With the serious concerns of Republicans over the current field of competitors for the 2012 presidential nomination, former governor of Utah and former ambassador to China Jon Huntsman may be a standout leader.
Huntsman speaks fluent Mandarin, has a vast store of insight and knowledge of the Chinese people and China’s history, government and economy. This ambassador had the wherewithal and courage to attend the Jasmine Revolution protest in Beijing, just last February. In leather jacket and sunglasses, the ambassador smiled at one demonstrator and said he was "there just to look around.” The Wall Street Journal was among those that remarked it is indeed rare for an ambassador to attend an anti-government protest in China.
Huntsman has had a lifetime interest in Asia, and the Far East (Jon Huntsman was ambassador to Singapore in the administration of President George H. W. Bush). Huntsman points out the vast numbers of farmers, no longer needed in farming, being transitioned by the Chinese government into other areas. He points to the billions of Chinese living in desperate conditions. He alludes to a Chinese stimulus the cost of which was in the trillions of dollars. He sees the Chinese government moving from military to civilian leadership; it is, he says, a government rich with creative entrepreneurs. Huntsman, in an interview with Charlie Rose in late 2010, said a weakness of China is the inability to resolve business disputes. He noted that China has concerns about increased wages damaging the national economy. The lack of freedom of speech, Huntsman notes, brings about criticism, thus instability. He quotes a saying in Mandarin that translates, “In China we also have politics.” The former ambassador praised uniqueness in every nation.
In December of 2010, Huntsman was concerned about the Chinese navy venturing beyond their sphere of influence in the South China Sea and in the Indian Ocean. While China must keep supply lines opened, and must protect its economic interests, China feels, according to Huntsman, that growth is only possible if a regime is stable and predictable. Sovereignty is high on the list of Chinese priorities. Sometimes, according to Huntsman, they go too far: in a naval encounter with Japan, the Chinese navy took the commander of the Japanese vessel into custody. Huntsman notes the United States and China have the two largest economies and the two largest militaries in the modern world. America should welcome China’s rise, he affirms, but would appreciate more transparency, more adherence to the Rules of the Road. Huntsman goes on to say, “Language is the lens that cracks the code of culture.” China values investments in the U.S., in the areas of plant property and equipment, and these investments are likely to continue. China recognizes that the United States still has the top market in the world.
Article comments
1 - Baronius
I keep reading about the Huntsman/Obama angle, but does anyone really hold it against Huntsman that he's worked as an ambassador the last few years? It seems like the kind of observation that a Washington reporter would make, and then a bunch of Washington reporters would repeat because they thought it sounded clever. I just haven't heard any Republican voters or any Tea Party people express it.
Anyone out there have an opinion?
2 - Baronius
Come on, people! Someone?
3 - handyguy
The ambassadorship is possibly more an emblem of other issues than a problem per se. Huntsman can be accurately described as moderate and accomodating toward political opponents. His on-record statements about gay civil unions and global warming are not going to endear him to GOP or Tea Party activists.
He has been quoted saying things less than two years ago that seemed aimed directly at the House GOP and Tea Party huffer-puffer types:
...he has characterized Republicans as "devoid of ideas" and "gasping for air," decrying the GOP's "gratuitous partisanship," comparing it to "a very narrow party of angry people," and describing its strategy as "obstruct and obfuscate … grousing and complaining."
People annoyed at him for these other reasons, if they are rabid Obama-haters, could seize on the ambassadorship as more unfavorable evidence.
For us Dems, he's less scary than Perry and less robotic than Romney, and thus a more formidable opponent. But he has to navigate the red-faced true-believer primary voters first. Some think he's running for VP with an eye toward the future.
4 - Baronius
Handy, I know next to nothing about the guy, and it won't matter if he doesn't get his poll numbers up. I'd just love to hear an assessment of him from a non-liberal. He's one of the few candidates with a sufficient resume for the office, and I'd hate to see him shunned because of that resume.
5 - zingzing
baronius, he's too... sane? he's not crazy enough at this point to get on the radar. give it another few months and you might hear something, once republicans have heard enough silly crap out of the current candidates.
6 - Leroy
Is he willing to sign an oath of undying fealty to Grover Norquist, as all the others seem to do?
7 - handyguy
Well, here’s what Erick Erickson had to say about why he won’t support Huntsman [he thinks it’s ‘disloyal’ to plot a presidential run while you’re serving the president you would oppose].
I think Erickson is over the top here, as usual. But he is a ‘non-liberal,’ so perhaps Baronius will want to hear what he has to say.
By the way, my comment above was about as nonpartisan as comments get on here, but I guess that’s not enough for Mr B, who had previously asked if 'someone, anyone' had an opinion.
8 - Baronius
Come on, Handy. If you wanted a cross-section of what Tea Party America was thinking, would you go to John Lake, Zing, and yourself? Anyway, the exasperation was more at the dearth of activity in general on BC Politics.
9 - John Lake
I have demonstrated some small capacity to be objective and impartial to partite considerations. That notwithstanding, my September 14, 2010, article, here,
A Few Words to the Fervent Followers of the Burgeoning Tea Party Movement
10 - zingzing
well, baronius, you must admit it's been more of the same. palin did something stupid, obama made a decision everyone wanted so everyone complained, michelle bachmann stayed insane, another republican who can't win joined the lemmings on the way to the cliff.
wake me when there's something new, really...
11 - El Bicho
"does anyone really hold it against Huntsman that he's worked as an ambassador the last few years?"
Nope. He was very well qualified for the position, and it's very honorable to chose serving the country over serving his party
12 - Glenn Contrarian
El B -
it's very honorable to chose serving the country over serving his party
You know that's heresy to the Republican party....