E-mail updates
Follow on Twitter
Subscribe to RSSA White House aide confirms to First Read that U.S. Ambassador to China Jon Huntsman -- the former governor of Utah -- has sent a letter to President Obama, informing him that he will resign his post.
It is now widely expected that Huntsman, a Republican, will consider running for the 2012 GOP presidential nomination.
Politico reports that Huntsman says in the letter he wants to return to the United States by May. More from Politico: "The letter thanks Obama for the opportunity to serve the country and praises the U.S. embassy staff in Beijing."
Leave a Comment:
A problem for Obama. But also a sign of weakness for the GOP field. They have to go all the way to China (and into Obama's administration) to get a top drawer candidate. Still, not a happy day in the West Wing I imagine.
As if they need another nobody to show up
Spiderdude, So many from the GOP side are deciding to run now, because it is in part that Obama is looking like a 1 term president. Take a look, the failed administration is now switching gears and trying to run more towards the middle, abandoning its hard core liberal ideals. Obama is also trying to act like Ronald Reagan with the same vision, but without his job creating policies. Now the GOP figures with the failed Stimulus, failed Health Care, and high job loss that the next election will be a cake walk!! Liberals and unions are also going to get upset with Obamas shift to the middle. Obama will have a real hard time next election. What can Obama say to get the votes? What has he done to help people get back on their feet? Not much, he can talk like Reagan, but he has no results to show like Reagan!! Don't forget that when he ran for president, he blamed Bush for a out of control spending in Washington, the GOP is now going to turn his own tactics back on him, Obama showed the GOP how to play the blame game to win elections! Obama will have to do some real smooth talking to cover up his failed administration. Wait, he got rid of most of them in the last few months, but he is still left, and most of the voters will not fall for his run to the middle!!! REMEMBER, HIS BIG LIBERAL GOVERNMENT DID NOT WORK TO CREATE LONG TERM JOBS!!! Here comes the liberal to defend Obama with their non-government web sites and made up facts!!! It will not work, to many people are still job hunting and they will not give Obama a second chance.
The Good Old Boys of the GOP, just spokeup.
Mitt Who?
Sarah Who?
Tim Who?
Mike Who?
The Suspense builds!
What's being overlooked is Huntsman served under President Obama...
That will go over like a 'fart in church' with the tea baggers! lol
You BETCHA! ;o)
I have been a staunch Obama supporter, even though I live in the reddest state in America. I live in Utah and Jon Huntsman was the very best governor we have ever had. He did more for our state than anyone else I can remember. (I'm 57 so I've been around a little while) It will be a very smart move of the GOP to nominate Ambassador Huntsman as thier presidentual candidate. The test will be who he taps as his VP.
Red Maple - The bigger question is, will Palin offer Huntsman the VP slot for knocking Romney out of the race? She is the biggest winner here. Huntsman is just here stalking horse.
This could just be as simple as...he's seen the underhanded crap going on, can read the writting on the wall, and his conscience demands that he not be a part of it. Maple sounds as if this guy is truely a "good guy", so I say good for him.
wow! That guy must figure he's got lots of name recognition. Not!! Still, the NRA will be pleased, if only because of his last name. LOL and long.
Jon Huntsman. Name sounds familiar. I think he used to be the golf pro at the country club. Or maybe the head of the Shade Tree committee? Or was he that Ambassador guy? Hmmmm. Can't quite place him.
sounds about the same as obama in 2008. I kept thinking osama who??
Isn't he the guy that saved Snow White?
He's got my vote!! I am surprised he would considering running. He doesn't have what most people that run for office have. He hasn't been caught in a lie, cheated on his taxes or his wife, he hasn't given up on his personal standards.
I don't know if he has a chance to compete with the cheaters, lairs and thieves that are in politics today.
Drivel. We are not voting for sainthood, we are picking the person who has the capacity to restore a viable middle class in this country. And that is not Huntsman or any other republican.
And we would listen to your drivel after you voted in the worst president we have had since Washington.
why settle for middle of the road? That is the problem with Americans today and why we are getting our ass handed to us with imports and productivity. Are you saying we all should strive to be middle class citizens? We all should be striving, working, planning to get into the upper class. Come, follow me!
Laugh all you want, Demojackals -- Huntsman is going to be serious trouble as a moderate Republican with executive cred and foreign policy chops to boot, thanks to Obama. As for lack of name recog, you seem to forget that to most of the Joes and Janes out there, it was "Barry who?" in 2007.
Huntsman will not have a problem with democrats, because long before they even have a chance to speak on the issue the republicanjackals ( see how cleaver that was?not!!) will have defeated him in the primaries.
it really dosen't matter. this is a hail mary. unless the econy really tanks even more no GOP candidate can win. the day's of the republicans winning anything other then the house are over.
Truth makes a great point, "barry who?" What experience does this a-hole really have, really??? He's a fantastic speaker, but he can't even do that without the teleprompter. He probably doesn't even understand half the crap he reads off of it anyway. I'm waiting for someone to hack into the feed and put up a line of rediculous stuff and see how much of it he reads before he stops. So, in the end, he's a delivery man. Pehaps he should just be getting coffee for congressional upper-classmen.
Roscoe. Your racism is showing.
Roscoe, if you're gonna back a candidate who believes that a man with 30 underage wives was "the first Christian," then maybe you should come up with a better Obama bashing line than the your idiotic birther theory that "Muslims-went-back-in-time-to-plant-a-birth-announcement-in-a-Hawaii-newspaper."
If you want to put Obama's theoritical religious beliefs against Huntman's STATED religious belief, then by all means. Magic underwear, polygamy, 14-year-old age of consent in Idaho for girls, etc... If Huntsman genuinely believes Joseph Smith, with his 90 wives, was the "one true God," then I'm not too worried he'll end up being the next President.
Patrick, sorry, you don't get to play the race card today. I was going off what some cogressional democrats said about obummer some time ago, Clinton maybe, can't remember. The statement that was made was something to this effect, " a few years ago this jr. senator would be getting us coffee". And as far as ME being racist, BS. I'd vote for Condi Rice any day of the week, its politics bozo.
DJ, with all due respect, I wasn't promoting Huntsman what so ever. I was mearly making an obsevation about a possible reason for his resignation. I don't know enough about this one to like him, yet. As far as you're nutty muslim time travel comment, you must not have gotten what I said. A person who is born in America, and GROWS UP here...is more of an American that someone who was popped out in country, and raised somewhere else.
Nice try though
I'm glad he's resigning his post. The last person we need in China is a 'US Spokesman' who is speaking out against our President. He was a lousy choice then for ambassador, and he'll be a lousy choice in 2012.
Definition of AMBASSADOR
1
: an official envoy; especially : a diplomatic agent of the highest rank accredited to a foreign government or sovereign as the resident representative of his or her own government or sovereign or appointed for a special and often temporary diplomatic assignment
Personal ego trumps representation... Geez... Must be a Republican...
Does anyone think a mormon will survive the republican primaries?
Romney never made it too far and Huntsman is even more of a temple spokesmodel. The South Carolina, Alabama, Mississippi, Georgia baptists don't think too much of the LDS doctrine what with its Angels in America, gold tablets and modern day prophets. And the religious blacks remember it wasn't that long ago they were excluded from that particular church.
Here in nutty AZ, we elect lots of them (and I like Huntsman better than any of the other candidates) but I don't think he can carry the republican party let alone the rest of the country.
According to several polls, Americans would have a harder time electing a Mormon than they would either a gay man, or an Atheist.
I haven't figured out yet why progressives think Democrats are the party of the middle class. They have done nothing in two years to turn around the economy, lower unemployment or get small business moving. Well done speeches and nothing accomplished good for the country as a whole. You left wingers know this or your comments wouldn't be so vile. Embarassment, no doubt, over your wasted vote two years ago.
I don't care what president has an affair. I care that a President would invade our constitutional rights. Let us be certain to never vote for anyone who wants to do that. That includes Obama and all those that supported such stupidity. The constitution not only protects our generation but generations to come. How could anyone be so short sighted?
Then I presume you would not have voted for Bush and the PATRIOT Act?
The Republicans lack leadership. They have scared away reasonable men with their nonsensical positions that try to appeal to the right wing of their own party instead of sticking with their base. They have far too many social issues attached to their political agenda. As a result they have a loose group of minority positions that don't add up to anything, and their leadership does not have the balls to take a real position on anything--hence NO is the standard answer to everything, it is really the only answer they have. They are so use to flip flopping around in an effort to gain political advantage that they now have no positions or leader that anyone can believe are for real. The right wing of the Republican Party has lead the party right over the cliff into oblivion. You cannot lead the people anywhere if your only lantern is a big NO.
I wonder if Palin hasn't offered Huntsman the VP slot. With 65% of Republicans saying they would NEVER vote for a Mormon, adding another to the race effectively ends Romney's run. It's not gonna help Huntsman win the nom, either, since one Mormon was a hard enough issue. (Trust me, Evangelicals HATE Mormons, and do NOT consider them to be Christians)
This is horrible news for Romney. His fundraising will dry up, and he has no chance of winning Nevada now. That honor will go to either Palin or Huckabee, whichever one wins Iowa and locks up the nomination. The Huntsman family is more revered in LDS theocracy. I wouldn't be surprised if Salt Lake forces Romney to end his run, since the Huntsman family will have more power in the Celestial Kingdom. By the edicts of the LDS church, if Huntsman tells Romney to drop out, he will have to, or face excommunication, and not be able to see his wife or children or father in the Celestial Kingdom.
Sir, where do you get your story from? Looks like some motives speak much lowder than any facts...
Do you hold some grudge against Mormons? Here in Europe their are really good people, respected and more than tolerated. Is that more difficult in the US?
Hillarious lefthand lunatics try and analyze the republican party. Why don't you try and make some sense out of your own party. You know the party that is taking us to bankruptcy. 50% of the population does not even pay income taxes and you fools think the other 50% is going to support everybody. If just 5% of that 50% who is paying taxes says the hell with you. This country crumbles like a dried out cookie. You people are insane.
Jim, the party that took us into bankruptcy was YOURS during the Cheney/Bush administration. Only the truly deluded think otherwise.
Well written James. I used to be a Republican in the days that they were fiscally conservative and socially libertarian. When they morphed into the Puritans, I quit voting for them. It is highly illustrative that the House Republicans are trying to force their social agenda on everyone AGAIN instead of concentrating on jobs. The paradox of their childish demand "get the Federal Government off our backs" with their efforts to force their theological views on everyone is tiresome.
To put it simply, Huntsman is Sarah Palin's stalking horse. He's there to take Romney down, nothing else.
What you wrote is interesting D.J. Garry Boldwater. I, too wonder if a Mormon can make it through the "holier than thou" Republican primaries. Would love to see a Palin/Huntsman ticket. It would be entertaining.
Newday,
A Morman doesn't stand a chance with Evangelicals. They have been taught that the Mormon Church of Latter Day Saints is "of the devil", that Mormon's don't really believe in God, etc. They consider the LDS a perversion of the one true religion, their own. The Tea Party is comprised of a lot of Evangelicals as is the current Republican Party, especially its less affluent continguent. The Republicans have adopted too many divisive issues and have too many equally divisive canidates. They will not be able to sort thru this morass in time to mount a serious canidate for President, provide a clear plank to run on, and satisfy all these contentious issues. Their stance on Gays, Abortion, Healthcare, Big Government, Trickle Down Economics, etc, are all being runover by history itself while they fail to come up with any new ideas. If History keeps proving you wrong, who is there to prove you right? You cannot run against success. It is time for the Republican Party to wipe their slate clean, find a real charismatic leader amongst them, and back pragmatic new solutions that the public can believe will actually work.
Interesting response Merc8. I did not know that Evangelicals were taught that. If so, it is going to be an interesting primary.
In an earlier thread, I commented that John Huntsman would be better served to run for President in 2016 rather than 2012. He has decided otherwise. I do not criticize him for leaving his post in China. He likely wants to return to the United States, can't blame him for that. I did forget that in the republican party, those who lose often become the frontrunner for the next presidential campaign ala John McCain, Mitt Romney. My thinking is that Huntsman is a moderate, a Morman, worked for the Obama administration all strikes against him especially in today's angry Tea Party environment coupled with Club for Growth's purity tests. I think Mr. Huntsman would do well for himself by sitting out what is likely to be a very nasty 2012 primary battle for who can be the most pure.
Jody - but the Mormon vote is now gone to Romney. The Huntsman's are high up in LDS leadership, and it's unlikely if Romney could even remain a member of the church if he continues to run.
How long before one of Romney's children endorses Huntsman? And if Romney has a problem with that, he will lose his Presthood-holder status, and will probably go to his eldest son, or whichever son is the first to endorse Huntsman. If Romney loses his Priesthood position in the family, not only will he not be able to see any of his family in the Celesrial Kingdom, in the eyes of the LDS church, his marriage will be null & void, and his children will be bastards.
Really, wow! Had no idea it worked like that.
Then obviously you don't know many Mormons, or little about their beliefs or the way the Church is run. Utah and Idaho are theocratic states.
I myself, grew up in Missouri. Westport, KC, near the Plaza, is where Mormons believe the Garden of Eden was at. If the Huntsman family tells Romney to drop out, or lose his famiy Priesthood position, he will do it.
And if Mormons are more unelectable in America than gay men or Atheists (according to several polls), then 2 of them in the race essentially cancels the other out. I kinda doubt the Evangelical-Supremacist wing of the party will support Huntsman or Romney, since they believe Joseph Smith was the world's first Christian. (That's right, the Mormons don't even consider Jesus and his Apostles to be Christians)
I am only familiar with one Mormon, the creature that moved into my mother's house when she was dying, after a lifelong affair with my "dad". If that is a sample of their morality, I have no use for them.
Huntsman/someone from the northeast or Romney/someone from the south or west
newday: You say Bush/Cheney got us here in 8 years. You have to be kidding. The democrats have been in charge 38 of the last 50 years. Get a grip. It still does not matter how or why we are here. We are. Like I said if just 5% of that 50% paying taxes bails this country is toast. All the democratic entitlements are going to sink us plain and simple. Yes I feel compassion for the needy. But friend, I can't carry all of them.
Don't rewrite history Jim. The fact is that the Cheney/Bush (and do write that properly) had a surplus when they came into office. They went through it in an eye blink. Our current situation is due to two unfunded wars, one of which they lied about, and deregulation. Quit watching Fox "News" and pick up a book.
Do you remember in one of the 2000 debates, when Bush MOCKED Gore for saying the surplus should go to paying down the deficit? Bush said, "This is America's money... and we intend to SPEND IT!!!" And boy, did he!
Yep, and faster than one would think possible.
newday: It's you who needs a book. Other than your sarcasm it is Bush/Cheney. The surplus you speak of was not much different than the unfunded wars. Clinton was not adding in the cost of SS going out to create the illusion of a surplus. Games can be played with almost any accounting sheet. You say lies led us into the one war. Funny, I remember the majority of the democrats voted for that. Not only that but I also remember Clinton backing Bush up saying he had seen the same intelligence. Hind-sight is always a great lie in and of it-self. As you may notice I'm posting here. Yes I read Fox news, MSNBC, CNN, NYT and all the others. I certainly don't think I have the answers to the problems this country faces. Nor have I offered any. I'm just stating a fact. 50% of the population can not carry the other 50% given the entitlements the democrats are handing out. Even a small % of a tax rebellion at this point could cripple this country and I don't care how we got here. Why don't you just steal everything from the 50% who are paying and throw all of us in prison. I can assure you this country will collapse in 1 year.
We ARE stealing from the people paying Jim, the middle class. I can assure you that this nation WILL collapse if it continues. You cannot continue to remove taxes from the upper 2% and add that burden to the people that carry the nation, the middle class. If you do not have a functioning middle class, that sees its way clear to be upwardly mobile, and one that the poorer classes can see their way into, this society will end. You are repeating the Fox News talking points, and it is you and all of you who listen to that claptrap that are responsible for this current debacle. It isn't Social Security and Medicare that are killing this country, and your remarkable and false statement about Social Security does not make that surplus less real. Here is the difference: Clinton didn't go to war on a rumor, Bush used it as an excuse to get into Iraq. HE LIED! And you believing that lie and the excuses do not make that this true. Have you been paying attention to the news?
Egypt is in total revolt. Why? Simply this, the rich classes are prospering, there is no functioning middle class and the poor are becoming poorer. Could that happen here. Sure. Happens in every nation where the rich rule. Now. READ A BOOK AND TURN OFF FOX "NEWS".
newday: You offer nothing as a solution. Flat tax. National sales tax. You tell all of us who don't have the mental capacity as you how to solve the problems. The rich rule every country. The democratic elite want to rule this country. They offer nothing except exempting themselves from the laws they want the rest of us to follow. Our congress says their average annual salary is 175k. Give me a break. On top of that 3 million for their offices and staff. Obama raised almost 800 billion dollars for his campaign. He said he would take "public funding" then went private. A bold faced lie. Most of the money cannot even be traced and since it is private there are no laws to force auditing. Reid spent 30 million to get re-elected in a state of only 3 million people. Pelosi took trips on airforce jets 43 times last year to the tune of 15 million tax dollars. Obama and family have gone through 100 million or more for his trips and vacations. Heck I've lost count of how many trips he has taken. His whole presidency has been a continuing campaign. Obama said if we let him blow 800 billion we would not see over 8% unemployement. We are at 9.7% roughly. He has increased the debt more than any president in history. Yet you say it's Bush's fault. You are a living example of what our public schools have become.
Really? And yet you have no answer to Bush spending the surplus into the tank. As to the flat tax....that is a gimmick for the rich to preserve what they make at the expense of everyone else. Who pays more of their wages, Jim, a poor person taxed at 15% of their income, or the rich with the same tax? Your problem is that you hate President Obama, (why is that, because he is democratic or black?) and no matter what Cheney/Bush did to destroy this country, you want to pass the blame on to him. By the way, I am taxed at the top rates. I am not poor, but I have some investment into loyalty to country. I am happy that I have the money to pay, and the country to support. I do see the need for safety nets for those who don't. How about you?
Well 1st off a flat tax or national sales tax is not really a gimmick. Eliminate the write offs and the rich will pay more. I think anyone can tell you regardless of the rate if you give them loop-holes to get around the rate it makes the rate meaningless. I think hate is a bit much for how I feel about Obama. I don't like a liar regardless. The transparency he promised is not there. He has circumvented our congress by going the regulation route with his CZARs. And I personally don't see any improvement to our economy after him trippling the debt. If you are all for supporting this country why have you and your rich friends not been paying in more. No law has prevented you from doing so. All of the liberal elite wants to tell everyone else what they need to do but, exempt themselves. I don't know about others but my mother taught me to look both ways before I cross the street. It does not matter if it is republicans or democrats if you get ran over you are still ran over. Right now the democrats are running us into the dirt.
Good try Jim, no bronze ring. There is no effort by the Democrats to run us into the dirt. That was done by YOUR bunch of thieves, a rape they continue to this day. I did ask you a question that you avoided. We have certain duties as citizens of this country, one of which is to pay for the benefits we receive through taxation. I am willing to pay my share. Why are you not willing to pay yours?
By the way, did you object to "Czars" when Bush was using them? Or is it just now that we have a Democratic Black President?
After reading all of the comments above, it is clear to me that America is delusional. You really think any political candidate is going to make any "Real" change? Democrat, Republican, Independent, it does not matter. No politician has the skill set to solve the problems that we have in the world today. As long as corruption has not been put into check, there will be no change, no better day for any American citizen. The Monetary System we live under dictates that. When corporations become the government, that is the beginning of Fascism. That is right people, while you debate who's political party you think is better like rival sport teams, these greedy bastards in Washington and their corporate and financial buddies are planning their next move to take away the rights of the American citizen. You see, it supports their "Profit Motive." That is their "Bottom Line." Corruption, Planned Obsolescence, Political Hits, Scarcity, it all serves the Profit Motive. And every politician is on the take from it and that is why it all is allowed to continue. Our system is going to collapse because it would take taxes of levels reaching 65% of Americans salaries for the next 150 years to pay off the national debt. This is not sustainable, and is the new form of slavery. Debt and money, which are essentially not real, are creating fake debt from fake money, and charging people with real labor to pay of fake debt created by fake money. This is the biggest Ponzi Scheme in the history of the world. And you are all addicts to it, and you kill yourselves and each other over it every day. You are all asleep, and you had better wake up, before it is too late. That hour is rapidly approaching, so all of you better open your eyes.
To quote the artist Thievery Corporation on our current economic state:
"The toil of the many go, to the fortunate few."
After reading all of the comments above, it is clear to me that America is delusional. You really think any political candidate is going to make any "Real" change? Democrat, Republican, Independent, it does not matter. No politician has the skill set to solve the problems that we have in the world today. As long as corruption has not been put into check, there will be no change, no better day for any American citizen. The Monetary System we live under dictates that. When corporations become the government, that is the beginning of Fascism. That is right people, while you debate who's political party you think is better like rival sport teams, these greedy bastards in Washington and their corporate and financial buddies are planning their next move to take away the rights of the American citizen. You see, it supports their "Profit Motive." That is their "Bottom Line." Corruption, Planned Obsolescence, Political Hits, Scarcity, it all serves the Profit Motive. And every politician is on the take from it and that is why it all is allowed to continue. Our system is going to collapse because it would take taxes of levels reaching 65% of Americans salaries for the next 150 years to pay off the national debt. This is not sustainable, and is the new form of slavery. Debt and money, which are essentially not real, are creating fake debt from fake money, and charging people with real labor to pay off fake debt created by fake money. This is the biggest Ponzi Scheme in the history of the world. And you are all addicts to it, and you kill yourselves and each other over it every day. You are all asleep, and you had better wake up, before it is too late. That hour is rapidly approaching, so all of you better open your eyes.
To quote the artist Thievery Corporation on our current economic state:
"The toil of the many go, to the fortunate few."