Gov. John Huntsman of Utah has quietly been a rising star within the Republican Party. Some even say he would have been the perfect candidate to run against President Obama in 2012. But the crafty and politically savvy Mr. Obama extinguished all possibility of Gov. Huntsman becoming a challenger for the presidency by sending the rising Repub to China!
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Over the weekend, President Obama named Gov. Huntsman to the position of U.S. Envoy to China, effectively preventing him from any run for the White House in 2012. The popular moderate Republican Governor is fluent in Mandarin Chinese from his days serving as a Mormon missionary in Taiwan. He also has extensive experience in Asia, including serving as ambassador to Singapore under George H.W. Bush. But the Governor made it clear he understands the critical importance of the U.S. – China relationship, and also made it clear that if the President of the United States calls on you for help, you answer the call.
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With Huntsman in China, it will be physically impossible and politically unprecedented for him to run for president against the man who appointed him. But with his close friend Mitt Romney expected to run again in 2012 and at only 49 years of age, Huntsman can afford to wait his turn in line. Still, political pundits are already saying that if Mr. Obama serves two full terms, the high profile China position could give Huntsman a political boost to run in 2016. With the party attempting to remake its image, Huntsman has openly called on the GOP to become more inclusive if it wanted to attract new voters.
