promise with a more obvious political motive: tapping Sen. Judd Gregg (R-N.H.) as his Commerce Secretary and opening up a long-held GOP Senate seat in an increasingly blue state.
But even though Gregg had second thoughts about that appointment, White House officials kept looking for opportunities to score a two-fer.
In Huntsman, 49, they have an indisputably qualified official, somebody who speaks Mandarin Chinese and has already served as a top American trade official and as Ambassador to Singapore.
“It shores up their bipartisan bona fides and there’s no reason to think he’s not perfectly qualified for the job,” said veteran Democratic strategist Jim Jordan.
Crowed a top Democrat close to the White House: “It does check a lot of boxes pretty neatly doesn’t it?”
Since the transition, this White House has been engaged in picking off carefully targeted Republicans.
First, they appointed retiring Rep. Ray LaHood (R-IL) as Transportation Secretary, removing a potential gubernatorial or Senate contender from the moderate wing of the Illinois GOP.
Then it was Gregg.
And then, soon after his stimulus vote, veteran Pennslyvania Republican Sen. Arlen Specter became the object of an intense lobbying effort by Vice President Joe Biden to switch parties.
When he did last month, it put Senate Democrats on the threshold of a filibuster-proof 60-seat Senate majority.
But more broadly it helped Democrats drive a message about a Republican Party that had no room for moderates — something the White House believes the departure of Huntsman underscores, as well.
“When that party loses voices like Specter, like Huntsman, it narrows them,” said a senior White House official.
And this is not, in fact, the last time Obama might do this if he can locate another moderate he can flip. He has made a lot of ambassador appointments so far, but there are plenty of big-name countries up for grabs yet that would prove very attractive to someone. Among the countries still available:
Australia (this one traditionally goes to political appointees and Australia likes it that way)
Austria (the last career diplomat left the post in 1969)
Belgium (this one's proven to be something of a springboard)
Canada
France
Germany (Richard Holbrooke and Henry Cabot Lodge Jr. alumni here)
Holy See (Roman Catholics only)
India
Italy
Japan (this one has some star power to it- Walter Mondale, Tom Foley was a former Speaker of the House, Douglas MacArthur's nephew, etc.)
Mexico
Morocco
Netherlands
New Zealand (Carol Moseley Braun a recent name; also gets Samoa)
South Africa
Spain (also gets Andorra)
Sudan (though the last and only political appointee left in 1980; this is a delicate post)
Sweden
Switzerland (also gets Liechtenstein)
Syria
United Kingdom (not much star power since Charles Dawes, who left the post in 1931)
Venezuela
So he could do more of this.
Gosling on
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I don't think Huntsman will try as an ambassador. Maybe he plans to sign off as an ambassador after four years and spend the next four getting elected/serving as a freshman senator.
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GoslingLooking Up Soccer In Mongolia Right Now, ProbablyWatertown, WIRegistered Userregular
edited May 2009
There's always potential prominence. Halfway decent House candidates that pose a threat to Democratic incumbents, maybe. And this is to say nothing of names that catch Obama's eye later on when a desirable post opens up somewhere in the administration due to the previous appointee burning out or doing something stupid.
Gosling on
I have a new soccer blog The Minnow Tank. Reading it psychically kicks Sepp Blatter in the bean bag.
Also, an angle that hasn't been brought up here yet: Al Giordano thinks this is part of an effort by Obama to reach out to Mormons. They've been treated as second-class citizens by the GOP (especially by Evangelicals) for years; Giordano sees this as an overture to try to convince a few Mormons (in the now up-for-grabs Mountain West) that the Democratic party is willing to treat them as equals.
I like that. They can point to Reid, some of the Udalls, and a lot of state/local politicos around here. It'd be stupid not to try, especially for a party pursuing the 50 State/Big Tent strategy. People can bitch all they want, but LDS members moved in force for Prop 8 in Cali, and they are a huge, untapped (for Dems) money source.
I am sorry, no. Democratic Mormons are about as rare as Black or Gay Republicans, and are usually just as shunned by their peers.
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Though, I'm actually pretty surprised Huntsman would accept this. I'm not really sussing out what his angle on it could be; the political calculus doesn't seem to work out.
Thanatos, diplomatic posts aren't something you can use immediately to run off of, but they do serve as a nice addition to the resume when you are ready. Builds foreign policy cred. Obviously Huntsman doesn't have much of a prayer NOW, but maybe later on he can use this to help himself after the GOP's gotten back on its feet to some degree. In the meantime, he gets out of the way of the circular firing squad. He runs to China, keeps his head down for the worst of it, comes back after sanity has regained a foothold.
Here's a timeline. (To contrast, Bush went through seven UN ambassadors.)
Yeah, though for important posts I'd imagine the limiting factor is how long the person is willing to stay, since people tend to rarely screw the pouch that badly in high profile gigs. I was just wondering if anyone knew how long before people tended to burn out.
edit: And Gosling has what I was looking for. So he could conceivably stay until the 2016 primaries, if the republican party has started to sane up by then.
Plus his record stays clean pretty much right when State budgets are going to look horrific. Nobody would really want to be a Governor right now because you're the raise taxes and cut services guy. Now he's former Governor of Utah, Ambassador to China, and he'll probably round something else up administratively (maybe GOP Chair?) for the '16 primary.
Ambassador counts as an office. At worst he's lining himself up to be a natural running mate. Look at Bush the Greater. He went from Ambassador to the UN to Chairman of the RNC to Ambassador to China to Director of CIA to Veep to President. It isn't quite as direct as from the governor's mansion, but it's been done.
Finding a stable position out of the way of party politics is a pretty smart move at this point in time.
I know he's pro civil unions for gays and recognizes climate change as real, not sure about his other views, but yeah, that puts him way off to the left of most Republicans (and hell, Ben Nelson).
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The same was said about legislators just a few years ago. Let alone a Freshman Senator.
True, but at least it's understood what legislators do. I don't even get what ambassadors are really useful for in a world with instant global communications technology.
All the better for him, because now he gets to explain just how important and super awesome he is.
This was highly effective for Bill Richardson, after all.
Apparently this is I disagree with moniker day.
You forget, Bill Richardson was running against all stars. Huntsman would be running against Jindal and company.
I really don't think you're going to ever replace ambassadors to other countries with two internet terminals for all official communication. Especially when you're trying to come to agreements that require persuasion and back-and-forth diplomacy.
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A point, he'd also be competing for the votes of nutjobs who like Jindal and company. Though hopefully less of them in 7 years than there are today.
*Vice President. The Cabinet can't make the jump anymore.
*Senator. NOT the House.
*Governor.
*Top military brass combined with at least one story that can be started in a deep-throated voice with the words "So there Ah wuzz..."
The man's spent a decent chunk of his life in Taiwan and Singapore (the former as a Mormon missionary, the latter as ambassador under Bush I). Maybe he decided that he really prefers life in Southeast Asia.
Also, an angle that hasn't been brought up here yet: Al Giordano thinks this is part of an effort by Obama to reach out to Mormons. They've been treated as second-class citizens by the GOP (especially by Evangelicals) for years; Giordano sees this as an overture to try to convince a few Mormons (in the now up-for-grabs Mountain West) that the Democratic party is willing to treat them as equals.
Didn't he want to be SecState, but got shut out because Donald Rumsfeld and Herbert Walker didn't see eye to eye when Rumsfeld was Ford's chief of staff?
Utah's AG is going to fight him in the primary.
Exactly. Richardson did a horrible job explaining what he did, what the role of permanent representative to the UN is good for, and why he mattered. It's not like he did that well of a job using it to run for governor of New Mexico. He rode into town and said "Here I am, I have a shitton of Washington/DNC donors and am the most famous person running." And that's how he won. It was... It was Hillary's 2008 campaign against nobodies and a co-opted local press.
Seriously, Richardson's presidential run died in May 2007 after Tim Russert made him look like an empty-suited idiot for an hour on Meet the Press in part because he failed to explain what he did and why it mattered. It was so bad it ruined him as a lame duck governor because no one was afraid of him anymore. And being passed over for Commerce because he and his cronies are corrupt was kicking dirt in his face.
So that said, Huntsman's future goals would be helped tremendously if he doesn't fall on face when David Gregory has him on for the hour and asks him the same question.
Historically, you're right. But I can't rule out anyone now. There are a lot of state and local officials who've seemed to make it their life's work to travel internationally and mingle with/within the National Conference of State Legislators or Mayors for, honestly, political gains. The high profile helps. It's always going to help. But I firmly believe that it is possible. Not now. Maybe ten, twenty years from now. When you see House members who aren't hopeless like Kucinich (God bless the guy, and I'd love to support him, but I can't). It's especially likely given the preponderance of incumbency protection in Congressional redistricting versus the fact that in a twenty-year career in state government a person could bounce through every branch and still develop national and international contacts/donors. I have no doubt that if they could build a brand name like Obama did, there are lower-tier politicians I know who could make a serious run.
I like that. They can point to Reid, some of the Udalls, and a lot of state/local politicos around here. It'd be stupid not to try, especially for a party pursuing the 50 State/Big Tent strategy. People can bitch all they want, but LDS members moved in force for Prop 8 in Cali, and they are a huge, untapped (for Dems) money source.
Going from the House of Representatives to President in 10 months is unique, but (as you know) technically he did it via the Vice Presidency.
It's pretty obvious that, while Huntsman is qualified for the position, it effectively puts him in a political cryogenic chamber for however long he holds down the post. And a Politico article on the subject notes that this is not the first time Obama has cherry-picked a Republican moderate that posed an obstruction or threat to the Dems in some way, noting that Huntsman was a month away from opening a PAC:
And this is not, in fact, the last time Obama might do this if he can locate another moderate he can flip. He has made a lot of ambassador appointments so far, but there are plenty of big-name countries up for grabs yet that would prove very attractive to someone. Among the countries still available:
Australia (this one traditionally goes to political appointees and Australia likes it that way)
Austria (the last career diplomat left the post in 1969)
Belgium (this one's proven to be something of a springboard)
Canada
France
Germany (Richard Holbrooke and Henry Cabot Lodge Jr. alumni here)
Holy See (Roman Catholics only)
India
Italy
Japan (this one has some star power to it- Walter Mondale, Tom Foley was a former Speaker of the House, Douglas MacArthur's nephew, etc.)
Mexico
Morocco
Netherlands
New Zealand (Carol Moseley Braun a recent name; also gets Samoa)
South Africa
Spain (also gets Andorra)
Sudan (though the last and only political appointee left in 1980; this is a delicate post)
Sweden
Switzerland (also gets Liechtenstein)
Syria
United Kingdom (not much star power since Charles Dawes, who left the post in 1931)
Venezuela
So he could do more of this.
I am sorry, no. Democratic Mormons are about as rare as Black or Gay Republicans, and are usually just as shunned by their peers.