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Subscribe to RSSHopkinton NH--GOP presidential hopeful Jon Huntsman chose to skip the Republican debate in Las Vegas tonight, but the former Utah governor had plenty to say about his rivals from a standing-room only town hall meeting across the country in New Hampshire.
"I was offered an invitation to a game show tonight," Huntsman quipped. "There will be sound bites, there will be talking points and there will be buzzers."
Huntsman wasted no time in reminding New Hampshire voters about the current front runners.
"Romney will likely be staying in the Trump Tower because he's already won the apprenticeship for the presidency created by Don Trump," Huntsman said to a packed town hall of more than 150 voters.
"I know my good friend Herman Cain will likely play the roulette wheel," he joked to laughter. "And he'll be focused on getting that ball on 9, 9, 9."
The former ambassador to China opted out of tonight's debate after declaring earlier this week he will boycott the Nevada caucuses, citing support for New Hampshire's status as the first-in-the-nation primary.
"I heard what happens in Las Vegas stays in Las Vegas," he said tonight. "What happens in New Hampshire impacts the world!"
Looking more comfortable with his stump speech than earlier appearances, Huntsman took a long series of voter questions and aggressively touted his position on keeping the Granite State first.
"Its the window through which the rest of the country views and gets to know the candidates for the presidency of the United States of America. There's a little bit of artificiality built into the other caucuses," said Huntsman, who remains polling in single digits nationally.
Last week, Huntsman's campaign alleged that Mitt Romney pressured Nevada to move its caucus date up to January 14. Today, the editorial board of the state's most prominent newspaper, the New Hampshire Union Leader, joined the chorus urging Romney to boycott Nevada.
Today, in a call to New Hampshire supporters, Romney sidestepped the issue.
“I respect the men and women of the state," Romney said. "I also respect and unequivocally support New Hampshire’s status as our country’s first primary.”
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Huh, I wonder if this Mitt Nevada-conspiracy has legs.
Paul M in Wbridge
Huh, I wonder if this Mitt Nevada-conspiracy has legs.
Wherever Mitt is involved you can bet there is a double face to go with his two legs.
What surprised me about this
debatedebacle was how it devolved into a shouting match. No one challenged Mitt or Perry touting being job creators.Romney's state ranked 47th in job creation while he was governor; not to mention that his Bain Capital gobbled up jobs and sent them abroad.
Perry was not challenged on the Government jobs he created with stimulus money.
True or not, I'll suggest this. If the charge sticks and ultimately results in Romney losing New Hampshire, he's done.
With questionable depth to his party support, he can't afford losing a gimme primary in a state where he's had name awareness since being governor next door - a state which probably doesn't have a lot of folks (unlike other states) who care much about the Mormon thing.
That's my prediction anyway. If Romney finds a way to seize defeat from the jaws of victory in New Hampshire, you'll immediately the air coming out of his already partially deflated tires. And the one thing I've heard clearly from New Hampshire is how much they care about being first... "but don't mess with our holidays."
If we want a good general election, Huntsman is the only Republican candidate that will give us one. If we want good debates between very smart people wanting the job of President, Huntsman must be your nominee. All the rest seem like clowns or are completely disengenuous. I don't subscribe to the NH must be first WHAAA WHAAA game at all but this guy seems to have some brains. A necessity to be the leader of the free world.
Huntsman, I agree. As to the question of NH being first in the nation primary, that's the way it's been since 1831. Just a long standing tradition.
AnaBanana
You took the words out of my mouth. Huntsman, despite his humor is the most serious contender.
it's time to stop listening to the what the 'reality' show main-stream (I must say, media) shows are dictating and listen to what Huntsman has to say that can and will make a difference.