Huntsman Walks the Plank
Well- one day after I labeled Jon Huntsman Jr. pretentious for his regular and random use of Mandarin on the campaign trail, he drops out. Coincidence? I think not.
Jokes aside, Huntsman's departure is surprising only because it didn't happen sooner. Alone among the major Republican contenders, he didn't have his moment in the sun. There was never a surge in excitement about his campaign, no memorable speeches or gaffes, no distinguishing policy proposals. In every presidential race there are always a few faceless candidates, ones who you forget who ran almost immediately after their campaigns end. Did you know Sam Brownback ran in 2008, for example? Or Richard Gephardt in 2004? Huntsman might be destined to be grouped in with those men: candidates who once ran for president but dropped out because nobody cared.
What's interesting about Huntsman, though, is that he's the first candidate who has based his qualifications for the presidency at least party on his knowledge of and experience in China. In the coming years, with Sino-American relations poised to dominate the country's diplomatic agenda, Huntsman might find his expertise in increasing demand. At 51 he's still plenty young enough to wait four or eight more years for his turn. After all, Mitt Romney's once-promising 2008 campaign landed with a thud, and now he's the overwhelming favorite to win the nomination four years later.
For that reason, I suspect that this isn't the last we'll hear of Jon Huntsman.
