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Merrimack NH--On Monday evening, a visibly energized Jon Huntsman zeroed in on New Hampshire front-runner Mitt Romney and attacked him sharply, in a state where the former Utah governor has staked his entire presidential campaign.
With just 43 days left until the New Hampshire first-in-the-nation primary, Huntsman questioned Romney's ability to shake up Washington and Wall Street as president.
"Anyone who is in the hip pocket of Wall Street because of all the donations they are picking up, like Mr. Romney, is in these days is not going to be the change agent who is going to fix the too big to fail banking system," Huntsman told about 80 voters at a town hall-style meeting. This was his 110th public campaign stop in New Hampshire.
Huntsman also attempted to downplay the recent string of New Hampshire congressional endorsements Romney has received. Last week, the former Massachusetts governor won the support of Senator Kelly Ayotte and Rep. Charlie Bass, two of the three Republicans in the Granite State congressional delegation.
"You should be wary of any candidate who carries the endorsements of every member of Congress, because it means they're going to be a status quo president," Huntsman said.
At the same time, Huntsman said over the weekend that he is courting newspaper editorial board endorsements across the state, north to south. Yesterday Newt Gingrich received the influential support of the New Hampshire Union Leader, an endorsement that was not expected to go to Huntsman.
The former ambassador to China, who is currently polling at 8 percent in New Hampshire, also presented his own plan to shake up Washington: impose a lifetime ban on lobbying for members of Congress, tie salaries to performance, and impose term limits.
Huntsman vowed to cut the salaries of members of Congress "until they balance the damn budget."
In the final stretch to the January 10 primary, Huntsman says he is "jubilant" about where he stands among the candidates despite his single digit support.
"I want a sustained rise that is not fickle," Huntsman said, accompanied by his wife Mary Kaye. "You have to lay a substantive ground work here in NH...I don't want 15 minutes of fame."
Huntsman wraps up this campaign swing Thursday and will travel to South Carolina on Friday for more town hall meetings this weekend.
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Tonight's entertainment, the Mormon Troublemaker Choir
Forrest--you just made my day! A great way to start out--with a good laugh! But so true! I think this should be the quote of the month!
"We have met the enemy and he is us!" Pogo by Walt Kelly
Glad to hear you got a chuckle
I hope Ron Paul will run as an Independent along with 'the Donald' and Palin as it would serve the GOP right and continue this GOP circus to its proper end. I hope Huntsman will continue to assert himself more as an alternative to this circus also.
"I want a sustained rise that is not fickle," unlike Newt or Herman.
Wow!!! Jon Huntsman actually had about 80 people show up at an event. I think it is sad that this decent/intelligent canidate can not muster the support of the GOP. He is much more principled than all of the others running for president.
I quest that is the reason why he only achieved a single didget... Perhaps he should start focusing on Mitt, although that will help Gingrich at the present, if he continue as a front runner. However, he must get pass both Mitt and Gingrich to have change against President Obama. How can one run with the horseman, if you he can not keep up with the footsman?
He got 80 people to show up because he served free chicken.
Only 2 posts in over an hour ... time to say, "goodnight Jon-Boy." You seem to lack what a successful Republican needs: an empty head and a pant-full of peccadilloes. Be ballsy, lie about something. A bad reputation makes a person interesting and talked about.
He cant be bought and has sensible ideas ! Makes him NOT a republican "MOB" member !...speaking of the republican "MOB" i bet the Koch brothers are pissed off about "PIMP DADDY CAIN " ..All the millions they wasted trying to buy the presidency !
He pimped them and they were trying to pimp him.....That just goes to show how those two ( Koch Bros.) don't understand people of color at all just like the rest of the GOP and its supporters..They would love to use them because they think that is what the left does....But you see the left is of color for color and all working people and people who don't hate and have empathy and think progressively...The GOP will never again have a majority in the U.S....They are showing their true colors too much as of late ......
The Koch bros are more interested in controlling the states as a means to wield power over the minions. This GOP circus of theirs that they're funding is just a sideshow to throw us offtrack from their primary goal of winning more states. Let's take back our country by taking back our states - give support to Wisconsin's efforts to RECALL GOV. SCOTT WALKER!! A Koch bro clone.
Jon Huntsman is seriously underrated.
John Huntsman is a republican just like the rest he just lies instead of telling the truth....Anyone with any human decency would not associate with that party at all...The only way any of them could win would be to come out and say he is leaving that party...Which is what Gingrich is trying to do with his immagrant lies...He really doesn't care about anyone but hisself and that should be pretty obvious.....And narcisism is the GOP party line after all..." If you don't have a job blame yourself" *cheers* from the GOP crowds
Jon, unfortunately you should grab the 15 minutes. Think about running as a Democrat in 2016.
The line of attack doesn't strike me as effective. Romney will be a friend of Wall Street's because he's getting contributions from there? Not illogical an attack, but there is a kinda "so what's new?" factor with it.
The more damaging attack, I think, is the one obliquely launched by the Manchester paper that endorsed Gingrich, saying in effect that candidate doesn't say everything its editors want to hear, but that's better than a candidate who just says what he thinks they do want to hear. That strikes at the core of the Romney disdain - that he's plastic.
Here's one problem Gov. Huntsman has: he worked in the Reagan administration, and for both Presidents Bush, in part because his father is a big and influential Republican donor. When, exactly, did Gov. Huntsman decide that the party had taken a wrong turn? What did he do at the time? Where is his courage?
Huntsman has a bright future in the GOP, starting with a Cabinet position or another Ambassadorship under the new President in 2013.
Even though Huntsman is conservative on most issues, the lefties have adopted Huntsman as the supposed 'smart' Republican. It is not Jon's fault he is used as a moonbat talking point....
Huntsmans biggest problem is that he is an honest and decent and humanitarian person. Jerry Ford and Jimmy Carter lost re-election because of those traits. A pity that people like Newt, Mitt-pretty, preppie monikers-Michele and Herman rise to the top because of they make headline news. People love questionable mores and convictions. Some might say that the cream rises to the top, I kind of think more along the lines that poop floats.
Where's Waldo? I mean Obama? Lebanon and Israel trading missiles, the Federal Reserve loaning/giving trillions of newly printed "funny money" to domestic AND foreign banks and where's our so called "Leader?" Working on his cross over dribble? Obama dribbles as America burns!
time for you to go back to the hannity show or else your hero oreilly on fox spin for b.s.
There is alot of material to use against "Romulian Romney." The problem is where does one start?? Perhaps from the beginning?? Just a thought America!
The people of utah in February 2011, voted in a KSL News/Dan Jones poll 56% to 26% in favor of Mitt Romney for President over Jon Huntsman former governor of Utah. The people of Utah love Mitt Romney for saving the 2002 Winter Olympic games from financial mismanagement and scandle, and by putting on the best Olympic games ever, all while working for 2 years with no compensation. Jon Huntsman on the other hand is a RHINO (Republican in name only.) The reason Jon Huntsman likes to slander Mitt Romney is because Jon Huntsman with encouragement from his daddy wanted to be in charge of the Olympic games instead of Mitt Romney and was jealous as all get out. Oh, and last election cycle he endorsed loser John McCain another Rhino. A concerned voter.
all republican candidates are a bunch of losers or mental midgets
And hatemongers too I have noticed. Thanks for the lesson Rush!
Well, there goes freedom of religion.