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LONDONDERRY, N.H. -- Jon Huntsman missed the Republican debate in Iowa Saturday night and, frankly, he didn't seem to care.
Remaining unabashedly confident that he has a shot at the GOP presidential nomination despite a one-state strategy and single-digit poll numbers, the former Utah governor deployed sharp language in a town hall-style meeting with voters during which he bashed Mitt Romney and Donald Trump and declared that all he needs to win is New Hampshire.
Huntsman was not invited to the ABC News-Des Moines Register-Iowa GOP debate because he did meet the minimum 5-percent support required in either a national or Iowa poll. Huntsman is focused exclusively in New Hampshire after rolling back a multi-state strategy this fall. He has never campaigned in Iowa.
"They're engaging in another evening of theatrics and game show-like discussions," Huntsman said ahead of Saturday night's GOP debate, after speaking to more than 150 voters at Londonderry High School. "We're here on the ground in New Hampshire talking real issues with real voters. I feel we are exactly where we ought to be, this is what needs to be done. We're doing the New Hampshire primary."
This is the second national debate that Huntsman has missed since he entered the race. Yet again, he replaced the missed opportunity with a simultaneous New Hampshire campaign event. Earlier this fall, Huntsman boycotted a Republican debate in Las Vegas in order to show solidarity with the New Hampshire's status as the first-in-the-nation primary. In lieu of Nevada, he took questions from voters in Hopkinton. Later, the Nevada state GOP moved its contest to a later date after pressure from the national Republican party leadership.
Huntsman joked he may not tune into the debate at all.
"I can't make any promises, it depends on if Curb Your Enthusiasm is on at the same time," he told reporters.
In a standard stump speech covering a variety of domestic and international issues, Huntsman repeatedly called for substantive dialogue in a race that has seen more than a dozen debates televised and half a dozen front-runners. The upcoming December 27 NewsMax debate, hosted by Donald Trump, was his latest example.
"We were the first to say we wouldn't do it. I got attacked by Mr. Trump and we attacked him back. I simply said to him, 'If Trump had any cojones, you would be in this race and not trying to manipulate it from the sideline,'" he told a packed auditorium.
"Then, of course five days later, Mr. Romney made his decision after carefully evaluating the environments," Huntsman said, needling the former Massachusetts governor's decision time to laughter and applause.
So far, all candidates have declined Trump's invitation, except for Rick Santorum and Newt Gingrich who committed to the event.
But it won't be long before Huntsman faces off in another debate of his own. On Monday, Huntsman meets former House Speaker Newt Gingrich for a one-on-one Lincoln-Douglas style forum at Saint Anselm College in New Hampshire.
"I think having a substantive debate with Newt Gingrich on Monday is the kind of thing that we should be doing. Delving into the issues in an unedited fashion and primarily giving people of this early state a little sense of what we believe and where we're going to take this country," Huntsman said.
The former Ambassador to China holds the most direct and diverse set of foreign policy credentials in the GOP field, but said on Saturday that he is not fully informed of Gingrich's positions on major foreign policy issues.
"I don't know where his policies lie," Huntsman told reporters. "He's been a little back-and-forth on Libya. He's been a little back-and-forth on Afghanistan. He's been a little back-and-forth on Russia with respect to Putin. But we'll see. I don't yet understand his fully developed foreign policy."
As for future bilateral debates with other rivals, Huntsman and his campaign say they welcome a face-off with the rest of the field.
"We try to bring in anyone who wanted to engage in a smaller forum, a more intimate setting with kind of a wide open format. And Newt was the only one who was willing to do that," Huntsman told NBC News on Saturday.
When asked if the Huntsman campaign had challenged New Hampshire frontrunner Mitt Romney to a similar debate, Huntsman said he would be open to arranging an opportunity for a verbal spar.
"I am in this race because I fundamentally feel the American people are getting screwed," he told voters Saturday evening.
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I'll never get to vote for him, but I think Huntsman would be an excellent choice for president. He can see both sides of the isle and maybe he can get congress to work for the good of the country rather then some partisan advantage.
Must be a pretty small isle...
Jon Huntsman likes Curb Your Enthusiasm.....he gets points for that.
Draft Jon Huntsman on Americans Elect!
Watching Huntsman debate Gingrich on foreign policy will be very interesting. Huntsman knows what he is talking about while Gingrich knows which pressure groups to please.
I like Huntsman, he would probably have my vote, fat chance that will happen, thanks Tea Party.
Jon does know a thing or two about foreign policy issues and he has a successful record as Utah's Governor
BUT I question his ability to address all the complex issues facing our country , and being able to Get the things done that we need to get done ,
BUT He will be better than obama
Jon, its unfortunate that it seems you have a snowballs chance in hell to make it - but if you pulled it off I know alot of people that can't wait to pull the lever on your name in the voting booth. Stick it out man!
HUNTSMAN 2012
Disappointed with Huntsman's use of less than savory language in NH. This was an apparent attempt to prove he could slug with the best/worst the GOP is serving up this election cycle. Those commentators opining that Newt was making a play to be the chief hater of those who hate Obama are really on to something. This open hatred of the president can not be explained away by his policies, which to his supporters in '08 have been too timid and not aggressive enough, leaving only an undercurrent of racism as an explanation. This is even more plausible when commentators say this election is about "anyone but Obama"! How rational is that statement following a complete (and justified in my opinion) trashing of the GOP "wannabes" by these same naysayers who simply can not accept the true plight of the country following the Bush years. When the opposition openly states they will not help solve the problems of our country if it in any way reflects favorably on the president, no one can successfully lead. And if the GOP gains control of our government, they will follow their tried and true "cut taxes and reduce the ability of our government to function" approach which brought us to this point.
He's too smart to be a Republican. Perhaps it's because he's from Utah...
You currently have "Huntsman was not invited to the ABC News-Des Moines Register-Iowa GOP debate because he did meet the minimum 5-percent support required..." in the text. I think you meant that he did not meet the minimum.
Meeting the minimum seems to be the criterion for not doing the Trump debate. ;)
I am liberal on somethings and conservative on others.
When it comes to electability he cannot overcome his issues with National Security (my conservative side), and he has a huge issue with the Bankruptcy suggestion. I am close to retirement age and there are lots of us out there, he doesn't want to give us the money WE have put into Social Security
Lots of people think or national debt issue is to foreign countries, once they realize most of America's debt is to Social Security and similar American debt he won't stand a chance.
As far as Obamacare I think we NEED to take care of the poor.
Two of my four kids have jobs that don't offer health care. A year ago both needed medical care, my son also needed a ear specialist. Both work, but as they are starting out they have no money. I had to pay their bill - so YA I am in favor of health care for all (my liberal side).
I'm usually pretty good at putting my posts where I am aiming. Not so good on this one, I was speaking about Paul in response to #23.5
I'll try to re-post there sorry for any confusion.
John Huntsman is the repubs best choice. Too bad repubs they can't see this, they'd rather have someone full of hatred for Obama.
Obama/Biden 2012 ( 4 more years)