Behind the Huntsman Appointment
So what’s behind the appointment of Jon Huntsman as ambassador to China? Why would the popular Utah governor accept the position, especially considering the fact that many saw him as a good potential challenger of President Obama in 2012?
Mitt Romney is technically the frontrunner for the GOP presidential nomination in 2012. He’s got the money, a national organization, and the on-camera talent and political experience to handle the national spotlight. Ideologically, his positions line up pretty perfectly with the conservative GOP platform. If any Republican “deserves” it for having paid his dues loyally to the party, it’s Mitt. And yet it’s extremely unlikely that the said GOP base – we’re talking mainly white Southern Baptists here – is going to get over its Mormonphobia in just three years enough to make that possible.
The appointment of Huntsman is thus, politically, a slam dunk. When GOP primary voters inevitably reject Romney once again in the 2012 primaries and caucuses outside of the Mountain West, the resentment – already boiling after last year’s adventures in presidential politics – among rank-and-file Mormons that the party to whom they’ve given so much still doesn’t really want them in the Master’s house rather than the servant’s quarters, will sting. Meanwhile, another of their prominent citizens will likely still be Obama’s man in Beijing, proof that somebody in American politics isn’t dissing the LDS and its members. And in key swing states like Nevada and Colorado, LDS members are legion.
I think that this is indeed a very real danger for the Republican Party.
Although the author is right to point out that these were certainly reasons for the appointment and Huntman’s acceptance – he may believe he cannot win his party’s nomination because of his religion and because Romney is better known than he is and has a major national machine to help him win elections – I think that it is about more than just the Mormon vote for the White House.
It is called divide and conquer. Obama is trying to divide the Republican Party. He is attacking certain specific Republicans and kinds of conservatives, but treats others with respect, even appreciation. He is playing Republicans out against each other and, as Huntsman proves, he is getting away with it. For now, and only to a degree at least.
“He is playing Republicans out against each other and, as Huntsman proves, he is getting away with it. For now, and only to a degree at least.”
He’s a chilly chilly optimist, and that stings his opponents and sometimes his supporters. Also, if there is this kind of weakness among republicans – religious tribalism and relying on the votes of people you don’t really respect – then conservatives don’t have much to gain by trying to prevent Obama from “getting away with” taking advantage. One of the reasons democrats lacked a big tent in the past was that they diversified too much and minorities stopped expecting democrats to come through after being voted for. Now republicans face the same dynamic.
As an LDS, I can confirm that I definetely wasn’t feeling the love from Republicans during the primaries, but I don’t think we’ll see a mass exodus to the fens anytime soon. I’d be a fool to believe they wouldn’t discard me even faster than the republicans when I ceased to he of use. Just look at the yes on prop 8 campaign.
In any case, even if you are right that some Mormons will be won over, I don’t see any sign that that was Obama’s motive. From what I can tell, huntsman is qualified. And couldn’t you make the same argument about Harry Reid? Was he chosen by his colleagues in order to draw away Mormons?
Sorry, that should have been “the no on 8 campaign” of course. And sorry for the typing mistakes. iPhone auto-correct is good, but imperfect.